Saturday, November 29, 2008
You ever had one of those days when you should have had a good strong layer of duct tape over your mouth and your hands firmly cuffed behind your back?
Well... my enthusiasm for all things cultural got the better of me earlier this month when I was sipping coffee with my English conversation group and one of the Italian ladies mentioned a dance class. "Dance class", I think to myself, "that sounds like a lot of fun - oh goody, I unique cultural opportunity." So me and my not-duct-taped mouth start asking questions. Bad idea.
All of the sudden, I'm invited to come to the dance class with them. Twice. The next two Wednesdays. "Great", I'm thinking. Wonderful! I get to learn a new dance and spend time with some really great Italian ladies.
The next week I show up to learn the Contradanza. We're partnered up. I'm a boy. Ha ha. Fine. I can do this. We clap. We dance. We laugh a lot because I'm not the only one with two left feet (though I'm the only one who can't understand the words to the song). It's time to go and they ask... "Can you meet on Friday?"
Oh, ok. No problem. And it starts. Wednesdays and Fridays, then Friday morning and evening. And guess what? I wasn't just learning a simple dance. There is a costume involved. Black pants. White shirt. "Borrow your husband's vest." So apparently all Italian men have a nice suit vest in their wardrobe. Mine - nicht, nada, zilch. A couple of scarves, a cap and a drawn on mustache would complete my outfit - thankfully, they forgot the mustache for the performance.
Performance, you ask? Because if you know me, you will be choking on your coffee by now. I don't dance. And I certainly don't perform. Uh, er... until now.
In September the local head of the Chamber of Commerce asked me if the IWC would be interested in doing something at the Geilenkirchen Christmas market. I passed along the invitation to my board who, in turn, passed it along to their members. How was I supposed to know that my Italian friend had jumped on that opportunity. No one told me.
So all of the sudden, I'm the sole American - the only non-Italian dancing on stage in the market place of Geilenkirchen at their Christmas market last weekend which was just about embarrassing enough... but then, wait, I was dressed as a boy.
And not a cute one at that. I don't own a lot of black pants and the two that I do own are, well, fit, uh, a bit snugger than I'd like. One was ok, but they are capries... so there I am trying to tuck the little ends of my capries into my Ugg boots (black pants, black boots). Cute Italian, I'm not. Then the top. So I don't own a plethora of simple button down white tops either and Kirk has no vest... so Mariella had lent a shirt to me. I hadn't really looked at it- hadn't tried it on. So just a couple hours before I pull it out of the bag. It's a 34. I wear a 38. Ugh. This would not be pretty. And instead of a shirt with a vest (like all the other "boys" were wearing), this one was a shirt with a black cami looking top sewed onto it - not masculine at all. So now I'm a feminine looking "boy" dancing with the girls. Not sure that's any better.
We arrived at 5:30 already in costume freezing our veritable patooties off. It was pretty easy to spot the sea of Italians waiting half with green scarves on their heads and the others with the smart black caps. We were supposed to go on at 6, but they didn't even begin to clear off the stage until ten after because, according to the director, it was gemuertliche -- the atmosphere and feeling were right. Just before we went on, Mariella told me that we'd dance twice. Twice???? Dancing once, I thought, was quite embarrassing enough, but now we'd dance once normally, then grab partners from the audience and go through it again.
It was almost time. I took off my coat and noticed a button undone on my top. Great. Something else to worry about - and we were dancing twice! So the entire time I was dancing, I was terrified that one of the buttons on the too tight top was going to come loose.
All in all, it went ok. I made one mistake, but not a horrible one... and when it was time to choose a partner, I grabbed Tiara. Generous mom that I am, sharing the embarrassment.
So, there it is. I, the non-dancing, non-performer, actually ended up dancing at the Geilenkirchen Christmas market on a stage in front of real people with a bunch of Italians. An accomplishment of sorts, and, though it wasn't exactly what I planned on, a lot of fun. All that time with my friends reinforced the little things that I already knew about my Italian friends - 1) the wear black and pretty much only black and 2) they really can't talk with out their hands and they talk and talk and talk... and discuss and argue and talk some more. Getting through a rehearsal with them is 10% actual dancing and 90% discussing the dance. Still, I love these ladies. They're a lot of fun!
Feb 2009 - I just decided to randomly "google" myself to see what's out there and found this article in the Italian's Passato Presente, a newsletter for the GK Italians. It mentions me in reference to the dance above.
Totally unrelated Elise quote: Because the other day I told Elise that she was getting old...
