The pizzica, famous and charming traditional dance of Salento
These are the verses of one of the most well-known and most popular pizzica dances, dedicated to Gallipoli and its beautiful women: “Aria gallipolina sing sing, for those who do not know how to sing are listening. Poetry is often hidden in tradition and these verses describe the light air that prevails in Gallipoli through the narrow streets and the beauty of its sea, but they also tell of the life and joy here, through the powerful and frenetic rhythms of the pizzica, the popular traditional dance of Salento.
The dance, of ancient origin, is a close relative to the more well-known tarantella dance, but it is faster and is danced in a totally different way, stamping the feet on the ground and jumping, to free the body from pain and torment. The pizzica represents fury and passion. It is a liberating performance and has always captivated tourists from all over the world. There is not a party or a festival in Salento in which the pizzica dance is not celebrated.
Over the centuries the pizzica has changed and evolved, often mixed with other sounds, even distant from us, but it has never ceased to exist, with its popularity indeed growing over time.
Many pizzica dances express love, others describe the beautiful women of Salento, of its sea, of its clear and scintillating nights; others tell of life in the countryside, of the wheat, the struggle and the sun. Popular culture is shown through pizzica dances and your holiday would not be complete if you didn’t experience one performed live.
Every summer an enormous festival is held, dedicated to our traditional music, The Night of Tarantula (“La notte della Taranta”); a festival held in many different towns across Salento, enabling tourists to discover the beauty of our small villages and the wonders of our dances. This year the Night of Tarantula festival will be held from 6th to 24th August. The majority of the Festival’s stages are easily reached from Gallipoli.
The first two stages are less than half an hour’s drive from us, specifically in Nardò and Corigliano d’Otranto, where the following will perform: the Banda della Grecia Salentina and the great Mimmo Epifani, the popular Orchestra of the Night of Tarantula and Enzo Avitabile’s band (the great pop singer). A great show is guaranteed, with young and old joining together in dance and entertainment, playing tambourines and singing. You won’t be able to keep still for more than ten minutes!
The performance on 8th August in Torre San Giovanni is also nearby, where, among others, the unmissable Antonio Castrignanò will perform, and on 16th August in Galatina. There are so many parts to the festival, do not hesitate to ask for more information. The Palazzo del Corso team would be delighted to advise you on how to experience such a unique and once-in-a-lifetime event with the frenzy of the pizzica!
