[BOTH SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] WONDERFUL TO MEET YOU.

DO WE KISS?

YES.

HA HA HA HA!

LET’S TRY AGAIN.

MICKELA MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: I’M A DANCER... AND I’M A TRAVELER.

AND WHEREVER I GO, I EXPERIENCE THE WORLD ONE DANCE AT A TIME.

I’M MICKELA MALLOZZI, AND THIS IS "BARE FEET."

[MEN CHANTING] [MALLOZZI SPEAKING GEORGIAN LANGUAGE] WELCOME TO GEORGIA, WHERE I’M GOING TO DISCOVER MY "BARE FEET" ROOTS RIGHT HERE IN THE CAUCASUS.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: SITTING IN THE HEART OF THE CAUCASUS, SAKARTVELO, OR THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA, IS AN INTERSECTION OF ASIA AND EUROPE, AND IT IS KNOWN FOR ITS LONG HISTORY IN WINE-MAKING, ITS INCOMPARABLE HOSPITALITY, AND ITS POLYPHONIC MUSIC.

AS A FORMER STATE OF THE SOVIET UNION, GEORGIA HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH MASSIVE TRANSFORMATION OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, AND IT HAS BECOME A COUNTRY WHOSE DEEP-SEATED TRADITIONS HUGELY IMPACT AND INFLUENCE THE CURRENT AND NEXT GENERATION OF ARTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS THRIVING HERE.

[CHANTING CONTINUES] MY FIRST STOP IS TO THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST CITY IN ITS CAPITAL, TBILISI.

STRATEGICALLY CLOSE TO THE ANCIENT SILK ROAD TRADE ROUTE, THIS 1,500-YEAR-OLD CITY IS HOME TO ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS DANCE COMPANIES IN THE WORLD, SUKHISHVILI-- THE GEORGIAN NATIONAL BALLET.

I HAVE DREAMT FOR YEARS OF DANCING WITH THIS COMPANY, AND TODAY, THAT DREAM IS COMING TRUE.

MALLOZZI: IT’S BEEN A DREAM OF MINE, A DREAM TO BE ABLE TO COME TO GEORGIA AND BE ABLE TO LEARN A FEW DANCE STEPS AND SEE YOU GUYS IN ACTION, BECAUSE IT’S ELECTRIFYING.

WOMAN: OUR COMPANY EXIST MORE THAN 70 YEARS-- 7-0.

YES, 7-0.

AND CREATED BY MY GRANDPARENTS.

SO MY BROTHER AND I, WE ARE 3rd GENERATION-- WOW.

WHO ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO MANAGE THIS DANCE COMPANY.

WE’RE ALSO FORMER DANCERS, AND EVERYBODY IN MY FAMILY DANCED.

SO 3 GENERATION OF SUKHISHVILI FAMILY DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO DANCE.

WOW.

IT’S A BIG RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESENT THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF YOUR COUNTRY BECAUSE ALL THIS REFLECTED IN THE DANCES.

SO GEORGIAN DANCE CAN SHOW YOU ALL ABOUT THE COUNTRY, COSTUMES, HEAD BEADS, THE WAY OF THINKING, WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WE ARE, AND ALL THIS YOU CAN SEE IN OUR DANCES.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NINO’S BROTHER, ILIKO SUKHISHVILI, IS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

AS A FORMER PRINCIPAL DANCER FOR THE COMPANY, HIS ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY AND VISIONARY WORK IS INFLUENCED BY THE TRADITIONAL FOUNDATION SET BY HIS GRANDPARENTS, WHILE ALSO EVOLVING TO INCORPORATE MODERN TECHNIQUES, COSTUMES, AND IDEAS.

WOMAN: SO IT’S HEEL UP, STEP.

WOMAN: AND THEN THIS.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, PAUSE.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] MALLOZZI: AH, OK.

FROM BEGINNING.

OK.

[DRUMS BEATING RHYTHMICALLY] NINO: OUR STYLE, IT’S THE MIX OF FOLK, MODERN, AND CLASSICAL.

FOR GEORGIAN PEOPLE, INDEPENDENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE DANCES HOW THEY CAN FIGHT FOR THEIR COUNTRY AND VERY PATRIARCHICAL DANCES.

YES, YES.

IT’S VERY MASCULINE, VERY ENERGIZING.

