Indian Summer

Music and local dances have always played a major role in sunny Apulia, the land of the hypnotizing "pizzica"; so much so that it is difficult for other influences to find a way to stand in the spotlight of this Southern region shaped by centuries of strong influences and at the tip of the long Italian peninsula. For one evening though, the local culture has opened the door to an unexpected guest to enliven the warm and starry night: an Indian dancer took to the stage with prancing grace.

No lyrics are needed, just the regular drumming sound of the traditional instruments and ankle bells that lead the dancer and her harmonious moves to the beat of a passionate heart in the Indian jungle. Each dance is a short play with its characters and plot: the tiger falls prey to the fierce hunter, while the loving mother cradles her son in her arms to make him fall asleep despite his restless and curious nature. The peacock boasts its colorful beauty with superficial pride, embodying vanity behind the dancer's scary mask. The final play shows the rhythmic and fascinating strength of the sea that has fallen in love with the sun to the point that it manages to capture one of its rays as it sinks into the water at sunset.

Poetry, symbolism and undeniable talent. The perfect Indian Summer.

Credit: TheDaydreamer (thanks to hubby)