IL TRATTENIMENTO ITALIANO
Italian Folk Dance Troupe
of Des Moines, Iowa
Mailing Address:
Il Trattenimento Italiano Dance Troupe
2200 South Union
Des Moines, IA 50315 USA
Please contact group for fees charged for performances.
A Brief History of Il Trattenimento Italiano
Il Trattenimento Italiano had its start in 1959, when Patricia Civitate learned La Tarantella Napoletana as a youngster. When Patricia became a Girl Scout Troop Leader, she taught the dance to her troop of girls who represented Italy at various scouting events, whenever international cultures were being presented. In the early 1970s, Pat had a group of eight to ten children who wanted to dance, but La Tarantella Napoletana was the only Italian folk dance she knew.In 1980, Patricia felt that there had to be more information available about Italian folk dances. She tried writing to Italian-American magazines but received no assistance. Shortly thereafter, she learned about IFAFA in a conversation with Rita Tonitto. Pat attended the 1981 IFAFA Conference in New Jersey and just happened to share a room with Cav. Elba Farabegoli Gurzau. In 1983 she traveled with IFAFA to Italy where she videotaped several dances.
Soon, the group's repertoire grew. In a few years, at an IFAFA Conference in Philadelphia, PA, Pat taught a workshop on teaching Italian dances to children. This presentation was an inspiration to many of the adult dancers to return to their cities and begin forming children's groups. In 1988, Il Trattenimento Italiano hosted the IFAFA Conference in Des Moines.
The group now functions under the auspices of the Italian American Cultural Center in Des Moines, but the dance group itself remains self-governed, under Pat's leadership. As members of the Cultural Center, they enjoy the privileges of state and federal tax exemption.
The adult group of Il Trattenimento Italiano currently consists of 6 men and 8 women. The Ragazzi group is made up of 12 children. New members are recruited through invitations in their newsletter and through personal contact.
The costumes worn during performances represent various regions of Italy; several members have more than one costume and often change during the course of a performance.
The repertoire of Il Trattenimento Italiano includes folk dances, folk tales, and historical background narration. Information on dances and costumes has been gleaned from Cav. Elba Gurzau's book Folk Dances, Costumes and Customs of Italy, at IFAFA conferences, and at other folk dance classes. Additional knowledge, of both dances and costumes, has been passed down through family history, or has been researched during travels in Italy.
The members of Il Trattenimento Italiano perform for an appreciative audience
at the 2002 IFAFA Conference in San Francisco, California, ........ and ........
........ again at the 2003 IFAFA Conference in Canton, Ohio.
Members of
Italian Folk Art Federation of America, Inc.
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