Title: The Italian Dance Quest: Finding Power, Wealth, and Innovation
Author: Anna Harsh
Genre: Memoir, Italy, Travel Memoir
Book Blurb:
Anna Harsh, dancer and Italian American takes a trip to Italy with her mother and brother as a child that sets her on a path which changes her life forever.
The Italian Dance Quest is a travel memoir of an adventure that has made a lasting impact on the life of this Italian-American dancer. Be immersed into five different regions through dances that reflect the people, food, and history. Anna offers various ways to preserve and enjoy physical history so that the next generation can enjoy them in the future. You’ll also discover:
· How learning Italian dances teaches unique life lessons.
· How to apply different choreography tips to elevate dance performance.
· Why royalty danced in northern Italy and what stories the traditional dances told.
Her quest to find traditional Italian dances, creates more questions about her own life. Travel to various regions with Anna as she learns elegant circle dances that require grace, proper posture and precision. She compares them to the various lively tarantellas she adores. Gaining a deeper understanding of how Italian families celebrate and deal with grief left Anna asking how can she preserve these precious dances for future generations.
Watch the reel
My Review:
Experience Italy like you’ve never done before with The Italian Dance Quest. Written by a woman driven to preserve Italian dances, this book will move and inspire you. Inside, you’ll get an inside glimpse to the history, culture, dance, food and so much more of cities and regions of Italy. You’ll be inspired to make changes in your life and to go after your dreams. The Italian Dance Quest is so much more than a travel memoir, it’s a passport for an adventure. Are you ready?
Anna Harsh is a woman who see the world in technicolor. Her zest for life and her dream to preserve Italian dances is infectious. Her excitement for learning, dancing, and teaching these dances oozes from every word, every page, every chapter. It’s easy to be transported to Italy through Anna’s point of view. The more I read, the more inspired I am to travel to Italy.
The research Anna Harsh did on the history of each dance and region is impressive. She injects history into her writing and makes it interesting for the reader. I learned quite a bit of Italian history from reading this book.
Like Anna mentions over the course of her book, life is meant to be lived with pure enjoyment. I found her words inspiring. I want to discover my own quest and dance. So will you. Do yourself a favor and read this book. It’ll spark your imagination.
Disclaimer: I edited this book but it in no way influenced my thoughts on this book.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Grab an e-copy at all retailers except for Amazon on sale for 99 cents!
Amazon Print
Ebook
Universal link
Amazon CA https://amzn.to/3Ne5N3Z
Author Biography:
Anna Pishner Harsh is the Artistic Director and founder of Allegro Dance Company. Anna's grandparents made a home when they came to the United States in the early 1920's from Reggio di Calabria, Italy. She holds a M.A. degree in Communication from West Virginia University and a B.A. degree in Dance from Slippery Rock University. She is also a certified Pilates and RYT200 Yoga instructor. Through her extensive research in Italy over the years with various teachers, she continues to grow her repertoire of authentic Italian dances to share with audiences of all ages. These precious dances hold history, express various emotions and are sacred and ceremonial. Her determination to preserve traditional Italian dances is seen. Her creative and sunny disposition is found in her writing and choreography. Her never-ending passion for dance along with her Italian heritage is boundless. Anna and her husband Greg enjoy traveling and researching together. Read more about Anna’s travels, her family heritage and the start of her company in her first book, La Danza, Conflict, Passion, and Healing.
Social Media Links:
www.annaharsh.com (website)
@tambourineChronicles (instagram)
@TamChronicles (Twitter)
Reviewed by: Nancy