Pizzica can be considered an old version of music therapy, as it could cure “tarantism”, that is, the trance state caused by the bite of a type of spider, the “tarantula”. The phenomenon usually occurred in young women of marriageable age, the “tarantolate”, and in the summer.

This condition of possession, which psychiatrists nowadays call the hysterical phenomenon, could end only thanks to the engaging rhythm of Pizzica’s music and dance.Pizzica was also a typical dance of family ritual events, where the community got together to celebrate moments of joy, such as weddings.Long forgotten, and considered to be the result of popular ignorance, Pizzica has been back in recent years, and has gained popularity.

“It is a very old dance. It was originally made in honor of the god Dionysus associated with Bacchus. God of wine and fertility. But later he took other courses and led to a dance that was induced to those who were stung by some spider (tarantula) hence the name taranta-tarantella …. so it is a kind of exorcization of the disease …. “

Here the official videoclip of “Taranta” from Ludovico Einaudi (directed by Nello Correale) first single from the album “Taranta Project”.

Lyrics-

Ci è Taranta dagni nu culore

Ca senza nulla faci

Ca senza nulla faci scazzicare

Ci è Taranta tantu ca te tene

Ca passanu le ure

Ca passanu le ure tutte pare

Ci è Taranta nutte poi fermare

Solo litanie

Solo litanie aggiu cantare

Ci è Taranta nulla poi tradire

Ca te trapassa l’anima

Ca te trapassa l’anima e lu core

Ci è Taranta lassala ballare

Ci è Malincunìa

Ci è Malincunìa càcciala fore