Italian folk dances ward off evil. Italian Folk Music: A Patchwork of Folklore

As in many countries of the world, in Italy there are traditions in the art of dance that they try to maintain and not forget.

Those who were teenagers in the 80s and 90s remember how popular disco was. By all fashion clubs Popular catchy melodies thundered across Europe, and young people famously danced incendiary dances, the movements of which were known to everyone. However, those years have passed, and with them the fashion for such dances has gone. Today no one remembers how to dance them.

This suggests that modern popular club dancing no one will remember in 10-20 years. However, there are some types of music and dance styles that remain unchanged over the centuries. This is because such traditional dances are deeply rooted in the culture of the country, becoming part of its historical heritage.

Dancing traditions in Italy

Throughout history, Italy has had traditions of passing on dances and songs from one generation to the next. These folk dances have become a living witness to the ancient local culture and heritage. They are often performed in small villages where no modern trends can influence them. The dance of love, the dance of courtship, a number of dances performed during the harvesting of crops and the harvest of grapes: there was a dance for every occasion. Dance was not only a true means of communication between people, but also the main form of self-expression.

Naturally, regional folk dances differ from each other, but they have one common denominator: they appeared to express feelings. Dancing was considered a real magical remedy that could affect the character and mood of any person.

Folk dancing in Italy today

Anyone who comes to visit Italians (especially in villages) should know about some of the traditional dances, because the temperamental Italians will certainly involve the guest in dancing.

The basic principles of Italian folk dances are the sense of rhythm, the sense of space and partner and the manner of execution. Characteristic feature for all Italian dances is the speed of movements and their simplicity. Also in almost all traditional dances There are constant transitions from the entire foot to the toe.

The main features of Italian dances with their centuries-old history are the speed of movements, simplicity of movements, and a sense of rhythm. Moreover, we're talking about not so much about folk dances as about traditional dances, because each region of Italy has its own unique dance.

Dance Tarantella

Tarantella is a type of dance characteristic of southern regions countries. Initially, it was associated with the phenomenon of “tarantism” - mass hysterical epidemics in Germany, Holland and Italy. This psychosis was expressed in the form of prolonged, literally exhausting convulsions and an irresistible desire to dance. This particular dance was called tarantella. It was believed that such convulsions were caused by a tarantula bite, and the dance was created to imitate the convulsive movements of the bitten person - supposedly only such a rapid, unbridled dance could disperse the blood and save from poison.

With some variations and slight differences in costume, the Tarantella is found in several regions of Italy, with each city or region having its own music for it.

Actually exist different kinds tarantellas, which were named after their place of origin. The most famous are Tarantella Neapoletana, Tarantella Calabrese, Tarantella Siciliana, Tarantella Pugliese, Tarantella Lucana.

This type of folk dance is widespread throughout almost the entire south of Italy. The differences lie not only in the names, but also in the music, as well as movements (but the dance is always temperamental and fast). The Tarantella is danced both solo and in pairs. In the 17th century, the tarantella was characterized time signature 2/4 or 4/4, but later 3/8 or 6/8 became more traditional. Some local varieties of tarantella have become more popular and widespread than others: this applies, first of all, to the tarantella from Pizzica, Puglia or Naples. Most of these regional versions of the dance are usually performed in pairs (and the pair does not necessarily consist of a woman and a man) or in groups of four.
In some areas, dancers use castanets when performing, but more common ones are drums, bagpipes, accordions, violins, mandolins, trumpets and tambourines.

Italian pizza

According to most historians, dance traditions in Italy arose quite late - in the 15th century. Previously, dances on the Apennine Peninsula were simple moves, in which there was no clear pattern. Folk dances also began to acquire those features that have survived to modern days just at this time.

Pizzica is a traditional dance that first appeared in Puglia. The first mention of pizzica dates back to the end of the 18th century, when a noblewoman from Taranto invited King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon to dance.