"I'm not old, I'm new."
"How do you know?"
"Well, old people have - (pauses and looks intently at me) - skin like I have, but really old, old people have squishy skin."
Well... my enthusiasm for all things cultural got the better of me earlier this month when I was sipping coffee with my English conversation group and one of the Italian ladies mentioned a dance class. "Dance class", I think to myself, "that sounds like a lot of fun - oh goody, I unique cultural opportunity." So me and my not-duct-taped mouth start asking questions. Bad idea.
All of the sudden, I'm invited to come to the dance class with them. Twice. The next two Wednesdays. "Great", I'm thinking. Wonderful! I get to learn a new dance and spend time with some really great Italian ladies.
The next week I show up to learn the Contradanza. We're partnered up. I'm a boy. Ha ha. Fine. I can do this. We clap. We dance. We laugh a lot because I'm not the only one with two left feet (though I'm the only one who can't understand the words to the song). It's time to go and they ask... "Can you meet on Friday?"
Oh, ok. No problem. And it starts. Wednesdays and Fridays, then Friday morning and evening. And guess what? I wasn't just learning a simple dance. There is a costume involved. Black pants. White shirt. "Borrow your husband's vest." So apparently all Italian men have a nice suit vest in their wardrobe. Mine - nicht, nada, zilch. A couple of scarves, a cap and a drawn on mustache would complete my outfit - thankfully, they forgot the mustache for the performance.
Performance, you ask? Because if you know me, you will be choking on your coffee by now. I don't dance. And I certainly don't perform. Uh, er... until now.
In September the local head of the Chamber of Commerce asked me if the IWC would be interested in doing something at the Geilenkirchen Christmas market. I passed along the invitation to my board who, in turn, passed it along to their members. How was I supposed to know that my Italian friend had jumped on that opportunity. No one told me.
So all of the sudden, I'm the sole American - the only non-Italian dancing on stage in the market place of Geilenkirchen at their Christmas market last weekend which was just about embarrassing enough... but then, wait, I was dressed as a boy.
And not a cute one at that. I don't own a lot of black pants and the two that I do own are, well, fit, uh, a bit snugger than I'd like. One was ok, but they are capries... so there I am trying to tuck the little ends of my capries into my Ugg boots (black pants, black boots). Cute Italian, I'm not. Then the top. So I don't own a plethora of simple button down white tops either and Kirk has no vest... so Mariella had lent a shirt to me. I hadn't really looked at it- hadn't tried it on. So just a couple hours before I pull it out of the bag. It's a 34. I wear a 38. Ugh. This would not be pretty. And instead of a shirt with a vest (like all the other "boys" were wearing), this one was a shirt with a black cami looking top sewed onto it - not masculine at all. So now I'm a feminine looking "boy" dancing with the girls. Not sure that's any better.
We arrived at 5:30 already in costume freezing our veritable patooties off. It was pretty easy to spot the sea of Italians waiting half with green scarves on their heads and the others with the smart black caps. We were supposed to go on at 6, but they didn't even begin to clear off the stage until ten after because, according to the director, it was gemuertliche -- the atmosphere and feeling were right. Just before we went on, Mariella told me that we'd dance twice. Twice???? Dancing once, I thought, was quite embarrassing enough, but now we'd dance once normally, then grab partners from the audience and go through it again.
It was almost time. I took off my coat and noticed a button undone on my top. Great. Something else to worry about - and we were dancing twice! So the entire time I was dancing, I was terrified that one of the buttons on the too tight top was going to come loose.
All in all, it went ok. I made one mistake, but not a horrible one... and when it was time to choose a partner, I grabbed Tiara. Generous mom that I am, sharing the embarrassment.
So, there it is. I, the non-dancing, non-performer, actually ended up dancing at the Geilenkirchen Christmas market on a stage in front of real people with a bunch of Italians. An accomplishment of sorts, and, though it wasn't exactly what I planned on, a lot of fun. All that time with my friends reinforced the little things that I already knew about my Italian friends - 1) the wear black and pretty much only black and 2) they really can't talk with out their hands and they talk and talk and talk... and discuss and argue and talk some more. Getting through a rehearsal with them is 10% actual dancing and 90% discussing the dance. Still, I love these ladies. They're a lot of fun!
Feb 2009 - I just decided to randomly "google" myself to see what's out there and found this article in the Italian's Passato Presente, a newsletter for the GK Italians. It mentions me in reference to the dance above.
