This Saturday, February 19, the folk company Ciamada Nissarda took part in the battle of flowers at the Carnival of Nice. The dancers had just landed from their stay in the United States, after participating in Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Meet.
The tight buns, the well placed skirts, the bouquet of mimosa in hand, the folk group of the Ciamada Nissarda (Aubade Niçoise in French) looks great on the Masséna square, this February 19.
Among the first to parade during the Nice Carnival battle of flowers, the traditional dancers and musicians show no signs of fatigue. And yet! They arrive directly from Nice Côte d’Azur airport, after their trip to the United States.
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The group of 15-30 year olds participated with other folk groups from the National Folklore Friendly Federation (FAFN) to an exceptional journey.
They traveled to New Orleans to participate in Mardi Gras, the Louisiana carnival. The other French groups from Aubagne, Dijon and Normandy and the young people from Ciamada Nissarda had an unforgettable experience.
“It’s a great first for a national federation to send a group of young people abroad”explains Fabien Feutrier, group manager for 5 years.
In addition to their participation in Mardi Gras, the young people went to schools to present themselves as well as to the French consulate. Martina Kardov keeps one very nice memory:
We left after the Nice Carnival opening parade and stayed there for 5 days. We were welcomed by American and French families. Where I was staying with a musician, they were very surprised by the accordion! After the show in the French Quarter, we went to schools where the culture and traditions were introduced to Americans learning French.
Martina remembers these moments in traditional Nice costume like those in disguise carnival :
Impressed by the costumes and the dance steps, the American children softened the members of the Ciamada Nissarda.
For Thomas Curtelin, it was “a total disappointment”. He got acquainted with “extremely nice and friendly people”. “It was a great meeting of different cultures: French, American, Nice, Cajun, Creole, he continues. We wanted to show them our way of carnival, our costumes, our dances, our music.”
After this great adventure, the group returned promptly to Nice to have arrived in time for the battle of flowers.
To be ready on time, they had to start combing their hair at Paris airport during their stopover and get dressed when they arrived at Nice airport. Fortunately, everything went well in time to parade on Place Masséna.
And the air of nothing, the whole group was on the place Masséna at 2:30 p.m.
The Ciamada Nissarda has about a hundred members. In 3 years, this association which promotes the culture of Nice will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
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