The+History+of+the+Tarantella

= //**﻿The Tarantella**// =

**The dance of the [|Tarantella] ,meaning the tarantula in English, originated in Italy and was primarily danced by the lower and middle classes. The place origin of the tarantella is the town of Taranto in Italy. The dance is thought to be traced back to 1374, where it was called the dance of St. Vitus. However, it probably originated more in the late fourteenth century.** **The [|tarantella]was thought to be danced for three reasons: one reason, was that the bite of a tarantula was said to make a person move about as if they were dancing uncontrolably so the dance steps were based** **of these movements. The second reason is that the dance was said to cure the bite of the tarantula: women working in the fields who were bitten would dance to induce sweating which was said to force the venom out through the pores in the body. The tarantella was also thought to be danced as a cure for neurotic women, or was danced by women who felt oppressed in their role as a wife.** **Later, partners and more intricate steps were added to the dance. "Animated by the accompanying mandolins, tambourines, and castanets, the woman tries, by her rapidity and liveliness, to excite the love of her partner, who, in his turn, endeavors to charm her with his agility, elegance, and demonstrations of tenderness" says streetswing.com.** **The two partners go through the complicated movements of uniting,seperating, reuniting, and then bounding away once more in what has been described as "unlike gestures that alternately express love, coquetry, and inconstancy".**