2017.07.12
The folkloristic group Aria di Casa Nostra was founded in 1950 by Mr. Flavio Fiorletta in order to preserve and to give currency to the spontaneous and frank folk of our land Ciociaria.
The group is composed by boys and girls (dancers, musicians and “companions”) from our city, Alatri, who love spreading and researching into folk arts. During its life, the group took part in the most important folkloristic festivals in Italy, and not only. It participated in festivals in Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia, Croatia, Rumania, Hungary, U.S.A., Greece, Malta, Nederland, Azores, Syria… In 2016 we took part at the “Festival of Highland Folklore” in Zakopane, Poland.
Our tipical dance, with an ancient origin, is called “Saltarello”. The name derives from Latin “saltatus” and the dance is characterized by quick and hopping movements. (The dancers have the arms fastened on shoulders themselves, and the body are a little bent. So, it follows the movements of legs and feet). During its performances the folk group “Aria di Casa Nostra” uses several daily and farm implements: The “ciocia” is the most important. It is our typical kind of footwear from which the name of our region is taken (Ciociaria=land of the “ciocia”). This particular kind of shoe fits the foot perfectly because when a dancer wears a new pair of “ciocie” he usually plunges his feet in the water for several hours, and so the “ciocia” takes on the form of the foot.