This dance is directly related to collective participation in the phenomenon of “tarantism”. After a person was bitten by a tarantula (or it seemed to him that he was bitten - this was not uncommon, given the mass psychosis), music and frantic dance were the only option to escape. People believed that the frantic movements of the dance accelerated the blood and diluted the poison in it. That's why everyone danced the tarantella or pizzica. The musicians played for the bitten person, who danced until the effect of the poison wore off. Very often this dance was performed by the entire village. In other words, dancing pizzica began to mean a kind of liberation.
Usually pizzica is performed in pairs. However, given that it is customary to perform it during family holidays, the couple could be formed by relatives of the same sex. Technically, pizzica has many things in common with the tarantella: it is a circular dance, accompanied by gestures with arms and hands, as well as expressive turns. There is also a staged pizza with swords.

Today, pizzica is mainly danced during the sagra (festival fair) in the Salento region. Moreover, people dance it in a circle. Despite the fact that pizzica is a traditional folk dance, it has attracted many young people in the last few years. The dance has been significantly "updated" by mixing modern rhythms with traditional movements, as well as some more sensual steps.

Once upon a time, almost all Italian dances full of jumping were called saltarello (the name comes from the Italian word saltare - to jump). Therefore, today historians find it difficult to precise definition tempo and size of this dance, since a huge variety of their descriptions has been preserved in documents. The first documented mention of the saltarello dance dates back to the 12th century, but the dance began to appear in ballrooms only in the 16th century. During court dances, a fast saltarello was usually placed immediately after a slow pavane.

The popularity of saltarello came in the 60s of the 19th century, when rural areas In Italy, it was customary to organize lush, luxurious weddings and celebrations to mark the end of agricultural work.

The Saltarello is the most popular of all the tarantella-like dances in the central regions of Italy. In Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche, Umbria and Molise, this dance was usually performed in pairs, and for this reason it differs from the folk dances of Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and the Adriatic region, where people mostly danced in threes. Saltarello can have a very ancient origin: some believe that this dance was known even in Ancient Rome. Technically, saltarello is an alternating performance of double steps and bows, which is very similar to galliardo.

Often, for such dances even now, special costumes are worn, which are either carefully stored for decades, or are produced by specialist craftsmen who still adhere to old production methods. This helps to recreate a specific atmosphere, in which you seem to be transported centuries ago. There are no such dances magical power, as people used to think, but there is definitely something special about them. This dance literally conveys the cheerfulness of our ancestors.

Italian dances represent the expression of the soul, and the entire characteristic nature of the Italians as a nation. And Italians love to dance.

It is believed that the name of the popular Italian dance called tarantella comes from the name of one of the Italian cities - Taranto. Exotic lovers, however, like to think that this name was born from a creepy and ancient medieval rite, during which a doomed person was locked in a small room full of poisonous tarantula spiders. The victim began to jump, avoiding the bites, and the tormentors outside set the pace for these desperate jumps, playing the drum. At first slow, the rhythm became faster and faster, the victim involuntarily followed it, and as a result fell in exhaustion. The third theory of the origin of the tarantella again concerns the harmful tarantulas, of which there were indeed too many in the south of Italy, and which were accused of a strange disease allegedly occurring from their bites. The only cure is crazy racing to speed up the blood and thereby defeat the effect of the poison.

The gloomy medieval church, which already blamed women for all mortal sins, called the tarantella the embodiment of female lust, which became the reason for banning this dance. But folk song, of course, it is impossible to kill or strangle, the tarantella became more and more popular, it got to the point that the cardinal himself ordered a cheerful dance to be performed at his court.

It spread beyond Italy, even in the Netherlands, peasants sometimes abandoned all household chores just to indulge in crazy dancing. Modern scientists accuse them of the fact that the frantic dance has simply become an excuse to arrange an unplanned unbridled feast and to relieve a little of the burden of eternal worries. Many people find the movements of the Italian tarantella and the famous Lezginka very similar. After all, the Caucasian, just like its Italian counterpart, has in its arsenal many jumping and skipping elements, and incredible speed of leg movements. And, of course, one cannot fail to note the similarity of the manner of performing the dance in terms of character - this is an incredible temperament for all its external grace.