L’ALTRA META’ DEL CIRCOLO
CONTRADANZA SICILIANA IN PIAZZA A GK
Lo scorso 29 novembre si è svolto a Geilenkirchen il tradizionale “Mercatino di Natale”.
Per l’occasione il Comune ha organizzato una serie di iniziative, a cui ha parteciapato anche l’International Women Club, con la rappresentanza italiana. La Presidente dell’I.W.C. , Tiffany Stahlbaum, ha invitato tutte le Nazioni che fanno parte del Club a partecipare a questa iniziativa e l’invito è stato accolto dalla nostra nazione.
Detto fatto, la nostra coreografa e cantante ufficiale, Mariella D’Aquino, ha arruolato le bravissime ballerine e sono cominciate le prove . Alla danza ha partecipato anche Tiffany, offrendo una bellissima testimonianza di disponibilità e collaborazione.
E cosi, il pomeriggio del 29 novembre, in un clima freddo e natalizio, la piazza di Geilenkirchen è stata riscaldata ed animata dal calore e dall’entusiasmo della comunità italiana. Le signore dell’I.W. C. si sono esibite nella “Contradanza”, un tradizionale ballo siciliano, e subito dopo hanno coinvolto i tedeschi presenti a cimentarsi con loro in questa danza.
A conclusione della performance, Mariella D’Aquino ci ha fatto “Volare” sulle note dell’omonima canzone di Domenico Modugno.
E’ inutile aggiungere che il successo è stato eccezionale!!!
Grazie , dunque , a tutte le Signore che hanno reso possibile la realizzazione di questo evento: Antonella Benedetti, Maria Caputo,Loredana Limone, Rossella Melillo, Sabrina Morganella, Stefania Palmisano, Sadra Panassiti, Annabella Reitano, Tiffany Stahlbaum, Catia Suligoj, Barbara Trentanni, Graziella Undecimo.
E grazie ancora a Mariella D’Aquino, per la sua disponibilità e bravura, a Tiffany Stahlbaum e alla nostra presidente nazionale Enrica Piccillo. Un arrivedeci al prossimo evento!
CONTRADANZA SICILIANA IN PIAZZA A GK
Lo scorso 29 novembre si è svolto a Geilenkirchen il tradizionale “Mercatino di Natale”.
Per l’occasione il Comune ha organizzato una serie di iniziative, a cui ha parteciapato anche l’International Women Club, con la rappresentanza italiana. La Presidente dell’I.W.C. , Tiffany Stahlbaum, ha invitato tutte le Nazioni che fanno parte del Club a partecipare a questa iniziativa e l’invito è stato accolto dalla nostra nazione.
Detto fatto, la nostra coreografa e cantante ufficiale, Mariella D’Aquino, ha arruolato le bravissime ballerine e sono cominciate le prove . Alla danza ha partecipato anche Tiffany, offrendo una bellissima testimonianza di disponibilità e collaborazione.
E cosi, il pomeriggio del 29 novembre, in un clima freddo e natalizio, la piazza di Geilenkirchen è stata riscaldata ed animata dal calore e dall’entusiasmo della comunità italiana. Le signore dell’I.W. C. si sono esibite nella “Contradanza”, un tradizionale ballo siciliano, e subito dopo hanno coinvolto i tedeschi presenti a cimentarsi con loro in questa danza.
A conclusione della performance, Mariella D’Aquino ci ha fatto “Volare” sulle note dell’omonima canzone di Domenico Modugno.
E’ inutile aggiungere che il successo è stato eccezionale!!!
Grazie , dunque , a tutte le Signore che hanno reso possibile la realizzazione di questo evento: Antonella Benedetti, Maria Caputo,Loredana Limone, Rossella Melillo, Sabrina Morganella, Stefania Palmisano, Sadra Panassiti, Annabella Reitano, Tiffany Stahlbaum, Catia Suligoj, Barbara Trentanni, Graziella Undecimo.
E grazie ancora a Mariella D’Aquino, per la sua disponibilità e bravura, a Tiffany Stahlbaum e alla nostra presidente nazionale Enrica Piccillo. Un arrivedeci al prossimo evento!
--Stefania Intelligente Palmisano
Totally unrelated Elise quote: Because the other day I told Elise that she was getting old...
"I'm not old, I'm new."
"How do you know?"
"Well, old people have - (pauses and looks intently at me) - skin like I have, but really old, old people have squishy skin."
Labels:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I LOVE MOO! Creative.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
0 comments: