Dance of Swords

Venaus

In the Susa Valley the sword dance survives in the towns of Giaglione, Venaus and San Giorio, where the spadonari have the task of accompanying the statue of the patron saint during the procession in his honor (with the sole exception of San Giorio, where the dance of the swords has been combined, since 1929, with the representation linked to the legend of a dethroned feudal lord and in which the role of the spadonari is that of courageous heroes who liberate the oppressed community).

The sword dance is part of that complex system of spring rites that mark the delicate moment of transition from winter to spring, from death to rebirth. It is often connected to the presence of a wooden structure in the shape of a truncated cone, decorated with ribbons, bows, flowers and fruits and inside which blessed bread is placed. The dance in which they engage is made up of precise movements and figures that can be traced back to ancient ceremonials intended to invoke the fertility of the fields. Even their costumes, characterized by headdresses adorned with colorful ribbons and flowers, serve the same purpose.

In Venaus people dance on the day of San Biagio and Sant'Agata (from 3 to 5 February). The spadonari attend mass, together with the Prioresses and members of the male and female associations and brotherhoods. At the end of the mass, the dance takes place in front of the church: accompanied by the notes of the musical band, the spadonari perform with dexterity and mastery in a series of pre-established choreographies, throwing and exchanging swords in the air.