The Italian Dance Quest by Anna Harsh is a Snuggle Up Event pick #memoir #dance #italy #giveaway
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    • Nov 20, 2023
    • 3 min read

The Italian Dance Quest by Anna Harsh is a Snuggle Up Event pick #memoir #dance #italy #giveaway



Title: The Italian Dance Quest

 

Author: Anna Harsh

 

Genre: Memoir

 

Book Blurb: 

 

The Italian Dance Quest is a travel memoir of an adventure that has made a lasting impact on the life of this Italian-American dancer. Be immersed into five different regions through dances that reflect the people, food and history. Anna offers various ways to preserve and enjoy physical history so that the next generation can enjoy them in the future. You’ll also discover:

 

· How learning Italian dances teaches unique life lessons.

· How to apply different choreography tips to elevate dance performance.

· Why royalty danced in northern Italy and what stories the traditional dances told.

 

Her quest to find traditional Italian dances, creates more questions about her own life. Travel to various regions with Anna as she learns elegant circle dances that require grace, proper posture and precision. She compares them to the various lively tarantellas she adores. Gaining a deeper understanding of how Italian families celebrate and deal with grief left Anna asking how can she preserve these precious dances for future generations.

 

Excerpt:

 

La Furlana is an elegant, waltz inspired dance with a 3/4 tempo where the dance begins with the man on one side and the women on the opposite side facing each other with a bit of space between them. They travel towards each other using waltz movements of down, up, up by bending the knee with the first foot flat on the floor and then taking two steps on the ball of the foot completing the waltz timing. The couple arrives face to face after a few waltz steps.

 

At that moment, the woman, who has a scarf attached to her skirt by softly tucking it into the top of her waist, hands her partner the other end of the scarf for him to hold. I believe this is the most romantic part of the dance. The moment they meet, she softly hands him this scarf which connects the two of them together. It might make a perfect proposal dance. Picturing this moment where he pops the question to his partner. The scarf represents their communication line from her heart to his.

 

What are their hearts saying to each other? They maintain eye contact throughout the entire dance as they never face away from each other unless they are turning. Continuous contact visually is rare these days with technology. It’s so refreshing to perform this dance for this exact reason.

 

Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):

 

 

 


November is a time to be thankful. What are you most thankful for this year?

 

I am most thankful for my family in Italy that keeps me connected to my heritage.

 

Why is your featured book worth snuggling up to? 

 

You will be inspired to treasure your heritage, family, and to take action to save traditions. Holidays are a perfect time to celebrate your heritage and to learn why you have certain traditions.

 

Giveaway –

 

One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon gift card

 

 

Open internationally.

 

Runs November 1 – 30

 

Drawing will be held on December 1.

 


Author Biography:

 

Anna Harsh is the Artistic Director and founder of Allegro Dance Company. Her grandparents made a home when they came to the United States in the early 1920's from Reggio di Calabria, Italy. She holds a M.A. degree in Communication from West Virginia University and a B.A. degree in Dance from Slippery Rock University. She is also a certified Pilates and RYT200 Yoga instructor.

 

Through her extensive research in Italy over the years with various teachers, she continues to grow her repertoire of authentic Italian dances to share with audiences of all ages. These precious dances hold history, express various emotions and are sacred and ceremonial. Her determination to preserve traditional Italian dances is seen. Her creative and sunny disposition is found in her writing and choreography. Her never-ending passion for dance along with her Italian heritage is boundless. Anna and her husband Greg enjoy traveling and researching together. Read more about Anna’s travels, her family heritage and the start of her company in her first book, La Danza, Conflict, Passion, and Healing.

 

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