YES.

[DRUM BEATING RAPIDLY] SO WE USE THE FOLK MOVEMENTS, AND THEN WE CREATED NEW CHOREOGRAPHY.

AND THAT MAKE THE GEORGIAN DANCE SO POPULAR TODAY.

RIGHT.

EVEN AMONG TEENAGERS.

RIGHT!

FIRST TIME I SAW GEORGIAN DANCE, IT WAS THIS-- OH, MY GOODNESS!

I COULDN’T BELIEVE PEOPLE COULD DO THIS!

THEY’RE DANCING ON THEIR TOES!

JUST MEN DANCE ON THE TOES AND THAT THEY HAVE NOTHING INSIDE.

IT’S NOT LIKE BALLET BLOCH SHOES.

THERE’S NO WOOD, NO-- NO.

IT’S JUST THE LEATHER BOOTS.

IT’S LIKE A SOCK, LIKE A GLOVE.

RIGHT.

SO THEY JUST TIE THE TOES AND JUST STAND ON IT SO THAT-- THEY DON’T JUST STAND ON IT.

THEY JUMP ON IT.

THEY JUMP ON IT.

YEAH.

THAT COMES FROM THE HISTORY BECAUSE GEORGIAN MOUNTAINS VERY HIGH AND WE HAVE THE VERY NARROW PASS.

SO THE MEN USED TO WALK TIPTOE FOR HUNTING, FOR SOME NARROW ROUTE ON THE ROADS.

AND ALSO, IT’S THE CHARACTER OF GEORGIAN MEN.

THEY WANT TO LOOK MORE, MMM, HIGHER, MORE STRONGER, MORE INTERESTING.

RIGHT.

THAT’S THE STYLE OF GEORGIAN CHARACTER.

YEAH.

[DRUMS BEATING RHYTHMICALLY] CAN HE SHOW ME A PART OF A MEN’S?

[DRUM BEATING SLOWLY] MAN: WHOO!

[PEOPLE CLAPPING] WHAT ARE THE ARMS?

WHAT ARE THE ARMS?

YEAH, WHAT ARE THE ARMS?

[MUSIC PLAYING] NINO: PEOPLE WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT GEORGIA, AFTER OUR PERFORMANCE THEY CAN IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WE ARE.

YEAH.

AND VERY INTERESTING CUSTOMS AND VERY INTERESTING FOLK DANCE.

YES.

[MUSIC PLAYING] HA!

AHH!

[PEOPLE CLAPPING] MADLOBA.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: SUKHISHVILI’S MISSION OF COMBINING THE TRADITIONAL WITH THE MODERN IS OMNIPRESENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF TBILISI.

I HEAD TO SAMOSELI PIRVELI, AN ATELIER HERE THAT CREATES ALL OF THE HANDMADE OUTFITS FOR THE DANCE COMPANY AS WELL AS CLOTHING FOR THE MODERN FASHIONISTA IN GEORGIA.

I MEET WITH ANA NINUA, DIRECTOR OF THE SHOP.

THIS PIECE, ANA-- THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

THIS IS FROM THE 19th CENTURY.

IT’S AN ORIGINAL PIECE.

NOT FOR SALE, HUH?

NOT FOR SALE.

HA HA!

NOT FOR SALE.

BUT THERE’S A PHOTO.

THAT IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: EVERY PIECE IS HANDMADE, FROM THE VELVET SHOES TO EACH SHIRT AND DRESS.

[NO AUDIO] READY?

♪ I’M A GEORGIAN QUEEN ♪ WHAT WOULD I WEAR THIS FOR?

FOR A WEDDING OR-- LIKE IF I WAS GETTING MARRIED OR GOING TO A WEDDING?

CELEBRATE.

BOTH.

’CAUSE YOU CAN WEAR WHITE TO SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING?

YEAH.

YOU CAN.

OH, OK.

I WOULD DO IT.

NEXT OUTFIT.

OH...POCKETS.

HANDMADE SHOES.

I LOVE THIS!

NOW, WHAT IS THIS PIECE?

A [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] YOU CAN WEAR LIKE A HEAD ACCESSORY OR LIKE A SCARF OR LIKE A BELT OR SO.

YEAH, YOU DO-- I DON’T KNOW HOW-- TRY.

HA HA HA!

