Lrou1zl00l NEWSLETTER of the ITALIAN FOLK ART FEDERATION of AMERICA
LROU1Zl00l NEWSLETTER OF THE ITALIAN FOLK ART FEDERATION OF AMERICA
VOLUME 5 1984 NUMBER 1
"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take a lead in the introduction of a new order of things." Niccolo Machiavelli Yes, we at I.F.A.F.A. have taken the lead. In 1977 we embarked on a new and bold venture, uncertain of its success. We formed a Federation of Italian Folk Groups for the purpose of preserving and fostering interest in Italian folklore in the U.S. Because of you, members, friends and readers of Tradizioni who have supported us spiritually and financially, our venture has been given recognition and a direction clearly for success. Our firm committment is to go forward. To date, contributions to our special fund appeal amount to $1611.00. The list of contributors appears elsewhere in this issue. We wish to thank all who responded to date and encourage others to make a donation, large or small, to keep Tradizioni alive. We cherish and need your support. The next issue is scheduled for January, 1985. Count on it. Anthony F. LePera, Editor in Chief
FOLK DANCE by Dr. Pino Gala geometric designs, portray ceremony and characteristics of a culture, because it I S il (Translated and adapted fo r Tradi zioni by myth of ml mic daily activities and spontaneous creation, a soc ial !an8u~"~:e Karen Marie Breda) iu nctions. a style that perpetuates itself, ,,- s ,r is handed down through generations. The Origin of the Dance The Evolution and Preservation of the The first human representations of Italian Folk Dance However, with the widespread the dance were spontaneous expressions of The study of Italian folk dance offers a industrialization of peasant life, spirituality, or religion (from religere key to the historical interpretation of an contemporary dances are mass-marketed. meaning to gather, to unite). Dance took ancient time and allows us to catch a The result. especially in the last ten yeal S, on a magical, superstitious, evocative, glimpse of the diffusion of traditions is a slow defunctionalization of folk declarative or propitiatory meaning between Italy's peninsular civilization and dance, a reduction, a pollution, a according to the function that it served. those of other civilization of the fertile strangulation of its very existence. It was a n integrating feature of ancient Mediterranean basin; between the Today, in Italy, the far mel the religious events. behavior of the peasant and that of the shepherd, the fisherm an, In essenG, In t he ceremonial · (lance. t·l1e nobleman; and the significance of the 'village culture' is unckrgoing all commun ity gathered around a real or cultural bridge that Italy represents for important phase of tr ansitl o ll. Fulk im agi nalY divine image (the Circle dance), Europe and the Afro-Asian continents. creativity and folk an ri sk 1) '- il1g o r (liong a sacred path (the processional). Dance, therefo re, is a complex overtaken by a swift mo villfJ <" lo luria:) ImJividual, couple, circle and line dances manifestation of the Idiosyncratic that does not allow for the aSS imilation of were represe ntations of a ritual , a human a new value system. event o r a divine lege nd. Even the MARK YOUR CALENDAR Our duty is to learn the forms of tolk contradance assumed a symbolic, for the music that still exist in order to maintain 7th National Italian ritual istic mean ing. the significance of, the style of, and the The association between movem ent FOLK ART CONFERENCE desire for '!a f",sta'. 