Tarantata
The Dance of the Ancient Spider
CD-Concert

The mystical-erotic trance rituals of southern Italy ... haunting prayers to the Black Madonna and the Goddess of the Mediterranean ... the breathtaking love songs of its storied islands - from the dawn of Italy's magical-spiritual song tradition comes Alessandra Belloni's new release, Tarantata: Dance of the Ancient Spider. With her soaring mezzo-soprano and mesmerizing tambourine rhythms, Alessandra casts a spellbinding web of sensuality spun from the tarantella - the ecstatic rites used to cure young women of a mysterious affliction known as "the bite of the ancient spider."

From the New York Times to Rhythm magazine, Alessandra Belloni's performances have been praised for their "nonstop theatrical and musical energy " and masterful improvisation. Now, with a stunning cast of musicians, Alessandra brings together the passion of Italy's early mystical roots with distinctive influences from Brazil, North Africa, and Latin America - igniting the healing power of magical curative folk music for a new generation of listeners. With Glen Velez on frame drums; Steve Gorn on bansuri flute; John La Barbera on chitarra battente, mandoloncello, cuatro, oud, classical guitar, and viola caipira; Charlie Giordano on accordion; and Joe Deninzon on violins.

This fiery "percussive journey" through the South of Italy explores magic rituals, tarantellas used as music therapy and healing trance dance to cure the mythical bite of the tarantula, women processional chants and drumming in honor of the Black Madonna, lullabies, women love laments and work chants specifically arranged for voice and percussion. One of the concert's highlights is the trance rhythm and dance of purification, known as Pizzica Tarantata, which originated the tarantella. This musical exorcism was actually the only cure for a mental disorder known as tarantismo, a form of hysteria which afflicted mainly women due to depression, frustrations, anguish caused by abuse and exploitation by the land owners, making them feel stuck in the spider web of society.

The origins of the tarantella as music and dance therapy are not well known, and there is a lot of interest in this subject. She has been touring all over the world with this unique concert (USA, Europe, South America), always receiving a great response from the audience and the press. She is the only woman in America (and in Italy) who uses this powerful tambourine style combined with the singing and dancing, and is very proud to be able to bring this ancient tradition back to life.

The ensemble can include 4 to 6 women from New York, from various international backgrounds, including Alessandra, Alexandra Montano, and four dancers. The women will be dressed in white and red, to relay the healing aspect of strong female tradition to the audience. The concert is dedicated to all women who have known the anguish and desperation of feeling trapped in a mythical spider web.