THIS DRESS, IT’S ACTUALLY VERY LIGHT.

YEAH.

IT’S NICE.

I LIKE IT.

HOLY MIKE!

[SPEAKING GEORGIAN LANGUAGE] HELLO!

IT’S REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

TRADITIONAL, YET MODERN-INSPIRED PIECE OF FASHION.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL, ALL HANDMADE, AND IT’S REALLY FUN TO TRY ON.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE JUXTAPOSITION OF OLD AND NEW CONTINUES AS I MEET UP WITH DATO, MY GUIDE HERE IN TBILISI AT THE DAILY FLEA MARKET.

DATO: SO WE’RE AT THE FLEA MARKET OF [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE].

AND THIS PART WHERE WE ARE IS MORE LIKE THE ..., ANTIQUITIES.

IT’S UP TO 50, 60 YEARS, SOME OF THEM, SOME OF THESE DISHES ITEMS-- SOME OF THEM EVEN OLDER.

GORGEOUS.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THIS FLEA MARKET ACTS AS A TIME CAPSULE, CAPTURING THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF THE PRE-SOVIET AND SOVIET-ERA FOR GEORGIA TRANSITIONING THROUGH TO TODAY.

[MAN PLAYING FLUTE] THE AREA IS CALLED ABANOTUBANI.

ALL THESE ROUNDED DOMES BUILT BY THE BRICKS THAT YOU SEE AROUND US.

THEY ARE THE ROOFTOPS OF THE BATH HOUSES.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE SULFUR BATHS ARE KNOWN AS THE CRADLE OF THE CITY.

DISCOVERED IN THE 5th CENTURY BY KING VAKHTANG I OF IBERIA, HE DECIDED TO BUILD THE CITY AROUND THESE NATURAL SPRINGS.

TBILISI ALWAYS HAS BEEN MULTI-ETHNIC, MULTI-RELIGIOUS TOWN, SO WE NEVER HAD ETHNIC NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT WAS ALL INTERMIXED.

SO THAT IS THE IDEA NOT TO ASK "WHERE YOU COME FROM?

WHAT YOUR FAITH?"

WE JUST LIVE NEXT TO ONE ANOTHER.

YEAH.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: MY LAST STOP WITH DATO TAKES ME TO A PLACE OF PROGRESSION HERE IN TBILISI, REPRESENTING THE CHANGE THAT IS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE COUNTRY.

DATO: WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF REINVENTING OURSELF.

YEAH.

I THINK THAT’S THE BEAUTY OF GEORGIA RIGHT NOW.

YEAH, IT IS.

AND WHAT’S INCREDIBLE TO SEE SO FAR IS YOU SEE HERITAGE AND TRADITION MESHED SO WELL WITH ADVANCEMENT AND SORT OF THIS EVOLUTION.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: MY LAST STOP IN TBILISI WITH DATO IS TO EXPERIENCE A TAMADA.

GEORGIAN WINEMAKING IS AN 8,000-YEAR-OLD TRADITION.

SO IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT PART OF THAT TRADITION IS THE ART OF GIVING TOASTS.

AND THAT IS WHAT A TAMADA’S ROLE IS.

TONIGHT, WE ARE SO HONORED TO HAVE LUARSAB AS OUR TAMADA FOR THE EVENING, LEADING OUR DINNER THROUGH SONG, STORIES, TOASTS, AND, OF COURSE, GEORGIAN WINE.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE GEORGIAN TRADITION OF TAMADA, WHICH IS A TOASTMASTER, THE MAN OR A WOMAN WHO WAS CHOSEN AMONG THE FRIENDS HAS TO PAY ATTENTION TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE GATHERING.

YOU NOT ONLY SAYING THE TOAST, WHICH CAN BE-- THESE PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO, BUT YOU ARE, LIKE, PAYING ATTENTION-- THEY ARE HAVING FUN ACTUALLY OR NOT.

SO I WANT TO WELCOME YOU LIKE OLD FRIENDS AND THE NEW FRIENDS.

[GLASSES CLINK] AND TO TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME HERE.

CAN I SAY A TOAST?

IS THAT OK?

OF COURSE.

I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE.

BECAUSE THIS JOURNEY THAT I’M ON RIGHT NOW-- I GOT MY DNA TESTED, AND PART OF MY DNA COMES FROM THIS LAND.