Another Italian folk dance based on jumping and skipping is saltarella. It is very popular in Romagna, San Marino and Abruzzio. The beginning is quiet and slow: the partner invites the lady to dance with polite bows, and she flirts and pretends that she doesn’t want to dance at all. Then a drum beat sounds, signaling the start of the jumping. The tempo of saltarella is constantly increasing, so a good physical form and the strength of partners is only welcome. There are also round dance varieties of saltarella, during the performance of which all participants stand in a tight circle, pressing closely and leaning forward, touching their heads and smoothly swaying to the rhythm of the movements of their legs. And in March, saltarella is performed to the beat of a tambourine, which for some reason must be performed by an elderly woman.

Author - Parashutov. This is a quote from this post

DANCE IN PAINTING (DANCES OF THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD PART 32 - ITALY: FROM TARANTELLA TO PIZZICA)

Of course, Italy is famous for tarantella. This is the most popular Italian folk dance, although if you delve into the sources, it turns out that in this southern country there are dances that are no less popular among Italians (although, in fairness, it should be noted that most of them are varieties of the same tarantella). Well, first things first!

Music and dance began to take shape as individual species art, in Italy in the fifteenth century. At that time, even a profession appeared - a dance teacher, and these teachers developed a certain system of dance movements called balli.
The unwritten classification of Italian dances divides them into social, staged and Morisco (dances of Muslim Mauritanians who officially converted to Christianity).
The basic principles of Italian folk dance are mastery of a sense of rhythm, awareness of space and partner, memory of the dancer and manner of performance.

Michel-Fransois.Damame-Demartrais Costumes de la Rozaspinyalueta village dans le royaume de Naples
Costumes of the village of Rosaspignalueta in the Kingdom of Naples.

Natalia Goncharova Italian dancer. Costume sketch for a tarantella. Late 1930s

A characteristic feature of Italian dances is the speed of movement, however, despite the speed, the dance steps are very simple. Second characteristic feature Italian dances - frequent transitions from a full foot to a toe. Such transitions have their own symbolism and indicate the connection between the earthly (when the dancer lowers himself onto his full foot) and the divine (when he rises onto his toe).

Filippo Falciatore Tarantella at Mergellina. 1750

Marko Karoly the Elder Wine Harvest Tarantella.

Theodor Leopold Weller Neapolitan Family Idyll.

Tarantella

Italian folk dance accompanied by guitar, flute, tambourine and castanets (in Sicily), common in southern Italy, Calabria and Sicily.

Bartolomeo Pinelli Costume di Napoli. 1828

There are many legends associated with the history of the tarantella. According to one legend, if a person is bitten by a tarantula spider, then the only way to avoid infection is by dancing the tarantella for several hours. The name of the spider, as well as the dance, comes from the name south Italian city Taranto. Residents of the Middle Ages believed that this particular spider was capable of infecting with madness; the disease itself was called tarantism. Beginning in the 15th century and continuing for two centuries, tarantella was considered the only cure for tarantism. In this regard, in the 16th century, special orchestras traveled throughout Italy, to the music of which patients with tarantism danced. The tarantella was often based on a single motif or rhythmic figure in bipartite meter, the repeated repetition of which had a bewitching, “hypnotic” effect on listeners and dancers. The selfless dance could last for several hours.

Later, scientists proved that a spider bite cannot cause confusion, but “it was too late” - people liked this dance. However, there was a time when this dance was banned and called lustful, since it was danced by people from the lower strata. But under Cardinal Barberini, the tarantella was “amnestied” and was danced even at court.
The Tarantella can be danced in pairs or solo. Most often, people form a circle, first moving rhythmically in one direction, and then abruptly changing direction. The Neapolitan tarantella is considered a classic version of the dance.

Apollo Mokritsky Rome. Italian women on the terrace (Tarantella). 1846

Thomas Uwins An Italian Mother Teaching her Child the Tarantella 1842

Saltarella or Saltarello (Saltarella/Saltarello)

Italian folk dance. Its name comes from the Italian word saltare - to jump, gallop. The dance is known in the regions of Romagna, Lazo, San Marino and Abruzzio, but each region performs it differently.

