Tarantella Dance by music
from Greek-speaking villages
of southern Italy
Abstract
In a village, in Calabria, in southern Italy, two girls are inseparable. Elita, the mayor’s daughter, and Silvana, the daughter of a fisherman.
When Silvana meets Roberto, Elita gets jealous. Used to always win, she “steals” him from Silvana.
Silvana desperate by the double betrayal hangs herself. Roberto abandons Elita who falls into crisis.
Tarantella
Tarantella is a group of various folk dances characterized by a fast upbeat tempo, usually in 6/8 time, accompanied by tambourines. It is among the most recognized forms of traditional southern Italian music. The specific dance-name varies with every region, for instance tammurriata in Campania, pizzica in the Salento region, Sonu a ballu in Calabria. Tarantella is popular in Southern Italy and Argentina.
Tarantella pizzica is a ritual dance of Southern Italy.
It aims at cleaning the victim of the physical and psychic poison (demon) of the spider (tarantula).
The victim of the biting dances lying on the floor at first and then standing up, until exhausted, and all the poison has left the body.
Throughout this procedure, the musicians of the village play incessantly.
Credits
Dancers
Sophia Kourtessi – Elita
Sophie Alyssandratou – Silvana
Vangelis Lafaras – Father of Silvana
Kalliopi Ioannidou – Mother of Silvana
and others
Aerial Silks
Chryssa Traikopoulou – Silvana’s soul
Choreography
Lighting Design
Design Make-up
Duration: 50 minutes
Theatre OLVIO (67th Iera Odos str. & 7th Falaisias Str. Metro Kerameikos)
The dance company “Evdomo Vima” (“7th Step”) presented the performance “Tarantella” on May the 25th., 9.00 pm.
Free Entrance