LUARSAB: THE CAUCASUS?

YEAH.

ALL: OOH, WOW!

THIS IS A VERY PERSONAL JOURNEY, NOT ONLY THROUGH DANCE, OF FEELING THE RHYTHMS OF WHERE MY BODY COMES FROM, WHERE MY GENERATIONS OF TRADITIONS HAVE COME FROM, BUT IT ALSO IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL CONNECTED TO NOW THAT I’M HERE BEING ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH PEOPLE WHO I DON’T FEEL AS STRANGERS, WHO ARE NEW FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BUT MAYBE FAMILY.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND BEING A PART OF THIS JOURNEY.

[MUSIC PLAYING] LUARSAB: ♪ THIS IS YOUR TONGUE THAT IS SPEAKING ♪ WOMAN: YEAH!

♪ I WAS SCREAMING ♪ ♪ LOVE ♪ MAN: LOVE.

♪ EVERY MINUTE, EVERY SECOND WITHOUT LOVE IS WASTED ♪ ♪ DON’T WASTE LIFE ♪ MAN: HA HA!

THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO SAY.

[ALL CHEERING] ♪ LOVE CONQUERS ALL ♪ [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: FROM THE CITY OF TBILISI, WE DRIVE 3 HOURS NORTH TO KAZBEGI, 20 MINUTES SOUTH OF THE RUSSIAN BORDER.

KAZBEGI’S MOUNTAINOUS REGION IS HOME TO THE GERGETI TRINITY CHURCH, A WORKING MONASTERY THAT OVERLOOKS THE SKI RESORT TOWN BELOW AND FACES KAZBEGI MOUNTAIN.

IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS IS THE MOUNTAIN THAT THE TITAN PROMETHEUS WAS CHAINED TO FOR ALL ETERNITY.

THIS AREA IS MAJESTIC, ISOLATED, AND ABOVE ALL FULL OF STORIES.

I HEAD TO THE CULTURAL CENTER OF THE AREA TO MEET WITH MANANA, MUSICIAN AND TEACHER OF THE PANDURI, THE TRADITIONAL GEORGIAN INSTRUMENT THAT ACCOMPANIES SONGS OF LOVE AND HEROISM.

[SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] IT’S A BEAUTIFUL SONG.

SO CAN I TRY?

SOL, LA, DO.

SOL, LA, DO.

[STRUMS ONE NOTE] MMM... LET’S TRY IT.

[STRUMMING] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] AH!

AH!

LIKE A SUSPENSION.

YEAH, YEAH.

[SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] [PLAYS WRONG NOTE] THAT’S HARD.

HA HA HA HA!

[CONTINUES SINGING] MALLOZZI: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING PANDURI?

[CONTINUES SINGING] MADLOBA.

MADLOBA.

THANK YOU.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: KAZBEGI’S LONG-STANDING TRADITIONS ARE ALIVE NOT ONLY IN THEIR SONG BUT IN THEIR HOMES, TOO.

I’M GRACIOUSLY INVITED BY KITIVAN AND ANCIA INTO THEIR HOME TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE THE MOST TRADITIONAL FOOD FROM THIS AREA-- THE KHINKALI.

MALLOZZI: NOW, HOW DID YOU LEARN HOW TO MAKE KHINKALI?

WHO TAUGHT YOU?

[WOMAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] AH!

MOTHER-IN-LAW!

I’M GETTING BETTER!

NOT BAD.

ANCIA’S PUTTING ME TO WORK HERE NOW, NOW THAT I KNOW I’VE GOTTEN THE HANG OF IT.

YOU HIRE ME AS YOUR SOUS CHEF, ANCIA.

ANCIA: HA HA HA!

THE KHINKALI ARE SPECIFIC TO THIS REGION ARE SPECIAL BECAUSE OF THE HERBS AND SPICES THAT ARE GROWN IN THIS AREA, WHICH MAKE IT SO ICONIC.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: KHINKALI ARE COOKED WITH MINCEMEAT AND LOCAL SPICES FROM THE REGION.

THEY ARE STUFFED WITH RAW MEAT SO WHEN THEY ARE BOILED, THE MEAT BROTH IS SEALED INSIDE OF THE GEORGIAN DUMPLING.

KHINKALI.

KHINKALI.

KHINKALI.

