The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

AT ITALIAN WEDDING RECEPTIONS, A TRADITIONAL DANCE,
KNOWN AS THE TARANTELLA, IS OFTEN PERFORMED. IT
CONSISTS OF THE WEDDING GUESTS FORMING A CIRCLE AROUND
THE BRIDE AND GROOM AND SWINING TO THE LEFT HALF A
STEP AND THEN BACK TO THE RIGHT HALF A STEP. THE
BRIDE THEN LEAVES THE CIRCLE TO TAKE A NEW PARTNER,
AND THE GROOM DOES THE SAME. THE TWO NEW COUPLES THEN
BREAK TO FIND NEW PARTNERS, AND EVENTUALLY ALL THE
GUESTS ARE DANCING.
THE NAME OF THE DANCE, TRANSLATED AS TARANTULA, IS
APPARENTLY DERIVED FROM THE SIMILARITY BETWEEN THE
SPREADING-OUT EFFECT OF THE DANCE AND THE SPIDERY
LOOK OF THE TARANTULA.

Submitter comment: MY INFORMANT IS OF ITALIAN EXTRACTION AND ADDS THAT
THE DANCE HAS BEEN POPULAR WITH SOUTHERN ITALIANS
SINCE THE 15TH CENTURY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 12-00-1963