Who created the Pizzica dance?

Who created the Pizzica dance?

Pizzica or Taranta is a traditional popular dance of the city of Taranto and Salento region. This dance, invented by women, had the intent to show their desire to be free from the oppression of a strict and patriarchal culture.

Where did the pizzica come from?

Pizzica (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpittsika]) is a popular Italian folk dance, originally from the Salento peninsula in Apulia and later spreading throughout the rest of Apulia and the regions of Calabria and eastern Basilicata. It is part of the larger family of tarantella.

When was the pizzica created?

The word “Pizzica” appears for the first time in a source written in 1797, referring to an evening dance organized by the nobility of Taranto in honor of King Ferdinand IV of Borbone, who was on a visit to the city.

What is Taranta?

1. A lively, whirling southern Italian dance in 6/8 time, once thought to be a remedy for tarantism. 2. The music for this dance. [Italian, after Taranto.]

How the Pizzica is performed?

The tarantata pizzica takes its origins from the ancient therapeutic dance of Tarantism, made up of very fast jumping steps and non-stop spins that follow the pressing rhythm of the tambourines, in an exhausting and entrancing dance at the same time that leads the dancers to dance without truce until the end of their …

Where is Salento in Italy?

Apulia
Salento (Salentino: Salentu, Salentino Griko: Σαλέντο) is a cultural, historical and geographic region at the southern end of the administrative region of Apulia in Southern Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the Italian Peninsula, sometimes described as the “heel” of the Italian “boot”.

What is the origin of the tarantella dance?

The tarantella’s origin is connected with tarantism, a disease or form of hysteria that appeared in Italy in the 15th to the 17th century and that was obscurely associated with the bite of the tarantula spider; victims seemingly were cured by frenzied dancing.

What caused tarantism?

Italy was afflicted with tarantism, an epidemic presumably caused by the bite of venomous spiders. Its effects had to be counteracted by distributing the poison over the whole body and “sweating it out,” which was accomplished by dancing to a special kind of music, the tarantella.

Is tarantella a dance?

tarantella, couple folk dance of Italy characterized by light, quick steps and teasing, flirtatious behaviour between partners; women dancers frequently carry tambourines. The music is in lively 6/8 time.

What is Calabria famous for?

Calabria is best known for its sprawling beaches along the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west coast and the Ionian Sea on the east coast, and their dramatic cliffs, coves, and surreal rock formations. On most beaches, you can either rent umbrellas and chairs or bring your own.

How old is Salento?

South of Lecce lies the true heart of Salento. Some 2,500 years ago the area was a stronghold of Magna Graecia, and despite the occasional stretch of breeze- block apartments, its landscape remains ancient and timeless—the olive trees more monumental than their Tuscan counterparts, the sea an otherworldly mix of blues.

What does tarantella dance symbolize?

Like the macaroons, the tarantella symbolizes a side of Nora that she cannot normally show. It is a fiery, passionate dance that allows Nora to drop the façade of the perfect mild-mannered Victorian wife.

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