Allison Scola

I love to dance, and I love to share my knowledge and passion for southern Italian folk music and dance: the tarantella. 

The folk music and dance traditions of Southern Italy, widely known as the tarantella, are as diverse as the Italian peninsula and islands’ regional cuisines and languages. I offer a lecture-demonstration and interactive class that introduces the history, legends, rhythms, music, and dance steps employed for centuries by the people of Apulia, Campania, Calabria, and Sicily. The presentation connects participants to the timeless power of the tarantella and its exuberance, tenderness, and passion. Students should be prepared to sing and dance, and they will be introduced to the unique technique used for playing Italian frame drums.