the giulianese natale 08

There are some things, that when you see them for the first time, change your life. I know this sounds like one of those "my life changed the first time I saw my sons face" or whatever kind of stories....but its true.

Marianna is a dancer with Damadaka. Marco invited me for New Year's 08, two weeks after I had made the big move to Italy, to Puglia.

We went to a secret Tarantella festival in a small town in the hills. Driving there the only thing we saw was a lot of orange glowy lights in the far off distance. Then as we kept driving closer and closer and higher and higher into the mountain, it became clear that it was a town, and there was music, and food and people dancing. We slept on the floor in a school. A thing, I am learning, that is really common if your gonna start going to a lot of these small town festival, is that you have to get really used to showering outdoors, sleeping on school floors with a lot of strangers, and bathing in very cold water.




Anyways, we danced the night away at this festival then hit the road for yet another. This time it was Capodanza, a popular New Year's festival. It usually involves a couple of days of courses in some type of folk dance, whether it be Italian or French or Rom, then a big New Year's bash, where everyone busts out the new moves they just learned.

This was one of the first times I danced the Tammurriata. A wicked couple dance that can be between a man and a woman, woman/woman or man/man. It can be about love or war or showmanship. These dances are connected to an ancient tradition dating back before Christianity connected to "holy" woman that could protect the city. Eventually incorporated into Catholicism, we have the 7 madonna's and their respective festivals + other festivals that have their own Tammurriata's where the Madonna's don't enter at all.

Ya....I'm a little vague. Definatley no historian I jsut like to dance.

Let's say that New Year's 08 I saw Damadaka a wicked group from Napoli known for singing, playing and dancing the Tammurriata Guilianese. This is a video of what I saw that night. And this was the beginning of something.

What, exactly is still to be determined. I took a little one day class here in Bologna to try to learn it. But the class doesn't do the dance justice at all. I think I need to plan a private lesson with Marianna in Napoli.

In 2009 I will start posting lesson videos taught in English.....I have decided.