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Experience the soul of Sicily through the rendition of this Palermo group, via dance and song. Every member of their troupe is genial, kind, and absolutely gorgeous inside and out! Your welcome will be warm, and you will be introduced to their modest theatre as part of the family. It is within a charming and rustic enclosure in the Kalsa district of Palermo. You will bear witness to a spectacular performance which will leave you breathless. Perhaps also you will be fortunate enough to participate in the performance... Francesca ("Kika") speaks English, but you will understand everything if you have 1/1000th the heart of any of these people. If you are not Italian, you may feel overwhelmed or 'offended' by their hospitality and exuberance which is raw and seeks to challenge everything you believe/know about 'formality' and 'distance'. This is Sicily, a melding of cultures, the best of all, so go with it, be free, feel humanity and love!!! "Nonno" (the lead Guitar player and I believe leader of this troupe) is charming. He and "Nicu" impromptu, interrupted the act, to sing a lullaby (?) to our children on stage. Yes, it may have been semi-scripted, but the emotion exuded when doting upon children is well documented and genuine throughout Italy---especially the South! The young male and female dancers amaze you with their agility, stamina and beauty. The musicians transport you by tugging upon your heart strings. Every sense is activated so that you can literally see, feel, hear, breathe, and yes--touch Palermo. I was left struggling to provide answers to my children during the whole trip, "who are these people who say hello to you and actually want to know how you are when greeting you, who seem to know us but we have never seen them before, and hug-kiss-love-engage-play-and are happy for and with us?" I simply told the kids, "these are PEOPLE, HUMANITY AT ITS BEST, HOW EVERYONE SHOULD BE". The Teatro Ditirammu group was no less. Among them are two small girls who gifted my children with 2 fairytale books/CD recording, which I later realized after leaving, was produced for sale (8 Euros each) supported by the Cultural Ministry in support of folklore and Teatro Ditirammu! I felt embarrassed but simultaneously honoured in a very personal way. After spending less then 2 hours with them, we were all in tears and didn't want to leave. Again, from the mouth of babes, my children asked "why are we leaving people who love us, when will we see them again?" and most devastatingly adding "and where are we going, why are we going home?" A place like Sicily and a people like Teatro Ditirammu that can make you re-evalutate what you think is important, what you have, and want to change both your life and outlook, is nothing short of magical. All they asked of us was to tell people about them.... A huge heartfelt Sicilian thanks to you, Teatro Ditirammu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and as they say especially today on September 4 "Viva Santa Rosalia and Viva Palermo!!!!!!!!!…
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Date of experience: August 2014
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Walking in the centre of Palermo in a very interesting quarter, we see a little but very particular thetre in a very old nobiliar building "Palazzo Petrulla". We meet a family of artist, a singer a guitarist and his son one percussionist and one dancer, Giovanni the son of Vito, tell us of a performance in the afternoon. He invite us, at 9 p.m. We see a magistral performance with the company of thi family, traditional music dance and wine.......i like so much!!!!!very interesting performance and very kindly person..i take 5 stars!!!!! …
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