Alessandra Belloni and Company to Star in TARANTATA at St John the Divine, 10/18

Alessandra Belloni and I Giullari di Piazza return to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, where they are artists-in-residence, for a performance of "Tarantata," a fiery percussive journey through Southern Italy and Brazil, Friday October 18 at 8 PM at St. John the Divine, 112th St. & Amsterdam Avenue.

With its authentic music, costumes, and instrumentation, the show is an explosion of the songs, tarantellas, rhythms, and magic ritualsused to cure the mythical bite of the tarantula. Belloni and company here bring together the very similar legends and musical rhythms of Southern Italian and Brazil. And, as always, the show concludes with audience members being invited to join the cast on stage for a joyous tarantella, so wear something comfortable if you have dancing feet.

Included are traditional Southern Italian music and Alessandra Belloni's original compositions honoring Yemanja and Oxun, Goddesses of Love and Waters, and Xango from the Afro- Brazilian Yoruba tradition. Other highlights are healing chants and ritual drumming played in the procession of the Black Madonna, led in traditional fashion by stiltwalker Mark Mindek as the figure of Death. The wild 6/8 rhythms of the healing trance dance, the Pizzica Tarantata, will end the show. Dancers are costumed with in white, blue and red, the traditional colors of Italy and Brazil, celebrating the two cultures and their common roots in Africa.

The storyline follows the healing journey of a "tarantata," a victim of the bite of the tarantula. She is led by Dionysus on an amazing journey to be healed, and through her travels we encounter the common threads of universal rhythms and traditional cures through music and dance.

" TARANTATA "
TARANTELLA TRANCE DANCE
& BRAZILIAN RHYTHMS & CHANTS

Friday October 18 - 8 PM
CATHEDRAL OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE (in St. James Chapel)
1047 AMSTERDAM AVENUE (112th Street)
Tickets: 25.00
Reservations: 866.811.4111 or www.stjohnthedivine.org/Belloni2013.html

Featuring excerpts from the musical "Tarantella Spider Dance"
based on the myth of the spider & ecstatic rites of Dionysus
ALESSANDRA BELLONI -lead vocals, ritual dance, tambourines, frame drums
JOE DENINZON - electric and acoustic violin
WILSON MONTUORI - electric & acoustic guitar
SUSAN EBERENZ - flute, piccolo, recorder
PETER ABAZIA - drum set, percussion
GIUSEPPE DE FALCO- Neapolitan singer

dancers: PETER DE GERONIMO, FRANCESCA SILVANO, LINDSAY POULIS, JILLIAN ALIGHIERI,
stilt dancer MARK MINDEK

For more information: www.alessandrabelloni.com, www.facebook.com/alessandrabelloni, www.youtube.com/alessandrabelloni, www.reverbnation.com/alessandrabelloni.