0 and rhythmic/melodic expression gives In Philadelphia the dance vital positive values. Dance is Oct. 19,20,21,1984 Dr. Pino Gala, a graduate in theater movemel.t, rhythm, an output of physical WORKSHOPS in It"lian folk dance. history f, um the University of Florence, and spiritual energy, sexual provocation music, other folk arts, exchange of ideas. Italy, i' ;; pecialiLing in Tadizione Popolare therefore life, flowing, dynamic AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE at the University of Rome . Dr. Gala is an strength, 'festa'! FOR THOSE WHO ATTEND expert in Italian folk music and dance Frequent ly , dance figures outline with extensive field experir nce . . -----.-.------~ tribes. Interestingly, Sicily at one time OF PAST Siell Y was full of forests and navigable rivers. BY LUCIA TERRIZZI Palermo and Syracuse were among the largest and richest cities in the world. For 1500 years Syracuse, the first city of How many of us are aware of Sicily's Sicily, was the richest and most powerful historical past, her sufferi ~g, her ordeal (/> 2 \ ' I I S t l' ~ " r H .\, \. .\ U ,\ l. -. \ I I," \' i\ I 1 T·\ ! I :\ '\ i C L 1\ J, " . '_. f: , be i'llL: ()C CI,bLI' t ':), 2'] cme! .:'l , 19o , ~, il l ellL' ii() lioay Inn :'liot,)\VTl , Philadelphia. !):U1CL' ',}l I:'k".h.::c- begin lU : CiU .'\ ' :-1., ( HI J.'r l (ia::' i" »)- lx'ginnl.: :-s and cidvilncL'cl d2mCL 'rs, Ll1l' latter Lc /. ' i ncli l <. .k: d ·l,,· . ~\,: .. ' i ' t " . (, L ll(I, t :, ' f! UN.. GIUSEPPE: 'PI NG' GALA Juring his Cl:, CL'lll : ,,;uCC(" ~ :;l ul t lJur ur' thL :;, :) . L llc~,-l' a l so \"i11 be a lJrcsentation by Dorothy t'liJrcucci on Li\Ljj~' ~ U)OKL~C, :\ [-'"lk fJ mcv Pcu-ty '",U L concluoe thL' first day ' s activiLiL'S, i!i,",hli."J,hting S:llunLty ' :-; pcugrclill \..rill be mure of P{Ht/ C;.:Li.'a ' ,~ dances; tht' BALLU DI':U ..E CC )~ 1Clr[ c(;llL-ctcd in T;!gJidC(iL /:( ) (Abruai) during IFAFA's tour of Italy last year, ,vill hold a music wod:shup ,)T1 SICILIPu~ SONGS ;:mel eli scus:-; i1 r C:' celltly completed projec , funded through the ethnic Iiu'ilage Studie s Cen Ler, Univecsity of Pittsburgh, entitled SHtET ,\WSIC COLLtCTION Of ITALIA,\J FOLK MUSI C U,J CE NrRAL PENNSYLVANIA. A song workshop with the dynamic Jane Ferro, a panel discussion on recruiting fur and managing folk groups, and the annual meeting art' a l s\) schedule-o ; 01' Saturday. ToC' FESTA FOLClDRISTICA ITALlANA, which has now becane traditional, will follow the ;!,a la dinner . Participants arc invited to dress in Italian costume. There willoe a CC>SL UI11C p Silllday morning featw-es a presen tati on and discussion on authentic ITALIAN FOLK COSTIJMES by Elba F. Gurzau, [tlllowed by a rl?view of the folk songs and dances learned during edc} ier sessions . Please make your own hotel reservations: Holiday Inn Niotown, 1305 Walnut Street, Philadelphia 19107 . Special rates for IFAFA conferees: Single $52; Double $57; Triple 561; Quad. $65. Reserve carly ... REGISTRATION fOR CONFERENCE: $65.00 f or menbers $ 7 5.00 for NOi'Jrnunbers (incluclC:'s r efreshments ; Sat. breakfast, lunch, Gala dinner; Sun. breakfast) PLEASE REGISTER BY OCTOBER 10. Comph,te t his form, attach chc'cK i'2lyahl E: ttl r . F ,A.F.A. and l11L-l.il to :1~3 . l~iLa Tonitto , 252 Columbia Avenu e, Fort Ll'C , N. J. 070~4. Enclosed i s a check fo r $ covering registrdnt(s) $75 . 