Dancing the Liscio in the Piazza

The festival in San Terenziano is in full swing. Whole families come for dinner in the piazza, enjoying local specialities like strongozzi with funghi porcini at picnic tables beneath the trees. At nine the music begins in front of the medieval borgo and everyone between 8 and 80 dances the liscio accompanied by a crooner (or crooness) and a brace of accordians. The streets are filled with baby strollers, long legged teenagers, and elderly ladies and gentlemen strolling under the stars. Gelatos in hand, they sway to the music, watching their neighbors dance. It could be Cinema Paradiso, so magical is summer here in Umbria.
--Sharri Whiting