La Taranta: Dance For Your Lives!

Friday, June 27, 8-10 p.m.

Until the mid 1900′s people in certain communities in Puglia, in southern Italy, claimed that a magical spider bit them. The only cure for the spider’s poison was consistent dance until the feast day of Peter and Paul. The victims literally had to dance for their lives!

Following a short presentation about La Taranta by Laura Provance of Arts & Letters, Smokey Folk will play Italian music associated with the ritual dance of La Taranta. Brittney Laleh Banaei and Sarah Louise Byrd have choreographed and will perform a dance to recreate the urgency of the traditional Taranta “dance” and the modern pizzica. After their performance the audience will be encouraged to join the feverish dance to ward off the spider’s poison!

Feel the power of the community, and experience the magical elements of Christian traditions derived from Paganism in an evening of cultural exploration, music and dance!

This event is free to the public.