ROSA'S DRUM, inspired by the instrument belonging to Michela's grandmother and eventually passed down to Michela herself, is a production and educational company which seeks to create a cultural bridge joining nations, communities, and neighbors through the performance, instruction, research, and documentation of folk traditions with special emphasis on the folk traditions of Sicily and Southern Italy.
Past & Current Projects and Events by Rosa's Drum :
In collaboration with Arci Tavola Tonda presented the Sicilian folk dance and drumming workshops of LassattilAbballari in NYC.
La Primavera Vinni : Annual early spring concert celebration of the music and folk dance of Sicily & Southern Italy, now in it's 5th year. #LPVV.
Fiabe in Tasca: A collaboration with Dr. Gina Miele, noted scholar of Italo Calvino, Luigi Capuana and Italian folk and fairy tales. Fiabe in Tasca combines elements of theater with story telling and folk music to create 45 minute presentations of traditional Italian fairy tales for children.
Sicilian & Southern Italian Folk dance classes: presented at the Afro-Brazilian Cultural Center of NJ; at the Goddard Riverside's Bernie Wohl Center, NYC.
Each class includes brief history of the dances, a warm-up and introduction to the particular rhythms of the accompanying music and instruction on the steps particular to the dances. As these traditional, yet current, dances are an expression and celebration of community, the focus of the workshop is for the students to experience the joy and fun of dancing as a collective.
Cantu: Sicilian folk songs for voice and percussion with recitation and story-telling:
Music expresses the soul of a people and gives an historical snapshot of the daily life, emotions, and motivations for the behavior of a culture. The music chosen for Cantu not only reveals what is at the heart of a culture, but is presented to show the movement of the arc of life: beginning with the first song anyone hears, a lullaby, ; continuing on to a song of longing and courtship then a prayer for one’s spouse; a song of separation and jealousy and then a song of scorn. The evening concludes with an audience participatory work chant which will underscore how this music was once not only voice of a people - a means of communication - but also a means of creating and solidifying community.
