EUROPEAN FOLK DANCES

I. TARANTELLA
(ITALY)

HISTORY
Tarantella is actually a name used to denote the quickly-paced folk dances of southern
Italy, including the pizzica in Puglia (about which I will write another blog post), and also other
local folk dances of Campania Calabria, Puglia and Sicilia, which of course all have different
names. This Italian folkdance has existed since the 15th to the 17th century, but we know little about
these early versions. The dances were codified in the 19th century, when the famous Italian
composer Giacchino Rossini wrote a piece called La Danza), which was part of a group of
compositions he published between 1830 and 1835. His music became the best known tarantella
all around the world, and is what Frank Petrangeli asked the musicians to play in The Godfather
Part 2.
The steps in the tarantella can be danced in couples (man and woman or two women) or
groups (mostly women), and include bouncing and jumping and kicking with alternating feet in
front of each other in a mirrored way, turning around each other while being shoulder-to-shoulder,
as well as turning with arms locked while facing each other. When the dance is in couples, one of
the two can also kneel on the pavement while the other goes around him/her. When the dance is in
groups, the dancers can form a circle and move clockwise while keeping the right hand towards
the centre and the left hand on the hip.
In the tarantella the dancers can play instruments like the castanets, like in the tammurriata,
or a tambourine, the musical instrument (actually of Middle-Eastern origins) made of a wooden
(but nowadays also plastic) frame, with pairs of small metal jingles all around and with or without
a membrane to be struck. Other instruments used to play the music of the tarantella are the guitar,
the mandolin, the violin, the flute, the accordion, the cupacupa (a sort of drum played through
moving the hand on a stick connected to the membrane).

Dancing the Tarantella

Throughout history, dancing has been used as a way to celebrate, worship, uplift, and cure,
and countries around the world have folk dances that tell stories and bring insight into its rich
history. Italy is no exception, with dozens of beautiful folk dances created within its timeline. Of
all the Italian folk dances out there, none are more notable than the Tarantella.
FROM A DANCE TO CURE
Also known as “the dance of the spider,” the Tarantella was derived from the Italian
word tarantola, meaning “tarantula.” The tarantola gets its name from the town of Taranto in
Puglia, where the bite of the local wolf spider (the tarantula) was widely believed to be highly
poisonous and led to a condition known as “tarantism.”
Tarantism was an epidemic that swept through Taranto and other parts of Italy between the
15 and 17th centuries. According to legend, once bitten by a tarantula, the victim, referred to as
th

the tarantata — who was almost always a woman of lower status — would fall into a fit in which
she was plagued by heightened excitability and restlessness. Eventually, she would succumb to
the condition and die.
The only cure, it seemed, was to engage in the frenzied dancing ritual of the Tarantella.
Townspeople would surround the tarantata while musicians would play instruments such as
mandolins, guitars, and tambourines in different tempos in search of the correct healing rhythm.
Each varied beat would affect the tarantata, leading her to move in erratic ways in line with the
tempo. Once the correct rhythm was found, the victim — dancing the Tarantella alone until
exhausted — was thought to be cured, having “sweated out” the venom!

TO A DANCE TO COURT
As the passage of time faded the legend’s mystique, the Tarantella eventually transformed
from a cure to a deadly disease to a couple’s dance — either a man and woman, or two women —
performed at wedding ceremonies and other celebrations. In fact, the Tarantella is now considered
unlucky by some to be danced alone.
With music written in a lively 6/8 time, this rapid whirling dance is characterized by light,
quick steps, and flirtatious gestures between the two partners. Typically, the woman carries a
tambourine, and her rapid movements are used as a way to excite her counterpart. On the other
hand, the man’s movements are made to charm his partner with his agility and tenderness.
COSTUME:
GIRLS:
 White skirt with bands of colored ribbons
 White blouse
 Velvet bodice
 Red apron
 Colored kerchief on head
Boys:
 Red knee breeches
 Full white shirt
 Red tie
 Blue stocking drawn high above the knees
 Red jersey cap
EQUIPMENT/PROPS- Tambourine
MUSIC – is divided into three parts: A, B, and C
FORMATION- Partners stand side by side, girls at the right of the partners. Each girl carries a
tambourine in her R hand. Two couples Nos. 1 and 2, form a set, one to any number of sets may
take part.
MEASUREMENT - At its most basic, a tarantella is a lively, and sometimes flirtatious, folk
dance that usually features a 3 8 or 6 8 time signature.

