Save the last dance for me

Join the cause! Save the dance from extinction
This insane challenge began one Sunday afternoon in the ballroom Al Camaroun in Castel San Pietro Terme. The stage is beautifully set with the prizes for the tombola. The main prize a gigantic prosciutto, decorated with colourful ribbons. We are here with Lisa, dancer Gianmaria Borzillo and choreographer Alessandro Sciarroni to see Polka Chinata: a dance of mysterious origins typical to Bologna, with two male dancers twirling and turning, knees bent, fast and low, under the urban arcades. There are now only five people in the world who still carry this tradition. We feel as if we are on a rare birdwatching expedition, holding our breath.
The rare event begins: the Polka Chinata, danced by Alessandro Lenzi e Alessandro Poli. The dance is physically challenging, almost acrobatic. Nobody exactly knows why Polka Chinata is danced only by men. Some say it was prohibited for women, others say that men used the dance to showcase their athleticism to the ladies. Viewed with a contemporary gaze, could Polka Chinata propose a different historical perspective on masculinity?

During the Festival, Alessandro Sciarroni offers an open space to join the mission of saving Polka Chinata from extinction. Come and practice. Join for one day or for the whole duration of the Festival. The more you practice, the better you learn, the more chance the dance has of surviving.
You don’t have to have any dance training or special abilities to join. And, obviously, in Santarcangelo, all genders are welcome to dance!
At the end of the Festival the participants of the Polka Chinata training will give three performances for Santarcangelo: in the basketball court, in the community centre Francolini run by our amazing elders, and as a party intervention for Imbosco. Come and see this rare specimen for yourself.