Achille Pinelli Saltarello not turno delle mozzatore a piazza Barberini. 1829

Achille Pinelli Il Santorello.

For example, in March it is danced to the accompaniment of a tambourine or a small drum on which an elderly woman beats. And in Romagna the dance is accompanied by a song sung by one of the participants; here the dance is a demonstration of dexterity.

Achille Pinelli Saltarello a Piazza Barberini.

Women place a glass filled to the brim with water or wine on their heads. During complex and fast movements, not a single drop should be spilled.
The popularity of saltarella came in the 60s. last century, when lavish weddings and celebrations were held to mark the completion of field work.

Anton Romako Tarantellatänzer und Mandolinenspieler. 1889

Theodore Gericault The Tarantella.

Dance has no established figures, it consists of alternating double steps with bows leading to cadences, and has much in common with the medieval galliard dance.
The main step of this dance is balance (from the French balance - scales, balancer - to sway). But the performers must have dexterity and strength, since the tempo of the dance increases all the time.
Saltarella - couples dance. But there are also round dance varieties. In a round dance saltarella, the dancers stand closely pressed to each other, their bodies are tilted forward, their heads almost collide in the center of the circle, and their hands are placed on each other's shoulders.

Wilhelm Nikolaj Marstrand Amusement outside the walls of Rome on an October evening. 1839

Wilhelm Marstrand Contadini che ballano il Saltarello. 1869

Wilhelm Marstrand Romerske borgere forsamlede til lystighed i et osteri. Skitse 1838

Like many folk dances, saltarella begins with a playful pantomime, when a man makes several steps in front of a woman, inviting her to dance, and the woman flirts, not immediately accepting this invitation. The beat of the drum gives the signal for the first dance jump.
The melody of this folk dance was used by G. Berlioz in the overture to the suite “Roman Carnival” and by Mendelssohn in the finale of the “Italian Symphony”.

Pizzica

Pizzica is a traditional Italian dance, considered a type of tarantella. It is typical for the southern regions - Apulia and Basilicata. The first written mention of pizzica dates back to 1797, when at a dance evening in the city of Taranto, a noble lady invited King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon to dance.
Pizzica developed in parallel with the tarantella, so today it is almost impossible to discern the difference between these two dances, this applies to both choreography and musical accompaniment.

Simon Denis Danseur de Tarentelle. 1809

Pizzica is a pair dance, but it is not at all necessary that the pair be made up of dancers of different sexes. At large family celebrations, couples often include close relatives or partners of different ages. The brother-sister dance is usually playful in nature. Men or women in a pair are more likely not partners, but rivals; their dance has a hint of a duel, a demonstration of strength, dexterity and ingenuity.

Enrico Forlenza Tarantella in Napoli. 19th century

Carlo Ciappa Blick auf den Golf von Neapel, im Vordergrund tanzendes Bauernpaar im Hintergrund der Vesuv. 1934

The traditional southern variety of tarantella is characterized by the following movements: dance face to face and in a circle, which is accompanied by turns, gestures with arms and hands. Typically, a circle of dancers repeats calm, smooth movements, while one or more people go inside the circle and behave much more emotionally: they stomp, spin, arrange peculiar chases after each other, their trajectories either come closer, then diverge, or cross. In addition to dancers, there are often musicians in the circle. Previously, it was customary for women to wear a scarf on their shoulders when performing a dance. The scarf is used in dance as a symbol of love. Portraying lovers, a man and a woman can pass it on to each other, enlivening the dance.

Bergamasca

Bergamasca is considered to be the dance of the peasants from Bergamo. In its manner of execution, size and liveliness, it is very similar to a tarantella. Despite the fact that it was not danced by rich people, the dance became famous outside of Italy (England, Germany, France).

Léon Bazile Perrault La Tarantella. 1879

The second type of Italian folk dances are the so-called “fighting dances” - dances with weapons. Historians suggest that these dances came into use thanks to the Muslim Mauritanians, who officially converted to Christianity. In these dances they expressed their fighting spirit. Often such “war dances” are combined under the name Morisco.