00 each. HOlTlc Tele . Bus. TelC' . City Slale 7.ip 3 EXHIBITION ON ITALIAN AMERICAN CULTURE OF PHILADELPHIA, PA. The Balch Institute of Phil;;delphia, III centln'y w ith all emphasis ()n Philadelphia soliCiting donations of materials for : he cooperJtlOl1 with the Ilalian Folk Art and easterll Pennsylvania. "High" cultule show and fOI the inst i tute's l esear ':!l Federation of America, is piallililig an iworks of fine drt, mUSIC, etc.), folk colleCTion. exhibition 011 IwliJr1 American culture culture (costumes, crafts), r eligious ami for the fall of 198!1 . populal culture (mummers, festivals ami The research collection will encomp;",s The exhd}11 will consist of parades) w ill all be covered II I The (;xhilJi I. a w iele variety of physical artlfdcts which approx ll1l,ilely 150 photoyraphs illlci document Italian American life ill eaSle i iO archiva l mater'iats (letters, cildrles, The opening of the f! xhib l t will Pe n ny slvanl3 . Examples Illclude ,rn lT1 igi' ation records, l~tC.), approxlmatelv COlncicie With the annual meeting of hander-afts, household objects, Ir:t! l!rs, 100 artifacts (1I1cluding IfJo l'k s of art, I FAFA in Philaclelphia ill October, 1985. diaries, dnd photographs of IndiVidUals, uilfts. folk costumes "nd acCl:SSOf I C'';, The I ,;ceptioll will also Iw Ihe OCCilSlon record~. and regalia or organ iLiltlons, (ievotioll di : tCill~ ;' tOOls anel IITlplerncnts, fOI the offiCial inauQur atlOIi of the Italian newspapel s, pamphlrts, leaflets,' shl.: r;! Jild other lIaditlondl Iialiiln American Amerlcall Folk AI t COllectl Ol1S aT The music, anc! other print materi a!. The 'lld teriJis), dll'J ethllic PIPS ~; pu lJllcations, Billch Illsti IUTf? collection wil l build on ihe Insltul';'s BalCh Museum CUtdtOI Gall Stelll Will eX isting Italian American holdlllqS, o f plall the i~xhiilitl()11 With the: assi stallce of note the papers of Leonard Covel lO and an AdVisory BOdrci composed of Tlw success o f tilt' (~xltl/)iti()n w il: of Elba Farabegoli Glirlau. 11 w il! Iw special ists in Italidll Amt~rlcall cUltu:'c. ciep enci on the support and participat ion preserved ami Illai ntaincn as a pcrm;;ne'll The exh ibit will illustrate Jnd intel pr.; t of It alian Amellcan oryal li/ations JncJ resource for research Jnd wili be Ilal' al' American culture of tile past individuill s. The museum is curr elltly expanded on an ongoll1g ba sis. ,-. THE DELAWARE VALLEY MORRA LEAGUE BY JONATHAN C. DAVID Most I td lial1 s know the folk gal11", number of fingers. Again, each shouts out ;110rJd Men in Italy play this fingt~r ' game a guess - from one to ten - of the total U ri the street. ill Piilks, 011 the doorstep, number of fingers showing on both men's ililyw here that is convenient. On hands. Though all of the players are "command," each of two players holds native speakers of English, they shout the out from one to five fingers of his "ytn numbers in Ilalian. Though the game hand. Simultaneously, each player shouts seems simple, the players devise bluffs, his guess of the total number of fingers foil s, and fake starts, Though this seems showing on his and the other man's hand. to be a game of chance, some men win He who guesses correctly wins the match. constantly through skill. The w inner of Ita lian American Illell of ttw westem one round remains at the table, to play frlnqe Df Philadelphia, In and around the next player from the opposing team. ()vel'iJ rook, hdve organilecl the only Each confrontation is worth one point to lTlor l a league ill this city. perhaps It IS the the winner. To win the match, a team on ly one III the country A must earn thirty points, defeating each of secollciqenerdtloll IlllmlgranT orgalli/ed the ten opposing players three times. the le,Jijue In 19 7 4 . The Delavville Va lley MUlla Lealjlle has tOUI te,wls. f!dch Follow II1g the te am game, each team sponsoteri hy a different Italrc;n Arnel lcilll pick s onr player to face oft iJgain at i~,e Cl ull, Each team has twenty l11ernllPrs. table. The wi nner of this confrontation is Edch playel pays dues tn his Tealll , tJd cll cnlled "the Boss." The Boss col lel:Ts l earn pay s cilies 10 the leagLJe. enough money from each player of hi s The four teallls plriY tw,~lve team to iJu'l ten drinks. He then gives the tuu rnaments d ye,lr, usuilily 011 the drinks to '!