The Tarantella is a popular folk dance that originated in southern Italy. The dance is performed in accelerating 6/8 time. It is a happy, intense, temperamental, exciting, and energetic dance.
The Tarantella is usually danced in couples, as it was believed that it was unlucky to dance along, probably because of the boredom of dancing in that manner. Throughout this dance love and pleasure are apparent, it is danced in the most graceful manner. The steps to this dance can be done in a variety of sequences. In some of the steps a dancer moves backwards and forwards while hopping on one foot. Other steps feature heel-toe movements across the standing foot. Runs, skips, and movements with a partner link the steps. The dance is animated by the accompaniment of mandolins, tambourines and castanets.
There are many sources that people believe the Tarantella originated from. Some believe that the Tarantella was the cure for a Tarantella spider bite. It was presumed that the spider bite would make one hallucinate. The towns folk would play music while the person bitten would dance non-stop until the venom was warded off. Others believe that when a Tarantula spider bit a person the venom would make that person move about uncontrollably as if dancing. Another belief is that it originated from the cities named Toranto and Tarentum. Women working in the fields that were bitten by the Tarantula would dance off the venom.
I don't really know how long the Tarantella has been around, but the earliest writings my sources found mentioned of the St. Vitus dancing 1374 and nothing until Jean Coaralli, who in 1839 produced a ballet called La Tarantula. Madame Michau introduced the dance to the dancing public in 1844 (this version was often used in ballets). However it is said that to dance the Tarantella in ballroom circles, as they danced it at Naples would be impossible. Therefore, when Madame Michau introduced it in London in 1844, she made a selection of about eight steps of figures, that had great mastery among the higher classes there.
Folk dances are handed down from generation to generation through many centuries. Folk dances are similar in the same way in which they come to reflect the temperament and environment of the people.
As you can tell, the Tarantella originated years ago, and is an old, traditional dance. Since dance styles change periodically to keep things new and interesting, I don't think that this particular dance would be a big hit now. Some folk dances do still live on in movements, writings, ballets and such. But I believe that generations today would not enjoy this dance, they may find it looks funny or is boring, because they are taken up with other activities for entertainment. Even though the dance is brisk and energetic, it may not be that interesting. It's just too old!