CHEERS

In today's suburban Italy, growing numbers of girls are joining the dancing divisions of their local marching bands to become majorettes. Between the sparkling outfits, military marches and gleaming smiles, what is life like for women and girls living in suburban Italy?

Introduced to Italy in the 1970s, cheerleaders and their marching bands brought an icon of American culture to every Italian town, big or small. Departing from traditional Italian forms of music and dance, Italy’s fascination for this very American import soon morphed into a love for cheerleading’s close relative: Majorettes.

Girls aged five to twenty-five train together in local gyms and dance schools, practicing the mix of gymnastics and dance that sets majorettes apart from their cheerleading cousins. Many of Italy’s best majorette troupes are based in central Italy, in small towns around the city of Rome, where local music halls have been at the core of community life for decades, providing the local youth with a place to meet, socialise, and express themselves through musical education.

From this tucked away universe, majorettes travel together throughout the whole country to entertain the audience of yet another sagra (a typical street dinner traditionally held in Italian small towns) or religious festivity. Troupes of young women in pristine hairdos, matching make-up and sparkling costumes take the city streets by storm, marching to the beat of the drums with military precision and gleaming smiles as they sing the Italian national anthem. Their numbers are growing so fast that Italy now has a Majorette sport federation, a national team of majorettes and a galaxy of majorette-related services and events: from specialised costume designers abiding by the strict rules of international competitions, to majorette galas and championships, to dedicated choreographers and trainers, all based in the melancholic Italian provincia - small towns and villages miles away from the hustle and bustle of major cities.

As the millennial generation of women in suburban Italy interact with contemporary foreign cultures and homegrown traditions, why do they choose to become majorettes and how does this experience shape their personal and collective identity? The aim of this project is raise questions while exploring concepts such as patriotism and military discipline as well as sisterhood, dance, and self-expression.

The project uses still digital photography for the main photographic series and the creation of a photobook, in addition to video, audio, and individual interviews that will form a multimedia film about the lives of Italian majorettes and the people around them.

© Agnese Morganti - Image from the CHEERS photography project
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Faleria (Viterbo), 2017. Majorettes di Casperia rehearse in front of the town's Music Hall in Faleria (Viterbo), a village to the North of Rome.

© Agnese Morganti - Faleria (Viterbo), 2017. Parade exercises for the seniors of the Majorettes di Casperia troupe.
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Faleria (Viterbo), 2017. Parade exercises for the seniors of the Majorettes di Casperia troupe.

© Agnese Morganti - Image from the CHEERS photography project
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Faleria (Viterbo), 2017. Piazza Garibaldi is ready to welcome the audience at the annual Festa della Frustica, the festival of the local marching band.

© Agnese Morganti - Faleria (Viterbo), The audience awaiting for the performance
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Faleria (Viterbo), The audience awaiting for the performance

© Agnese Morganti - Faleria (Viterbo), 2017. The Majorettes Diamond Pomezia troupe poses for a group portrait.
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Faleria (Viterbo), 2017. The Majorettes Diamond Pomezia troupe poses for a group portrait.

© Agnese Morganti - Faleria (Viterbo). Juniors from the Majorettes Diamond Pomezia troupe before their performance.
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Faleria (Viterbo). Juniors from the Majorettes Diamond Pomezia troupe before their performance.

© Agnese Morganti - Faleria (Viterbo). The leader of Majorettes Compatrum guides her team's performance in piazza Garibaldi.
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Faleria (Viterbo). The leader of Majorettes Compatrum guides her team's performance in piazza Garibaldi.

© Agnese Morganti - Faleria (Viterbo). Majorettes Compatrum relax after their performance.
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Faleria (Viterbo). Majorettes Compatrum relax after their performance.

© Agnese Morganti - Image from the CHEERS photography project
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Viareggio, 2017. Girls from the Majorettes di Mentana troupe take a selfie before performing their routine at the 2017 Majorette Sport Italian Championships.

© Agnese Morganti - Viareggio, 2017. A majorettes changes into her white boots.
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Viareggio, 2017. A majorettes changes into her white boots.

© Agnese Morganti - Image from the CHEERS photography project
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Viareggio, 2017. The Majorettes di Casperia troupe arriving in Viareggio to compete at the 2017 Majorette Sport Italian Championships.

© Agnese Morganti - Image from the CHEERS photography project
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Viareggio, 2017. A majorette walks by the stage of the 2017 Majorette Sport Italian Championships set on the beach front in Viareggio, a resort town in Tuscany.

© Agnese Morganti - Viareggio, 2017. Young majorettes play with their pom poms.
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Viareggio, 2017. Young majorettes play with their pom poms.

© Agnese Morganti - Viareggio, 2017. Majorettes helping each other to put finishing touches to their make-up.
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Viareggio, 2017. Majorettes helping each other to put finishing touches to their make-up.

© Agnese Morganti - Viareggio, 2017. Two majorettes pose in their matching Italian flag outfits before performing.
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Viareggio, 2017. Two majorettes pose in their matching Italian flag outfits before performing.

© Agnese Morganti - Viareggio, 2017. Elaborate make-up on the eyelids of a troupe leader.
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Viareggio, 2017. Elaborate make-up on the eyelids of a troupe leader.

© Agnese Morganti - Viareggio, 2017. A group routine performed on stage.
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Viareggio, 2017. A group routine performed on stage.

© Agnese Morganti - Viareggio, 2017. Majorettes rehearsing backstage with their support team of family and friends.
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Viareggio, 2017. Majorettes rehearsing backstage with their support team of family and friends.

© Agnese Morganti - Viareggio, 2017. A moment from the parade.
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Viareggio, 2017. A moment from the parade.

© Agnese Morganti - Viareggio, 2017. Backstage area.
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Viareggio, 2017. Backstage area.

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