ARR ARR ARR ARR.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: KITIVAN AND ANCIA HAVE PREPARED A BEAUTIFUL LUNCH FOR ME, INCLUDING THE KHINKALI I HELPED MAKE.

AND THEY TEACH ME THE PROPER WAY OF EATING THE KHINKALI, BITING A SMALL HOLE INTO IT AND DRINKING IN THE MEAT BROTH FIRST.

MMM!

MMM!

MMM!

MM-HMM.

AND THEN I CAN BITE IT?

YEAH.

OK.

MMM!

THANK YOU.

MADLOBA.

CHEERS!

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: GEORGIA IS KNOWN AS THE CRADLE OF WINEMAKING, AND THIS TRADITION DATES BACK OVER 8,000 YEARS.

HERE AT THE WINERY KHAREBA IN THE KAKHETI REGION, OVER 9 MILLION LITERS OF WINE ARE STORED IN ALMOST 5 MILES OF WINE TUNNELS BUILT STRAIGHT THROUGH A HILLSIDE.

THE TUNNELS CREATE A PERFECT STORING CONDITION FOR THE WINES BECAUSE OF THE VENTILATION AND THE TEMPERATURE.

MY NEXT STOP IS TO MEET WITH A TRADITIONAL GEORGIAN WINEMAKER IAGO BITARISHVILI TO SEE AND TRY THE WORLD-FAMOUS GEORGIAN WINES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THE SAME WAY FOR GENERATIONS.

IAGO: OUR PHILOSOPHY IS DON’T CHANGE NOTHING.

IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING WINE.

WE KEEP THE TECHNOLOGY DURING THE 8,000 YEARS.

8,000 YEARS?

YEAH.

WOW.

IMPORTANT IS THE CLAY POTS WHICH, BY GEORGIAN NAME, IS QVEVRI.

MALLOZZI: IS THE QVEVRI COVERED?

NO.

IT’S OPEN BECAUSE IT START FERMENTATION.

WHY WE HAVE THE QVEVRI ON THE GROUND BECAUSE IT’S REALLY COOL TEMPERATURE FOR WILD YEAST WHICH WE USE FOR FERMENTATION.

THE FERMENTATION PROCESS FINISH, AND THEN WE CLOSE.

THE SKIN, IT START SLOWLY START TO GO DOWN BECAUSE THE QVEVRI HAS A SPECIAL FORM, SO IT CAN GO VERY FAST.

AND THIS MANY GRAPES, IT’S 2,000 KILOGRAM OF GRAPE.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

AND AFTER THE 6 MONTHS, LIKE IN THIS PICTURE, ALL SEDIMENT, SKIN, AND STEMS IS IN THE BOTTOM, AND HERE, WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY CLEAN NATURAL FILTRATION WINE.

WHEN WE OPEN OUR WINE, [INDISTINCT] THIS CLEAN COLOR.

OH, MY GOSH!

THIS BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN COLOR.

AND WE DON’T NEED TO USE ANY OTHER ... WOW.

GOING, DESCENDING INTO THE QVEVRI.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

LIKE THIS EVERY DAY.

WOW!

WHEN WE WAS A CHILD, WE SEE HOW WAS IMPORTANT FOR OUR PARENTS.

I DON’T HAVE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ABOUT MAKING WINE, WHAT I KNOW I KNOW FROM MY PARENTS.

RIGHT.

AND MY FATHER KNOW FROM HIS FATHER.

RIGHT.

WINE FOR US IS EVERYTHING.

YEAH.

EVERYBODY HAS THEIR WINE FOR GUESTS.

RIGHT.

BECAUSE FOR GEORGIAN PEOPLE, NEVER WAS MAKING WINE ONLY FOR BUSINESS, ONLY FOR DRINKING.

YEAH.

IT WAS PART OF THE CULTURE.

OH, THAT BEAUTIFUL AMBER COLOR.

YEAH.

WOW.

WE NEVER DRINK WITHOUT TOAST.

OF COURSE.

ALWAYS WE SAY [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE].

[REPEATING] [CLINK] HELLO!

HA HA!

YOU MUST DO THIS FOR A LIVING, HUH?

HA HA HA HA!

I COME BACK.

YOU COME BACK.

MADLOBA.

