Italian Social and Dance Club

Cultural/World Dance Troupe

The Italian Social and Dance Club was formed in September 1992 by a group of Italians
who wanted to keep their culture alive.

Vita and Mary Balsamo decided that the Italian community in Cairns was in need of a cultural boost
and after some thought decided to hold a Sicilian Night.
Entertainment for the night was provided by an Italian group from Ingham.
(Ingham is a 3 hour drive south of Cairns).
Vita and Mary also wanted traditional dancing for the evening, so after giving this some thought
Gina Codotto felt that Cairns had enough interested people to form their own Italian Dance Group.
Forming a dance group is one thing. Knowing the dance routines is another.
Help was needed.

The Tableland area, just an hours drive west of Cairns, is home to a large
Italian community and it was from here that help was at hand.
Members of the Mareeba Fagnano Castello Club were asked to teach the newly formed group
traditional tarantellas.
Their leader, Gino Esposito was happy to oblige and in no time a group of 16 people were learning
their first tarantella.
A tarantella is not a tarantella without the costume so in no time the women dancers were soon
very busy making their traditional costumes.

The first performance was at the Sicilian Night in November 1992 and the evening was a huge success
and became the motivating force for the formation of the Italian Social and Dance Club as it is today.

Since the early days the dance group has grown and now has a repertoire of eight traditional dances
featuring tarantellas from the Sicilian and Calabrian regions; quatriglia from the Abruzzi and Calabrian regions;
polkas from the Veneto region; and many other bright and fast moving dances.

We have danced for the Italian Consul, the Italian ambassador, film festivals, multicultural functions
and many more non-Italian events.

Whenever dancers are required the Italian dance group is always there, in colourful costumes
and smiling faces.

The Italian Social & Dance club also has a singing group to incorporate into our dancing.

In 1998 a professional theatre group from Brisbane (a 2 hour flight from Cairns) approached us
about being support singers for their performance of "EMMA", a play about an Italian immigrant
in the 1950's. This was very exciting for us as it gave us a chance to work with some real professionals.

Our group sing old Italian and Australian favourites.

We are very lucky to have in our group a most incredible singer who is also the president of the club.
Having Lucianos wonderful voice to lead us in singing is a great boost for all of us.

We have rehearsed once a week for the past 9 years.
Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month.

The group consists of Italians from various regions of Italy, as well as non-Italians, who are
passionate about the Italian culture.

The social side of the club is for members who just wish to enjoy great company, good food,
fun and share a few laughs with each other.