History of the Group

Out of game of flags typical of the medieval and renaissance Italy where it was practiced like a performance together with high athletics and refined elegance, awoke the folklor of the flag typically Italian which is appreciated all over the world and inspired the activities of the group Sbandieratori del “Leone Rampante” (flags - throwing and waving of the “Leone Rampante” group) from Cori a group which performs waving and throwing flags. Since 1970 they have have been well-known standard-bearers of a genuine and pure tradition on the stages of the mayor international folklore festivals.

The opportunities for the art of the flags were offere during the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance by the tournaments by the Races by the Carousels and by Knightly tournaments which were carried out within the walls of our villages with a large and sincere popular involvement: opportunities for performances but also a test bed for a contest between the bell-towers, which represent moments of a virtual combat among villages, towns, quarters, and districts called together in order to compete knightly in courteous senzons.

And, if the competitions culminated in the knightly tournaments, the procession were not less important: the representatives of the respective factions marched in procession carrying the ensign symbol of identification of the town, the district or the quarter: each faction with its braves jugglers in costumes and with flags in the colour of the represented community were told to make an exhibition and to show with their own virtuosity, with elegant evolutions, quick movements, studies choreographies, the sound of the trumpets and rolling of the drums and the ability of the whole community, of the town, and the gate and it was judged with the metre of the applause, the cheers and approval, in a word with the folk’s enthusiasm.

Cori, too owes the rising of its Flag-bearers to its Carosello Storico dei Rioni, a historical carousel of the quarters which awoke in 1937 as a recalling in costumes of the l6th century of the solemn procession to the sanctuary of the Madonna del Soccorso with the participation of the whole population and the Magistracy of the town. In compliance with a vow made in 1530 they march in procession in order to express faith and gratitude to the Virgin from the town, which escaped a pestilence.

The group of the Sbandieratori del “LEONE RAMPANTE” from Cori with its rich costumes realized according to patterns of the l6th century in precious velvet and with colours and designs which are the same as the gates’ coats of arms compo­sed with a Standard-bearer who opens the procession raising the group’s banner which represents the Rampant Lion (Cori’s coat of arms), with Trumpeters and the Drummers who stress and mark the figurations carried out with the flags and finally with the Flag-bearers skilful juggler who perform extraordinary evolution and elegant vaulting, throws, and virtuosos acrobatic bravery which is the result of an old art which has always been produced by the application of new and bold choreo­graphies: on the whole a performance top-level characterized by great ability and sure theatrical effect: the rolling of the drums and the singing of the trumpets mark the movements, the figuration and the flags bow, vault, interlace in perfect synchrony and spring from hand to hand with grace and prettines.

The Group exhibits itself in procession, in the square and on stages with concerted performances single proof and in couple with one, two and three flags.