[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: OUR LAST STOP HERE IN GEORGIA IS TO SIGHNAGHI TO MEET WITH OUR FRIENDS JOHN, HIS WIFE KETEVAN, AND THEIR FOLKLORE GROUP ZEDASHE, WHO WE ACTUALLY MET WHILE FILMING OUR NEW YORK SEASON.

THERE YOU ARE, YEAH!

I DANCED WITH YOU.

IT WAS A WHILE AGO.

IT WAS A BRIEF ENCOUNTER.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: JOHN, AN AMERICAN WHO WAS BEWITCHED BY GEORGIAN CULTURE, MADE THIS COUNTRY HIS HOME AND STARTED THE PHEASANT’S TEARS WINERY TO MAKE THE TRADITIONAL UNFILTERED WINE OF THE REGION MORE ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE.

TOGETHER WITH KETEVAN, THEY OPENED THE CRAZY POMEGRANATE, A SPACE TO SHARE LOCALLY GROWN FOOD, TRADITIONAL DANCE AND MUSIC, AND OF COURSE THEIR OWN WINE.

JOHN: IT’S WINE THAT HAS SOME SPUNK, SOME LIFE, SOME ENERGY, MAYBE SOME COARSE EDGES, WINES THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY LOVE TO DRINK IN GEORGIA IN THE VILLAGE STYLE THAT, TO ME, WAS MORE UNIQUE AND MORE AUTHENTIC.

MALLOZZI: YEAH.

MORE AND MORE GUESTS WERE WANTING TO EAT IN THE VINEYARD AND SEE WHERE THE WINE WAS MADE AND ENJOY THE VIEW.

SO WE STARTED THE FIRST RESTAURANTS.

KETE’S THE HEAD CHEF-- YEAH.

FOR THE CRAZY POMEGRANATE.

WE KNOW MOST OF THE FARMERS WE’RE GETTING OUR PRODUCE FROM.

WE GROW A LOT OF OUR OWN VEGETABLES.

KETE’S IN CHARGE OF THE KITCHEN HERE, BUT ALSO IN CHARGE OF THE CHOIR.

[KETEVAN AND WOMEN SINGING] MALLOZZI: EVERYONE’S SINGING IN THE KITCHEN.

KETEVAN: YEAH.

THE ZEDASHE DANCERS AND SINGERS ARE COOKING WITH YOU.

WE’RE MAKING MUSIC IN THE HALLWAY.

I’M PLAYING DRUM.

I MEAN, THIS SEEMS LIKE IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT GEORGIA IS, IT’S STILL A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE SING AS A FORM OF FAMILY RITUAL.

RIGHT.

TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN DANCE AND MUSIC.

SONG.

BUT THEY DON’T THINK OF THEMSELVES AS SINGERS OR DANCERS OR WINEMAKERS OR BREADMAKERS.

IT’S JUST PEOPLE.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: JOHN AND KETEVAN INVITED ME HERE TO EXPERIENCE THE MISSION OF THEIR WORK WITH THE RESTAURANT AND WITH ZEDASHE, THE GROUP WHO I WILL BE DANCING WITH.

[MAN SINGING] [CHOIR MEMBERS JOIN IN] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: POLYPHONIC SINGING IN GEORGIA IS RECOGNIZED AS PART OF THE WORLD’S INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE BY UNESCO.

IT IS COMPRISED OF COMPLEX 3-PART MELODIES THAT PREDATES CHRISTIANITY ARRIVING IN THE REGION.

THIS ICONIC POLYPHONY INCLUDES MULTIPLE MELODIES BEING SUNG SIMULTANEOUSLY ALONG WITH DISSONANT INTERVALS AND SOUNDS IN THE HARMONIES.

[RHYTHMIC CLAPPING] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

BEAUTIFUL.

HOW DO THE ARMS GO?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

MALLOZZI: AH!

UP.

[HUMMING] OK.

I’M ALREADY SWEATING.

2 MINUTES IN.

[DRUM BEATING; SINGING] AHH!

MAN: WHOO!

SO THIS DANCE IS-- IT SEEMS LIKE IT’S A COURTSHIP DANCE.

IS IT A COURTSHIP DANCE?

YEAH, IT’S KIND OF LIKE YOU’RE FLIRTING WITH A GIRL WITH YOUR MOVES.

LIKE, IF YOU MOVE GOOD, THEN THE GIRL WILL LOVE TO HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP.

