Ritual, Rapture and Remorse: A Study of Tarantism and Pizzica in SalentoThis book was awarded a Special Mention Citation in the 2010 competition for the 'de la Torre Bueno Prize' by The Society of Dance History Scholars. In the region of Salento in Southern Italy, the music and dance of the pizzica has been used in the ritual of tarantism for many centuries as a means to cure someone bitten by the taranta spider. This book, a historical and ethnographic study of tarantism and pizzica, draws upon seven hundred years of writings about the ritual contributed by medical practitioners, scientists, travel writers and others. It also investigates the contemporary revival of interest in pizzica music and dance as part of the 'neo-tarantism' movement, where pizzica and the history of tarantism form a complex web of place, culture and identity for Salentines today. This is one of the first books in English to explore this fascinating ritual practice and its contemporary resurgence. It uses an interdisciplinary framework based in performance studies to ask wider questions about the experience of the body in performance, and the potential of music and dance to create a sense of personal and collective transformation and efficacy. |
Common terms and phrases
Ada Metafune approach Apulia Athanasius Kircher authenticity Baglivi became bite body bodymind century chapel Chapter Church circle condition connection contemporary context create cultural cure dance manias dancers described Diego Carpitella discussed efficacy embodied actions embodied experience ethnographic feeling Ficino Galatina Gentilcore Giudice Grecìa Salentina Greek Griko healing history of tarantism ibid ideas identity Italy Kircher leading Lecce Lüdtke magic Martino means medicine modes movements music and dance musical modes musicians Naples Nardò nature neo-tarantism notion offers particular past performance studies Piazza pizzica music pizzica pizzica pizzica scherma playing poison practices present psychophysical region relation revival rhythm ritual of tarantism ronda Salentine Salento San Rocco scazzicare seen sense social socio-cultural songs space spatial-temporal specific spider St Paul St Vitus Sud Sound System suggests symbol tamburello tarantata tarantella tarantula terra del rimorso theatre tion Torrepaduli traditional trance transformation women writings on tarantism