-J homever he pleases, Usudl!y p.ven ing of lh(: last Friday of each munth he rewarcls his own team , I\t the tournament , t'.''1 O games ,'lie played Next, the two winning teams play eac h at the same time. One team, USIIH! tell of other, w hile the remaining two tf~ams i ts pldyels selected hy Its capLlin play each other. ThroughollT the year, the f .'l c,~s '1ff a~ldinst d second lPillll The leagu~~ keeps the te Once ag,nn this mOira league ,how, ,is ;;n ex ample how Italid ns have com,' Like tradition 4 CONTRIBUTORS TARANTELLA SANT'ALFIO The following is a list of contributors who have generously responded to our j Source From TRECASTAGNI, Catania, Sicily, Italy. appeal for funds . All contributions Miss Grieco learned the dance in Italy from Salvatore Testa of CORO received after July 15 will be ETNEO OF Catania. ack nowledged In the next issue of Music Tarantella Sant' Alfio, original music from Italy Folkraft - Italian record. Tradizioni. ~ Miss Grieco states, "Any record of Sicilian Tarantellas may be used, but Donated S100. or more: some steps may have to be repeated according to the length of the 1t"llan Folk Ensemble Marghenta 'Or ake record. " Dr. Anthony F . LePera Charac Very fast, lively and flirtatious. i~~ Mr. & Mrs. LouIs J . Esposito teristics Mr . Peter M Olino ~ Steps Hop, hell-toe, Pas-de-Basque, skip, walk. M r. Sev ero Antonelli, Both partners do the same Steps except when the man is on his knee. Mr. Albert Cavaliere, ~ Forma· A couple dance which can be done by a number of couples in a double Rev. Ms~r. J . John Buseo, Mrs. Ida Rose Pugliese, tion circle arou nd the dance area. Frank & G ina Carano, Partners face each other; men have backs to the center; both have G fU ppO "I Pae sa ni", I~\ tam bou r i nes . E(lward A. Conte, ..~ Pear l Preston, )~ Anne and LouIs Misarti, HOP HEEL-TOE MOVING AROU ND EACH OTHER CW & CCW Edward F , Tuttle. ~~ Fig. 1 I Ballerinle Ru stic.ani Music A Holding tambourines in L hand high, R hand on hip and R elbows Jeanine Cariri, 32 cts. adjacent, both hop on L foot and do 8 heel· toe steps moving Santo Barbagallo. continuously forward CW to each other's place (ct. 16). Reverse, hopping V ~Ientlno & Prof. Emma S. Rocco i ~ Nelly & Marto Oa Rosso ...~ on R foot and heel·toe with L, moving CCW, L elbows adjacent, back to Prof. V ictor Greene ~t own place. Eieanor Allen Consiglia A malO De Meo Fig. 2 PAS-DE-BASOUE and KICK S Nicholas & Rose Falco Music A Facing each other with both arms held high, do 2 Pas·de·Basque steps (ct. Lou is & 0 ixie Lee Grossi ~i Gf:orge O. Natali 16 cts. 2) and 4 kicks (ct. 4) straight forward . Repeat all. Dom il11C A. MuoIo Fig.3 CHANGE PLACE POLKA WALK - RETURN Geor'le V . Candeloro. C. L. U. ~ Music A With both hands on hips, do 2 polka steps and 4 walking steps moving Joh n F . 