Alessandra Belloni to Play Theatre for the New City, 4/22 & 23

Internationally acclaimed singer/dancer/percussionist Alessandra Belloni, authoritative performer of traditional and ancient Southern Italian music, theater, dance and traditions, will perform her one woman show, "Rhythm is the Cure," dedicated to the healing of women through the power of drumming, vocals and dance, April 22 & 23 at 8 PM at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue (between 9th & 10th Streets) . In addition to vocals and dances, the instruments played by Ms. Belloni include frame drums, ocean drum, Bodhran, shakers, berimbao, harmonium, and Southern Italian tambourines, designed by the artist for her REMO line of tambourines.

This fiery "percussive journey" through the South of Italy will explore through songs, dance and rhythm, magic rituals, tarantellas used as music therapy and exorcism, healing chants in honor of the Black Madonna, lullabies, love ballads, work chants and protest songs. The show also includes original songs composed by Belloni dedicated to the Black Madonna, Yemanja Goddess of Love and Waters, and Brazilian rhythms and chants inspired by her travels to Brazil ,Hawaii, Italy and France. The performance will end with the authentic Pizzzica Tarantata, the healing trance dance from Puglia used as an exorcism to cure the mythical bite of the tarantula. The "bite" was, in fact, a mental disorder that afflicted mainly women, and that could be traced back to the ancient Greek rites of Dyonisus. As part of Belloni's healing mission, she will end the show by inviting some of her students to play the tambourines and relate some of their stories of healing and transformation through the ancient tradition of drumming and dance from the Mediterranean.

The evening will begin with a showing of the TARANTELLA TRANCE DANCE trailer, made by French American film maker Manex Ibar. This fascinating documentary centers around Belloni's work as artist and healer and was shot in Southern Italy last summer and in January in New York during Belloni's I Giullari di Piazza company in "Tarantella - Spider Dance," a powerful show of trance dance and drumming, dedicated to the healing of women who have been abused. The film relates the true story of a young Frenchwoman Amaia, showing her abuse and subsequent healing experience with the Tarantella trance dance and the healing workshops of Alessandra Belloni.
Living Shamanism - The Tarantella Trance Trailer https://vimeo.com/59786628

Schooled in the ancient practices of the southern Mediterranean tradition, Alessandra Belloni brings relief from pain-physical, spiritual, and emotional-to numbers of women and men today. Alessandra will sing healing chants and talk about her role as shaman--healer--as she journeys throughout the with her music and composes new songs inspired by ancient healing traditions. In this unique presentation, Alessandra will emulate one of the most ancients ways of praying and healing in cultures everywhere, through sacred chanting with frame drums, tambourines, shakers, and ritual dance, carrying on the tradition of Roman priestesses who played the tambourine to worship Dionysus, god of ecstasy and wine. and the Earth goddess Cybele.