06/09/2026
Vilmantas Marcinkevicius fortæller om tarantellens betydning for en række nye malerier fra hans hånd.
Vilmantas has been inspired by the events in Galatina, Southern Italy, where an annual festival is held featuring, among other things, the tarantella dance.
The tarantella is a dance from Central and Southern Italy. According to folklore, it is an ecstatic dance that has a healing effect on psychological disorders.
Explanation:
Tarantella: An Italian Folk Dance
By Fiona Story
In Italian culture, the word "tarantella" conjures up images of a wild, swirling dance traditionally performed at weddings. However, this popular folk dance from Southern Italy possesses a history and mythology spanning several centuries.
The dance was originally a folk dance for the lower and middle classes. It has been described both as a cure for illness and as a courtship dance for lovers. In the courtship version of the dance, the woman uses speed and liveliness to awaken her partner's affection. In turn, the man attempts to charm her with agility, elegance, and tenderness. The dance revolves around connection and separation, with the dancers flying into each other's arms only to spring apart again.
It is considered bad luck to dance the tarantella alone, so it is often performed by couples or by two women. The earliest historical mention of the tarantella is associated with St. Vitus' Dance in 1374. It is not mentioned again until 1839 as the title of the ballet "La Tarentule," choreographed by Jean Coralli. In 1844, Madame Michau introduced the dance to the public.