RIGHT, RIGHT!

GOOD DANCING.

IF YOU DON’T DANCE GOOD-- BYE-BYE.

HA HA!

YEAH, BYE-BYE.

JOHN: NOW ZEDASHE DIVIDES ITS TIME BETWEEN PERFORMING LOCALLY IN THE REGION, BOTH HERE AS WELL AS UP IN THE MOUNTAINS.

WE ARE GETTING THIS CHANCE TO TRAVEL IN THE MOUNTAIN AREAS, AND WE ARE RECORDING PEOPLE, WE ARE TAKING SHOTS OF THE DANCERS, AND YOU’RE COLLECTING ALL THESE ROUND DANCES AND SONGS, AND YOU CAN SHOW YOUR CULTURE.

YOU DEFINITELY DON’T WEAR THIS OUTFIT IN THE SUMMER, WHICH IT IS RIGHT NOW.

HOW DO YOU SAY "HOT" IN GEORGIA?

CXELI.

CXELI.

JOHN: IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT A TRADITION IS ONLY ALIVE IF YOU’RE CO-CREATING SOMETHING NOW.

AND YOU CAN BE VERY RESPECTFUL OF WHAT CAME BEFORE AND MAKE SOME SORT OF CONTRIBUTION TO IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

THANK YOU.

[GROUP SINGING] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: SAKARTVELO LAMAZO.

BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL GEORGIA, WITH ITS HOSPITALITY, ITS HAUNTING POLYPHONIC MELODIES, ITS PROUD DANCES, AND OF COURSE ITS NATURAL WINES.

THIS COUNTRY HAS SHOWN ME SO MANY ANCIENT TRADITIONS THAT HAVE STOOD THROUGH THE TEST OF TIME, OF CENTURIES OF BOMBARDMENT AND OF BEING CONQUERED ONLY TO SHOW HOW STRONG AND TRIUMPHANT THE PEOPLE OF THIS LAND ARE.

AND OVER TIME, GEORGIANS HAVE MELDED TOGETHER PERFECTLY THE IDEA OF EVOLVING IN THE MODERN DAY WHILE ALSO DRAWING INSPIRATION AND GUIDANCE FROM ITS BEAUTIFULLY RICH PAST.

DIDI MADLOBA, SAKARTVELO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, GEORGIA, FOR SHOWING ME A PART OF MYSELF THAT I AM NOW FOREVER CONNECTED TO.

AND I’LL SEE YOU ON MY NEXT "BARE FEET" ADVENTURE WHEREVER IT MAY TAKE ME.

MADLOBA!

MADLOBA!

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

MADLOBA.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED WITH US AT TRAVELBAREFEET.COM, WHERE YOU’LL FIND EXTRA BONUS VIDEOS, JOIN OUR "BARE FEET" SERIES CONVERSATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND STAY UPDATED WITH OUR NEWSLETTER.

WOMAN: HOW IS IT?

AH HA HA HA!

MY CREW--MY CREW IS DRESSED IN FULL GEORGIAN GARB.

I LOVE IT!

WOMAN: SO GOOD, RIGHT?

[SPEAKING GEORGIAN LANGUAGE] ANNOUNCER: "BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... DIFFERENT ANNOUNCER: THE ISLAND OF IRELAND.

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR HEART.

FILL YOUR HEART WITH IRELAND.

DIFFERENT ANNOUNCER: ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

DIFFERENT ANNOUNCER: AND BY THE ANN H. SYMINGTON FOUNDATION.

DIFFERENT ANNOUNCER: THE FARMERS AND PRODUCERS AT LANDCRAFTED FOOD IN GRAYSON COUNTY, VIRGINIA, ARE DEDICATED TO SUSTAINING AND SERVING OUR FARMS AND COMMUNITY WITH A GOAL OF PRODUCING FOODS THAT ARE AS GOOD FOR THE LAND AS THEY ARE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO EAT THEM.

LANDCRAFTED FOOD-- STUBBORNLY REAL, FARMER OWNED.

DIFFERENT ANNOUNCER: TAUCK--GUIDING TRAVELERS AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 1925 BECAUSE WE BELIEVE ONCE IN A LIFETIME ONLY HAPPENS ONCE.

HOW YOU SEE THE WORLD MATTERS.

[CHILD BABBLES]