VOA慢速英语2021--In Italy, Dancing Helps During Lockdown

Much of Italy is still in a coronavirus lockdown.

So live music, theatrical¹ performances and movies continue to be banned. And many sporting activities are limited.

However, in an industrial area just outside of Rome, competitive ballroom² dancing is alive and well. With certain health and safety measures, it just looks a little different.

Face coverings or social distancing are usually not part of the ballroom dancing experience. But they are now. And they do not stop partners of every age from dancing gracefully³ across the floor.

At the New Dancing Days center, dance partners are getting ready for the Italian Championship in Rimini in July. The government considers this activity a national interest. So, the dancers are permitted to keep training. In Italy, other federally recognized competitive athletes are able to keep training even during the latest virus-related bans.

"Yes, we can do it. Here we can keep on dancing," said Raffaella Serafini. At the age of 45, Serafini has competed in ballroom dancing for a long time, 35 years. She is the owner of New Dancing Days.

The dance center has mirrors on the walls and multi-colored lights. Partners wear face coverings during warm-ups and breaks. They can remove them while performing traditional ballroom or Latin dances. But most dancers keep them on anyway.

"It's something beautiful for us because we're older, but we can still put ourselves in play," said 70-year-old Franco Cauli. He is training with his 74-year-old partner for a competition at the end of April.

Cauli said he felt safe with the health measures taken by the dance center. Other dancers, he said, followed the measures seriously and obey them.

The Italian Dance Sport Federation⁴ has ruled that 34 dancers are permitted to train in a place the size of New Dancing Days. Currently all 34 dancers at the center, aged⁵ nine to 76, train up to five days a week.

From a viewing area above the dance floor, Serafini observes her dancers and shouts directions to them. If she sees something wrong, she will stop the music, go down to the dance floor and show the correct way to do a step, pose, or turn.

"The school is my great pride," she said. "When I see them on the dance floor, it is like I am there."

Words in This Story

lockdown –n. the confinement⁶ of people to a restricted area for a temporary period as a security measure

gracefully –adv. moving in a smooth and attractive way

warm-up –n. the act or an instance of preparing for a performance or a more strenuous⁷ activity

pose –n. to hold or cause to hold a special position of the body

pride –n. a feeling that you respect yourself and deserve to be respected by other people

1 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

2 ballroom   

n.舞厅

参考例句：

• The boss of the ballroom excused them the fee.舞厅老板给他们免费。
• I go ballroom dancing twice a week.我一个星期跳两次交际舞。

3 gracefully   

ad.大大方方地；优美地

参考例句：

• She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

4 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 confinement   

n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限

参考例句：

• He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。
• The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。

7 strenuous   

adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的

参考例句：

• He made strenuous efforts to improve his reading. 他奋发努力提高阅读能力。
• You may run yourself down in this strenuous week.你可能会在这紧张的一周透支掉自己。