by Francesca Di Meglio

My Zia Concettina is built of peasant stock -- a rotund but firm belly, broad shoulders and strong-like-bull legs -- but she will always be the picture of femininity to me. In a typical day, she might carry a 30-pound grandbaby on her hip, wash the floor on her knees and lift bushels of tomatoes over her head. But everywhere we go, men (and even women) flock to her like Tony Soprano to prosciutto. I think the twinkle in her eye, her contagious laugh and bawdy humor do the trick. She is unafraid to swing her hips and make eyes at complete strangers, especially men.

You can have the power of Zia Concettina -- and my other Italian relatives. Whether you are as inexperienced as Britney pre-Justin or knocking your head against the bed post a la' Sex and the City's Samantha, you can learn a trick or two from my people. Here goes:

Dance With Wild Abandon
Sashay into a party, grab a hot partner and hit the floor, even if to the beat of your own drum. Dancing, if you are good at it, or at least have a few signature moves, is also a way to strut your stuff, a necessity in the dating game.

Enter Zio Michele and Big John, who were in competition for the title of Mr. Smooth. Neither one of them could really dance, but when the Tarantella music started, they always were the first ones in the center. They jumped and lifted their legs like famished monkeys reaching for the banana on the tippy-top branch from the wee-bottom rung. Their gold crosses bounced off their chests as they stomped to the music and inevitably dragged one of us ladies into the center with 'em. No matter how ridiculous you think they looked, they pulled off the routine by the end.

Everyone in the room at one of our parties -- even the wait staff at our more formal events - would clap and whistle. They owned the ring. And their wives -- Zia Virginia and Miesha -- always gave them that look of l'amore when it was over. The lesson: If you have confidence, then everyone else will believe you've got the moves, too. So, make like a spring and start jumping. Dancing is a way to get out some serious sexual tension, all the while keeping on your clothes. I think the pope might even approve, so feel free to bust a move.

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