Anyone who was a teenager between the 1980s and 2000s can easily remember one of the typical rituals of the provinces and beyond: the Sunday afternoon disco , intended as a meeting place, a place for socialising, and for the first social, relational and sentimental experiences.

Drink? No, thanks!

In my teenage years, hundreds of young people from high school they met in one of the most famous discos in the area, they spent the whole afternoon in dance and, sometimes, to flirtIt wasn't necessarily necessary drinking for funWe returned home in the evening with our clothes and hair soaked in smoke, as there was no ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces yet, and a ringing in our ears that lasted for hours (evidently there were no further laws regulating the volume). Small details for the Sunday army. What factors determined the closure of the afternoon bars? Fights, the presence of baby gang, competition from social networks, economic crisis, more permissive parents who allow their children to go out in the evening, the trend of meeting at theappetizer.

The Sunday ritual

Recently, I curiously discovered that in several cities, including Rimini, Rovigo, Verona, Brescia, Cecina, Empoli, the rediscovery of the afternoon discotheque has taken place with some variations: a situation aimed at boys between 14 and 18 years old with bars exclusively stocked with non-alcoholic drinks. Talking with a friend and reminiscing about the old days, we broached the subject. Yes, when we were young, just starting out, going dancing on Sunday afternoons took on the character of a true ritual, an unmissable event with plenty of preparation. As for clothing: for girls, it varied depending on their category. Casual, heels and dresses, Spice Girls and showgirl imitations, sporty, goth. For boys, generally sporty and casual. Furthermore, we were starting to talk about the subculture of GabberThere were two musical situations: commercial ed houseThere were plenty of opportunities for slow dancing and dedications, Miss and Mister elections, and romantic use of the sofas. If those sofas could speak, they would tell the anecdotes of entire generations. There was a perception that specific times for going out corresponded to an adolescent target. A sort of initiation, of passage to adulthood, most likely experienced by the parents themselves.

The rediscovery of the old

The disco takes on the characteristics of an escape from routine, as well as representing one of the many channels for socialization ed aggregation, where young people express the need to let go, transgress, feel part of exclusive environments, live multiple experiences, show off through status symbols, prestigious brands, fashion and show off (showing themselves to others). Adapting this place, often considered an emblem of experimentation with psychoactive substances, to the needs of young people (no alcohol, no drugs) explicitly demonstrates an attempt to safeguard them, in favor of the rediscovery of pure entertainment (and new profits for club owners). Obviously, there may be discrepancies between theoretical intentions and practice. In a historical period in which continuous technological innovations require a constant reconsideration of relationships between individuals, also in light of the possibilities offered by mobile and digital communication, in which a large part of social relationships and association processes pass through these media, transforming everyday life (Picchio, 2010), a nostalgic trend has reasserted itself. Although social media are increasingly used for communication, redefining the concept of aggregation, a rediscovery of the pastIn changing and fleeting times, as popular wisdom says, sometimes the "old" is better than the "new," which is to say that the youthful need for a more authentic and true relational exchange emerges, admiring, in some respects, the 1980s and 2000s.

Arianna Caccia

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