Il Quartiere Italiano

Research

Questa pagina in italiano.


Our first dances came from the book, Folk Dances, Costumes, and Customs of Italy, by Elba Farabegoli Gurzau, founder of IFAFA (the Italian Folk Art Federation of America). We then searched libraries and sometimes would find one Italian dance in a book of international folk dancing, but these were few and far between.

In 1984, Jackie Capurro, our director, wrote to the Italian Cultural Institute in San Francisco, and to each provincial tourist office in Italy (there are over 200!) asking for lists of any known folk troupes in their area. Culling through the lists she received, she then began corresponding with folk troupes currently performing throughout Italy.

Several Italian troupes have sent us films, audiocassettes, and videotapes, upon which much of the IQI repertoire has been built. Some Italian troupes also sent books, brochures, posters, and photographs that have provided us with information on authentic Italian folk costumes and traditions. Also, in 1991, six members of Il Quartiere Italiano traveled to northern Italy and met with a folk troupe in the town of Lecco on Lago di Como. While in northern Italy, we also spoke on the phone with directors of two other troupes, but, unfortunately, we were unable to meet.

Since 1988, we've attended conferences of IFAFA which serves as an exchange for information of Italian folk dances, costumes, and songs. Members of our troupe have taught dance workshops at IFAFA conferences in Rockford, Illinois, in 1995; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1999; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2000; and in Canton, Ohio, in 2003. In 2002, Il Quartiere Italiano co-hosted the IFAFA Conference in the San Francisco Bay Area, along with members of Balliamo! from Sacramento, California.




Click here for a list of dances performed by Il Quartiere Italiano.

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