8onello \~~ Mae B. Fraley \~ 1 G cts. forward and CW around each other to partner's place. Continue, Oscar Appel ~~ returning (CW) to own place with same steps (2 polka and 4 kick steps). Bfldget M . T ermini ~\ Fig. 4 H EEL-TOE AND BACK TO BACK Michael C. Rainone, Esq. ,~ G i:' Cl n Denll110 " MusIc B With L arms overhead holding tambourines. R hands at hips and R A lfred F. Alberico ~ 32 cts. elbows adjacent to partner.s, both do 8 hops on L foot in place while Patricia Parmelee D r Angelo R. Lombardi ~~ doing heel·toe with R foot (ct. 8); then with 8 walking steps pass iJdck to ,~ Adrian Gu r zau back with partner. ,~ Fronk H. Glover (Back to back is accomplished by walking forward 3 steps. passing Andrew M. Canepa \ Dr. YO la Correa·Z 01 i \ partner by the R shoulder, then 2 steps directly to the R, back to back, I ta l iall Cu ltural Society ~~ and 3 steps back to place passing partner by L shoulder) I B~!le, Ini ~ Repeat all, reversing each movement (hop on R foot, heel·toe with Land K050 L. Malvoltl L awrencp. ~ RCilph and Antoinette Cassetta " passing by the L shoulder. (ct. 8 & 8). S"cI,e & Sebbie Alongi $ Fig.5 MAN KNEELS, LADY CIRCLES An na Marte F iOrt , Music B Man drops on one knee, whichever is comfortable, and hits tambourine A lb'''t and Paula Alleva ~~ I tal ,all Educat ional & CulturaiCen ter el f J.C. t~ 1 G cts. overhead in time with the music, while lady does 7 polka steps flirtingly Dr & M, s. Gagliardi ~ (ct. 2 for each polka step). On cts. 15 and 16, both stand and face each PCtu la Marlllll § Mary Jan Oa n iel other ready for the next figure. A rb" S'cu l" ~ Fig. 6 SKIP IN PLACE (reel or jog step) Anthony Armao ~ Charles Casella Music B Facing each other, about 2 feet apart, stand with arms held high. Do 16 'All li sted are contflbutors and apart ..~ 16 cts. skips in place. (ct. 16). from rm~mbersh lp ~ (This is accomplished by standing on R foot, placing L behind Rand SPECIAL THANKS )., quickly hopping on L while pushing a little forvvard (ct. 1), then put R From time to time we wish to extend a ·i~ foot behind L, hop and push (ct 2) , L behind R, etc. The small push sper.ial thank you and gratitude to those i~ forward allows the dancers to remain in place, actually skipping in place) who have consistently worked hard, Second REPEAT DANCE FROM THE BEGINNING volunteering their time and talents, to time Repeat exactly as above, except on the 12th and 13th beats of the last bring the Newsletter to your homes: To i" Music figure (Fig. 6) both partners turn singly R and and on cts. 15 and 16, Rita Tonitto, who has given extensive " ACCA man drops on one knee and lady poses with tambourine held high in her help to the various departments, she has R hand and L hand on her waist. n continuously supplied news items, articles I. and handled superbly the membership " Miss Grieco is an I nternationai Folk Dance mailing: To Mary Briggs, Mr. & Mrs . Sadie teacher and director of the !ralian Folklore Alongi, Elba Gurlau and the members of GroliP of Montclair, N.J. the 11ai ia n Folk En semble for- handling Reprill/ed from " Folk Dances, Costumes and ~~~ , ,he diffic ult and complex general mailing. ~., Customs of Italy" bV Elba F. Gurzau. 5 In BrieJ·------ITALIAN MUSIC TOU R UPDATE ON TH!: N.E.A. GRANT DR. PINO GALA OCTOBER, 1984 As previously reported, The National Dr. PlnD Gala, of the University of The EthniC Folk AI 1.5 Cl'!lller IS happy Endowment for the Arts, Washington, F orenet', dnd Tamara f:3i agi gave tu afl llUunce thilt It will produce the D.C. has awarded I.F.A.F. A. a matching wo,'kshops i n Ital,an village dances ill two second edition of "Muslca Popolare" , a grant, the purpose of which is to produce iourhour sessions. The dances, in variolls tour ot lra Tentatlv~ ------.I I.F.A.F.A . I : i dill interested Ill' r.( N.S.C I 1300 SPRUCE ST . :0I C;roup MemiJership S25. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19140 I :0 Ind iVidual Ml!mLrershru $10. o Student (fu!1 tlme i $5. and Senior C iti lens o Contriburin!) to hel p continue the v,;ork of I.F.A.F.A. $------ Naill€' ------ Addre,~ __ Stdte/Zip __ ------_. Contributions are tax deductible. ------_.------