14th Edition
Santu Paulu delle Tarante

an Original Project by Ambrogio Sparagna

with the Italian Popular Orchestra of the Auditorium Parco della Musica

Popular Choir directed by Anna Rita Colaianni

Folk dance troupe directed by Francesca Trenta

and the extraordinary participation of musicians, singers and dancers from the Mediterranean (Turkey, Greece, Tunisia, Egypt)

Ballo! the great Festival show of music and dance now in its 14th edition, returns. After the great success of the previous editions, the new event is dedicated to the rediscovery and reinterpretation of ancient devotional and therapeutic folk dances from Italy and the Mediterranean basin (Turkey, Greece,Tunisia, Egypt), especially those related to the cult of St. Paul, the ancient protector and healer of the "Tarantate". His mythical figure as a therapist for snake "bites" is a trait still very much present in southern popular culture, and many tarantella and pizzica dances continue to evoke him.
The performance presents some songs typical of the tradition of Calabrian "ciaraoli," the ancient folk healers who cured the ills caused by poisonous bites; invocations to the patron saint of tarantate women, typical of the Salento tradition; and some folk tales and songs related to his journey to Rome.

Alongside the traditional Italian repertoire, the performance is enriched by a series of therapeutic dances related to the ancient possession rituals of the Mediterranean area with special attention to some countries on the southern shore such as Egypt and Tunisia and Greece and Turkey.