Montoya Chica, Pilar. " "Turumbé con la turumbela; vamos bailando la tantarantela": Presence of the tarantella dance in Spain."

Montoya Chica, Pilar. " "Turumbé con la turumbela; vamos bailando la tantarantela": Presence of the tarantella dance in Spain." Choreologica (March 2025).

URL: https://www.eadh.com/new-articles


Abstract:
This piece aims to be an exploration of one of the most emblematic dances in southern Europe, the tarantella.

Although of Italian origin, the tarantella in Spain had a wide diffusion due to geographical and political phenomena and because of the use of this dance as a
healing remedy. The connection of the Kingdom of Naples with the Spanish Crown until 1861 and links between Naples with the important Mediterranean harbours such as Mallorca, Valencia or Barcelona, were decisive events that promoted the practice of the tarantella in the Iberian Peninsula.

To analyse in depth the process of immersion and assimilation of this dance in Spain that led to the so called “Tarantism”, historical dictionaries, choreographic, musical, theatrical and iconographic sources, as well as studies of contemporary authors specialized in this matter will be consulted.

The analysis of the tarantella will focus on parameters such as musical characteristics, instruments used, texts, prototypical characters involved in its execution, more recurrent body movements, contexts and places where it was developed or the possible relationships with other dances such as the jota, the zapateado or the fandango.