Talk:Tarantella

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[edit] How to de-stub

This atricle deserves a MAJOR rewrite, as it is pathetically small in size and content.

Here are some links to begin with:

• http://www.apuliadomus.com/apulia/eng/a_ita_musica.htm
• http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/tarantata.php
• The phenomenon of the "Tarantismo" (translated with BabelFish)
• Some photos
• http://refene.com/text/elekon-t/elekon-t-grecia.htm (in Greek)

See also: Ghetonia

Etz Haim 17:48, 13 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Someone added to this article the words: "The tarantula is sometimes replaced by other arachnids, such as the painful Wolf Spider. Whatever the species, its bite caused hallucinogenic effects which were warded off by the performance of the dance." I've been studying spiders for 50 years and have yet to hear about even claims of hallucinatory effects of spider bites. If there is scientifically justified grounding for such a claim, please supply the appropriate citations before restoring the claim. P0M 17:55, 9 Nov 2004 (UTC)

It was me, and I have reverted with a minor change to make it more clear that the whole entire thing is legend. Neither wolf spiders' nor tarantulas' bites are dangerous, no spiders cause hallucinogenic effects, and dancing has no effect on any kind of venom, hallucinogenic or otherwise. Tuf-Kat 03:16, Nov 10, 2004 (UTC)

The text is now much worse than the previous version. What are the sources for these claims?

Some theorize that the frantic dance was a means of purging the body of the spider's poison and thus avert [turning into a werewolf]. Whatever the species, its bite was said to cause hallucinogenic effects which were warded off by the performance of the dance. In some versions of the legend, the venom itself caused the dancer to move uncontrollably. In any case, neither the wolf spider nor tarantulas have dangerous bites, so there is no need to dance to ward off any ill effects. There are no arachnids known to have hallucinogenic venom.

Nothing that I've ever seen has said anything about hallucinogenic effects of the venom -- probably because this term originated in the LSD era. The idea that spider bites can turn people into werewolves has no basis in the legends about werewolves that I have heard before. Is this a recent idea? Or is there actually an early source that somebody can quote.

Unless somebody can supply citations this part needs to be scrapped. It is not even true to say that no tarantulas have dangerous bites. None of the bites are known to be deadly, but there are some bites that can be quite serious and should be treated by an M.D. and might even require hospital care. P0M 03:40, 12 November 2005 (UTC)

Oi! How's this for fatuous fakelore: Another origin leans on a legend of a woman who was depressed and frustrated from the subordinate lifestyle would fall into a trance that could only be cured by music and dance. Don't "Subordinate lifestyle' just have that ring of authenticity, though? I was going to note Rossini's tarantella from Soirées musicales ("La Danza"), but reading the article I sense that only its refrain is apropos: "Mamma mia, mamma mia, la la LA la-la lalala" --Wetman 09:29, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Needed improvements

The current article is remarkably lacking in documentation, particularly in regard to the history of its origins. From the name of the dance and the general folklore surrounding the dance it seems that there was very likely an early association between the dance and the large local wolf spiders. From the fact that wolf spiders are generally very frightened of human beings and will avoid them at all costs, and the fact that there are actually no severe medical consequences of bites from these spiders when humans sometimes contrive to get a defensive bite, it seems clear that the alleged bites must have served as an excuse for dancing. For one reason or another, people wanted to dance, and they explained their desire or need to dance by alleging that a spider bite incident had occurred. But even reasoning things out this way stands pretty much as "original research" in the sense that I have not bothered to look up John Compton's explanation in his 1952 book on spiders, and his account is by his own admission not grounded on much more than hearsay. To really know how the dancing and the spiders became associated, one would have to consult the works of specialists on medieval folk customs. If there are pertinent works they are probably in Italian. Are there encyclopedias of folk dance? I've taken out the more wildly spedulative materials. The idea that there was an actual toxin involved in the compulsion to dance that was mistaken for the results of spider envenomation is interesting, but it would be even more difficult to prove. P0M 19:18, 11 February 2006 (UTC)