Figure 1
Music A- All face front
 (a) Step-swing-hop sideward R. Raise the R hand over head and swing the l arm across the
body on ets. 1,2 [1M]. Repeat to L and reverse the position of arms cts. 3,4, [1M] 2M.
(b) Take four touch steps in front, R alternately, Strike tambourine overhead on every touch
steps (one touch step for every count) (2M).
(c) Repeat (a) and (b), starting with the L foot. Reverse the position of arms. (4M)

Figure 2
Music B - All face front
(a) Hop on the L foot times, making one complete turn to the right (cts. 1-4), the R foot is
raised in front of the L knee. L hand overhead, R hand on waist (2M)
(b) Pivot turn right (cts. 4). Raise R hand overhead, L hand on waist. Strike the tambourine as
the position of the arms are reversed, shake tambourine continuously overhead (2M)
(c) Repeat (a) and (b) starting with the other foot, turning to the left. Reverse the position of
arm (4M)

Figure 3
Music C - Partners turn their backs to each other.
(a) Each dancer takes four slide (chasse) steps clockwise to move one position in the set. Girl
1 moves to position of Girl 2, Girl 2 to Boy 2, Boy 2 to Boy 1; Boy 1 to Girl 1. L hand overhead,
R hand on waist. Take one count for each slide step (2M)
(b) Repeat (b) of figure 1 (touch step) (2M)
(c) Repeat (a) and (b), sliding to the next position clockwise in (a) (4M) (d) Repeat all, (a-c)
finishing in proper places (8M)

Figure 4
Music A - Partner face each other.
(a) Starting with the L foot, four skip step forward to partner`s place. Pass each other by L
shoulders. Hands overhead shake tambourine continuously (2M)
(b) Repeat figure 1 (b) (2M)
(c) Repeat (a) and (b), moving backward in (a), passing by L shoulder again (4M) (d) Repeat
all (a-c) (8M)

Figure 5
Music B “ Matching Pennies.” Boy kneels on his L knee, facing partner. Girl stands close to
partner.
(a) Boy slaps his R knee with the L hand (ct.1) and raise one finger (ct.2). At the same time
the girl slaps her L knee with her L hand and raise one finger, R hand on waist (1M)
(b) Repeat (a) three more times, raising two fingers, three fingers and then four finger (3M)
(c) Girl skips eight times around partner counterclockwise, starting with L foot. With R hand
overhead, L hand waist, shake the tambourine continuously for eight counts. The boy looks at
the partner as she turn around him (4M) (d) Repeat all (a-c) (8M)

Figure 6
Music C - Partner stand back to back with both hands raise overhead.
 (a)Touch R toe across the L in front (ct. 1), step R close to L (ct. 2). Repeat the same with the
L foot (cts. 1,2) (2M)
(b) Four slide (chasse) clockwise to partner`s place, starting with R foot. Take one for each
slide (2M) (c) Repeat (a) and (b) finish in proper place (4M) (d) Repeat all (a-c) (8M)

Figure 7
Music A - Partners face each other.
(a) Repeat figure 1 (a) (2M)
(b) Link or hook R elbow with partner and make one complete turn clockwise with four
skipping steps, starting with R foot. Girls hold the tambourine with the L hand and shake them
continuously (2M)
(c) Repeat (a) and (b), linking L elbow with partner, reverse turn, transfer tambourine to R
hand (4M) (d) Repeat all (a-c) (8M)

