Dancing, writing, researching, globalization, and Italy? All of these topics and more came to life on stage at the Salesian Academic Program’s (SAP) third installment for our special guest speaker series. Following up after lectures from three top Australian universities and an international fashion designer; Salesian 1st and 2nd year students were introduced to the power of a question. 

The Salesian Academic Program (SAP) was developed to foster Salesian students into global citizens. For the past trimester SAP students in the first year have been exploring culture as it exists within tradition, rituals, and festivals. Second year SAP students have navigated the environmental issues facing the globe with the main goal of proposing solutions and understanding the process of researching and academic writing.

In the third installment of the special guest lecture series, students were visited by Dr. Incoronata (Nadia) Inserra – an assistant professor at the Center for Global Education at the University of Tokyo. 

In a presentation rich in culture and concepts titled “Tarantella Folk Music & Dance from Southern Italy to the World”, Italian-born Dr. Inserra spoke on her expertise of tarantella, a traditional dance form of Southern Italy. Through pictures and story-telling Dr. Inserra shared the importance of folk traditions and rituals. Using her case study of tarantella to model the origin, growth, and change of a culture’s traditions onto a global scale, she was able to connect the threads of a culture’s identity that evolve into the concept of globalization. Students were also asked to consider their own traditions here in Japan that have made it to worldwide recognition. 

In addition, Dr. Inserra shared how her own academic studies began with a question and evolved into a published book – Global Tarantella: Reinventing Southern Italian Folk Music and Dances – an academic work that examines tarantella’s changing image and role among Italians and Italian Americans. Dr. Inserra showed the students that the skills which an academic researcher uses are the same skills the students are learning in their classes; practicing sound research methodologies and a focus on the importance of academic writing. She showed how an academic career started with a question – questions just like the students are encouraged to imagine.  In the end, a handful of students took to the stage to experience the dance of tarantella for themselves.

 From Southern Italy to the World, indeed. Grazie, Dr. Inserra!