Pizzica with swords (pizzica-scherma, danza delle spade)

A widely known variant of pizzica, which refers to dancing with weapons, is the dance with swords.
The dance imitates elements of hand-to-hand combat, possession of cold weapons, as well as firearms. Sometimes spectators in a circle are involved in the dance, depicting injuries from an accidental blow, a “bullet,” etc. According to tradition, in dance, weapons are depicted only conventionally, with an outstretched finger, and are never actually used. The confrontation is conditional and should not be identified with real events. Pizzica with swords is characterized by cutting down the musical accompaniment only to the main rhythm. The sounds of the tambourine make dance similar to martial arts.

Mascarata

Mascarata is a prominent representative of the saber dance. The dancers have a sword in one hand (it should be of blue color), and in the other - a stick. Among the participants there is also the main performer of the traditional masquerade song.
It is known that this dance at the beginning of the twentieth century. emigrated along with some Italians to the USA. Overseas, this dance is considered one of the most recognizable. For its execution it was necessary National Costume, which according to appearance was similar to the uniform of fishermen of the 17th century, it was later supplanted by the attire of the Spanish courtier.

Ndrezzata

Traditional folk dance popular on the island of Ischia. Usually this dance is performed in the main square of the city by 16-18 men with sticks and folk costumes June 24, when celebrations take place in honor of the island's patron saint, or on Easter Monday. Ndrezzata, in the best possible way, expresses the character of the Iskitans and is performed to a specific song.

Separately, there are dances characteristic of the island of Sardinia.

Tarantella

Incendiary dance southern Italy - tarantella

With some variations and slight differences in costume, the Tarantella is found in several regions of Italy, with each city or region having its own music for it.
There are actually different species of tarantella that have been named after their place of origin. The most famous are Tarantella Neapoletana, Tarantella Calabrese, Tarantella Siciliana, Tarantella Pugliese, Tarantella Lucana.

Incendiary dance of southern Italy - tarantella

This type of folk dance is widespread throughout almost the entire south of Italy. The differences lie not only in the names, but also in the music, as well as movements (but the dance is always temperamental and fast). The Tarantella is danced both solo and in pairs. In the 17th century, the tarantella was typically played in 2/4 or 4/4, but later 3/8 or 6/8 became more traditional. Some local varieties of tarantella have become more popular and widespread than others: this applies, first of all, to the tarantella from Pizzica, Puglia or Naples. Most of these regional versions of the dance are usually performed in pairs (and the pair does not necessarily consist of a woman and a man) or in groups of four.

It is believed that traditional Italian dances began to take shape in the 15th century. Before dance moves Italians were not diverse and did not have clear patterns and rules.

The Renaissance changed attitudes towards God and culture as a whole. The character of Italian dances has changed - lightness, smoothness, and speed in movements have appeared. Step-like smooth combinations began to turn into so-called ballies - light movements at a fast pace. Symbolism appeared in the dances - keeping a full foot on the floor, the dancer seemed to connect with the Earth, standing on his toes - striving for the Divine.

Notable Italians invited choreographer Guglielmo Ebreo da Pesaro and Domenico della Piacenza, a famous theorist in the 15th century. dance art, for creating cultural heritage countries. Thanks to these people, new dance movements appeared, old dances were reworked, and many steps were taken from the culture of other peoples.

We present for you a list of the most incendiary ancient and modern Italian dances:

Gagliarda – translated as “cheerful” – is considered the oldest dance in Italy. The galliard was performed in pairs or solo. The main features of the dance are jumps and a combination of five steps. Over time, the Galliard acquired the usual stiffness of court dances, became slow, and end of XVII centuries passed into music. After Italy, this dance became widespread in other countries. Western Europe. Galliard was a favorite dance Queen of England Elizabeth I, and despite the fast tempo, she danced it even in her middle age.

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Tarantella – fiery energetic dance, popular in southern Italy, especially in Calabria and on, although classic version considered to be the Neapolitan tarantella.

