Men in Tights – tradition in Umbria, Italy
Look at that Umbrian sky.
Tradition runs deep in Italy. So deep that men gladly dress in tights and a skirt and wave flags to draw attention to the fact. (I jest.)
The performance of the Compagnia Sbandieratori e Musici, incorporates the traditions of Umbria going back to the middle ages and it was wonderful.
I saw them just before the opening dinner of the Travel Bloggers Unite conference in Assisi, Umbria. When the group marched into the performance space outside the dining room, I was expecting what happens in North America – the musicians would be the main event and the flag bearers would be a backdrop to make them look good. This was the opposite. The flag tossing and juggling was amazing and is the focus of the show. I hope the photos give you a taste of their talent.
Medieval festivals in Umbria are frequent. You can see a listing of all events here.
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