workshop coordinator : lisa grosso at
tuscanyworkshop@aol.com
201 224-3833

Alessandra Belloni is proud to announce her seventh annual workshop in Tuscany, Italy

RHYTHM IS THE CURE
Annual Workshop in Tuscany Italy
August 21 - 28, 2007
IN THE BEAUTIFUL RENAISSANCE VILLA LA CHIARA DI PRUMIANO, in the mystical and magical hills of Tuscany, between Florence and Siena

Please reserve early, limited occupancy.

Rhythm Is The Cure
Annual workshop of the ritual dance and percussion of Southern Italy with ALESSANDRA BELLONI - Remo Artist focusing on the origins of the Tarantella as a healing trance dance of purification.

Alessandra Belloni is an artist in residence at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine and is director of the music, theater and dance company, I Giullari di Piazza. She has presented concerts and workshops internationally in Europe, Brazil and the USA.

The workshop will take place in LA CHIARA DI PRUMIANO VAL DELSA, FLORENCE A beautiful 17th century villa high in rural Tuscany with its own hamlet and chapel, surrounded by 40 acres of Chianti Classico vineyards and silver olive groves. La Chiara is well known for the special regional cooking as well as their home grown vegetarian specialties, and offers spacious rooms with wonderful views, swimming pool and horseback riding

SPECIAL HEALING DANCE WORKSHOP
featuring Southern Italian ritual dances used as music and dance therapy
combined with the unique style of tambourine, and focusing on the ancient
healing trance dance of the tarantella, used to cure the mythical bite of the
tarantula. The dance called Pizzica Tarantata cured a mental disorder called Tarantismo, which afflicted mainly women, who felt stuck in the spider web of their society.

Every student will learn the steps of the Pizzica, which are very fast and energetic. Part of the ritual takes place on the floor, and the dance is actually a spider-like movement on the ground. This part has the most amazing healing effect, releasing stress, blockage of sexual energy, as well as opening the heart and throat chakra according to the movements, as if coming out of an imaginary SPIDERWEB The sessions feature the ancient chants used as an invocation to the healing energy of the Sun and the Black Madonna (ancient Earth Goddess female energy), the Moon (Canto della luna) and the Goddess of Water and Love (Yemanja/Madonna del Mare).

Students will also learn the following ritual dances and rhythms:

TAMMORRIATA a beautiful, sensual dance from Naples, danced during the rituals held in the summer in honor of the Black Madonna (originally ancient rites for the Earth Goddess Cybele).

MONTEMARANESE a euphoric carnival dance from Montemarano (Naples) dating back to the Roman orgiastic celebrations in honor of Bacchus, the god of wine.
Danced in a circle, wearing masks.

THE SPINNING DANCE (Danza di San Rocco) Based on a trance tarantella from Calabria in honor of San Rocco, dating back to the Middle ages, used a healing ritual against the plague. Everyone spins together in a spiral and in a circle. Alessandra will end the sessions using the ocean drum creating the sound of the waves in a final relaxation invoking the healing power of the water.

HANDS-ON SOUTHERN ITALIAN
TAMBOURINE WORKSHOP
Taught by Alessandra Belloni, the purpose of this workshop is to introduce general audiences and professional percussionists to a very rich tambourine culture with an active current performance practice in Southern Italy and also bring women back in touch with their lost drumming tradition.

Alessandra 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 healing women’s tradition back to life. The participants will learn the rhythms of the Tammoriata, the Montemaranese, the Pizzica Tarantata and the Spinning Dance, focusing on; the basic technique of holding the drum with emphasis on arm movement, wrist and elbow technique to create the bouncing sound of the triplets, hand technique with the palm and the fingertips in both a basic and accented fast 6/8 rhythm, and Neapolitan, Sicilian, Calabrese and Pugliese style tarantellas. Alessandra Belloni signature series Tambourines will be made available by REMO and can be purchased at the workshop. After a successful collaboration at the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland,

Alessandra is pleased to announce special guest Angelo Tonelli
Angelo Tonelli, Italian writer, philospher, theater director, and shaman specialized in the healing and ritual aspect of the ancient Greek mythology with dance and theater will lead morning meditations with relaxation and breathing exercies ( from bioenergetic and Tibetan traditions) to free blocked energies; realizations and mantras as well as exercieses to free and guide emotions and body expression including elements of psychodrama, group interaction, and the positive visualization of enlightened states of consciousness.

Angelo, Tonelli, a Jungian analysis specialist, has published over 60 books with major publishers such as Rizzoli and Mondadori including ten Greek tragedies translated from ancient Greek into Italian. Mr. TOnelli has collaborated with Alessandra Belloni in his beautiful town, Lerici, on the coast of Liguna, where he has his own theater school called TEATRO INIZIATICO

Prices:
The fee for the workshop is $1,400 US for double room

$ 1,300 for triple room
Which includes all classes, 3 meals per day and accommodation in a double or triple occupancy room.

The fee does not include airfare or local transportation

Payment Schedule
Registration Fee (Non Refundable)
*$100 USD registration fee is due May 1st
*$660 USD 1st payment is due June 1st
*Balance due upon arrival at Prumiano.

Balance can be paid in Euro at the Villa on site

— PLEASE REGISTER EARLY —
Workshop is limited to 28 students

RHYTHM IS THE CURE WORKSHOP
REGISTRATION FORM

Registration Fee (non refundable) $100.00 US
*$100 USD registration fee is due May 1st
*$660 USD 1st payment is due June 1st
*Balance due upon arrival at Prumiano.

Name:
Address:
City: State ZIP
Country:
Phone
E-mail Address
Method of Payment

Payment may be made by check, credit card or wire. Checks or money orders must be made payable to I Giullari di Piazza and should be sent with this registration form to :

Alessandra Belloni
C/O the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
1047 Amsterdam Avenue, Studio 4
New York, NY 10025
For credit card payments (European cards only)
Call LA CHIARA DI PRUMIANO
+ 39 055 80757272
For International Wire Transfers call
1-212-665-4516
Depending on availablility, it may still be possible to register after August
1st.
Contact info@prumiano.it

Contact us at:
Tuscanyworkshop@aol.com
212 665-4516
Alessandra Belloni
C/O Cathedral of St. John the Divine
1047 Amsterdam Avenue, Studio 4
NY, NY 10025