According to one version, the name of the dance comes from the name of the Italian city of Taranto. According to another legend, the tarantella was a way to cure madness caused by a tarantula bite – "tarantism". The fast pace and jumping dance allegedly helped to disperse the blood and counteract the spider's venom. In the 16th century, special orchestras walked the streets, to whose music people danced the tarantella for hours. Pairs or individual dancers form a circle as they dance, moving clockwise, then suddenly changing direction.

Dance music was played on guitars, flutes, drums or keyboards, often accompanied by penalties m and tambourines or castanets in the hands of dancers. In the Middle Ages, the church considered dance the embodiment of female lust and banned it. But already during the time of Cardinal Barberini, the dance was again allowed and began to be performed at court. Nowadays, the tarantella is sometimes danced at Italian weddings and at Notte della Taranta. – festival taking place in Melpignano.

Pizzica is a type of tarantella, native to Salento, widespread in Basilicata and Calabria.

So does the tarantella, pizzica dances in a circle, accompanied by hand gestures and sharp turns. But unlike the tarantella, pizzica is performed only as a duet.

On holidays with family, a couple can be same-sex relatives. In the old days, a mandatory attribute of the dance was a scarf on a woman’s shoulders. The dance itself is similar to courtship, when the lady slips away, and the gentleman tries to achieve her favor, namely, to pick up the scarf. There is a variant of the sword dance when scenes of battles and duels were played out.

Bergamasca

Bergamasca was a dance of the peasants of the province, but quickly became popular among other classes of Western Europe.

For example, the final dance in the first scene of the fifth act of Shakespeare's comedy "The Dream of summer night"It was bergamasca. This is a rhythmic, lively dance with appropriate clear musical accompaniment. And although the dance went out of fashion, a rich musical heritage remained in the compositions of Bach, Debussy, Rossi and other composers.

Saltarella

Saltarello – popular during the Renaissance musical genre, revived as a dance in the 18th century. From Italian saltare translates as “to jump”, which is reflected in the dance movements - jumping, bowing and turning.

The dance begins slowly, the gentleman invites the lady to dance, and she pretends that she does not want to dance. Afterwards, a signal is heard to begin active movements, and as the dance progresses, the tempo of the music increases. Since the mid-20th century, saltarella has been popular at weddings, harvest celebrations and carnivals. Saltarella music has come down to us in the suites and overtures of Berlioz, Mendelssohn, and Castellono.

Pavana

Pavana - slow courtier ballroom dance, which replaced bass dance in the 15th century.

Pavana (La pavana) was distinguished by graceful movements, pretentious manners and solemnity. The courtiers dressed in brocade and velvet, gentlemen wore cloaks and swords, and ladies' dresses were decorated with trains. The entire dance consists of a single or double step, or a combination of both, with periodic curtsies and changes in the position of partners. Pavana was danced at the beginning of celebrations and at balls, but it did not go among the people. It is believed that the dance originated in the city of Padua and its name is also similar to the Latin version of the word “peacock” - “pavo”.

Dances of Sardinia

Folk dances were performed, as a rule, during religious holidays, in honor of a successful harvest or hunt. They often danced around the fire, holding hands, thereby symbolizing unity with the group. Some dances, for example ballu antigu, were danced without music, to the singing of one person. The ballu tzivile dance resembles a polka or mazurka in its movements, and during the serpentina dance the dancers form a kind of snake.

Ballet (Balletto) originated in Italy in Renaissance, although it gained popularity in France. The name itself comes from the Italian verb ballare - “to dance”. Initially, ballet was a dance part Italian opera. The French, conquered by skill Italian choreographers, invited them to their court, as a result of which, from the 17th century, France became the center of ballet excellence.

The ballet era began with the Queen's Comedy Ballet, staged at the French court by the Italian Baldassare de Belgiojoso in October 1581. The first ballets were based on court dances, but from the second half of the 17th century, new genres arose, such as comedy-ballet. Ballet became an independent dance genre in the second half of the 18th century in France.

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