Figure 8
Music B - Partners stand side by side facing front.
(a) Hop on the L foot and the same time place the R heel sideward right (ct. 1), hop on L again
and touch the R toe sideward right (ct. 2). Repeat the same (ct. 3, 4). These four hops are taken
moving sideward right. The L hand is raise overhead, R hand on waist (2M)
(b) Repeat pivot-turn right (figure II - b). R hand overhead, L hand on waist (2M
(c) Repeat (a), hopping on the R foot, touching with the L, moving sideward (2M) (d) Pivot-
turn left L hand overhead, R hand on waist (2M) (e) Repeat all (a-d) (8M)

Figure 9
Music C (play once) - Partner face each other.
(a)Pivot-turn right (2 M), pivot-turn left (2 M) hands as above (4M)
(b) Pivot-turn right twice around (4 M) At the end of this figure, girls hold their final position
with the weight on the R foot, L foot pointed sideward. R hand overhead, L hand on waist.
The boys kneel on the L knee, L hand overhead, R hand on waist. Partners look at each other.

ABBREVIATIONS
 M – measure or measures
 Ct. – count
 Cts. – counts
 L – left
 R – right

II. VARSOVIENNE
(WARSAW, POLAND)

HISTORY

Varsovienne came from Warsaw, Poland . It is a slow, graceful dance in ¾ time with
an accented down beat in alternative measure with the key signature B minor. It combines elements
of waltz, mazurka, and polka. It is one of the smoothest and graceful dances known. Varsovienne
known originated around 1850 in Warsaw, Poland in honor of Mount Versevius and was
introduced to France by a young dance instructor named De’sire’ in America in 1853. The dance
was popular in 19th century in America, where it was dance to the tune Put Your Little Foot. It is
a slow, graceful dance in ¾ time with an accented down beat. In alternative measures with the key
signature B minor. At combines the elements of waltz, mazurka, and polka. It quickly became a
favorite folkdance in Scandinavian countries as well.

The unique arm hold by the same name- also known as the promenade hold in other
dance styles such as American square dance, contra dance and some ballroom dances. The dance
came from Poland is a form of the Warschauer that, however it was dance meanwhile in whole
Germany. Its special feature is the constant change between forceful mazurka steps and
atmosphere-full waltz forms. Varsovienne is form Pomeranian and danced in a Weizacker
costume.

COSTUME:

Girl:
 Short full dark skirt
 White blouse
 Short sleeves
 Black velvet bodice
 White stockings
 Colored apron
 Hair in two braids
 Large black bow

Boys:
 Black knickers
 Colored stockings
 Gray coat
 Full shirt
 Round green fell hat with ribbons
MUSIC- composed of two parts A and B.

FORMATION- Double circle facing counterclockwise, boys in the inside and girls in the outside
circle. The boy places his R arm across the shoulder of the girl, takes her R hand over her R
shoulder, L hands joined in front. The girl is a little bit to the right of boy. This is known as
Varsovienne position.

MEASUREMENT- It is a slow, graceful dance in 3 4 time signature with an accented down beat
in alternative measure with the key signature B minor.

Figure 1
Music A.
(a) Starting with the R foot, take eight varsovienne steps, moving counterclockwise. (16M)

Figure 2
Music B.
(a) Take two mazurka steps diagonally forward right. (2M)
(b) Take one Varsovienne step to right. (2M)
(c) Take two mazurka steps diagonally forward left. (2M)
(d) Take one Varsovienne step to left. (2M) (e) Repeat all(a-c). (2M)

ABBREVIATIONS
 M – measure or measures
 Ct. – count
 Cts. – counts
 L – left & R – right
References

Blogspot. (2012). Retrieved from http://julstolentino.blogspot.com/2012/03/module-24-

varsovienne-germany.html
Eataly Net USA LLC. (2015). Retrieved from
https://www.eataly.com/us_en/magazine/culture/dancing-the-tarantella/
Italian folk dances. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.ariannasacco.com/lets-dance-tarantella/
Study.com. (2003). Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/tarantella-definition-
history-quiz.html