tarantelle

9.9

A lively fast Italian folk dance for two people with quick spinning steps

noun
/ˌtærənˈtɛl/

: tarantela

As the music played, the couple danced the tarantelle with joy, twirling around the floor in perfect harmony.

Examples

At the festival, everyone joined in to learn the tarantelle, moving energetically to the lively rhythm.
The lively tarantelle often captivates audiences with its fast-paced steps and spirited energy.
When the young musician had finished performing his audition piece, Henryk Wieniawski's "Scherzo Tarantelle," the conductor said, "That's okay, but can you read music?"

Academic text (1996)

Synonyms

tango

vstarantelle

35 3.5

A dance from Argentina for two people with a strong beat and close steps

is livelier and centered on fast spinning steps not strong postures

fox-trot

vstarantelle

3 7.7

A ballroom dance for couples with slow and quick steps to lively music

is quicker and focuses on continuous rapid whirls rather than step pattern

tarantella

vstarantelle

3 8.9

A fast lively Italian dance and the music for it

is the specific two-person dance with rapid whirling movements

to two-step

vstarantelle

2 5.9

To move with a partner in quick then slow steps to music

is faster and focuses on rapid whirling rather than step alternation

courante

vstarantelle

Archaic

1 9.9

A lively court dance from the 1500s and 1600s in three-beat time

is folk street duet dance with faster continuous whirling movements

cha-cha

vstarantelle

6.1

A lively Latin American dance with small quick steps and hip movements

is a fast-paced duet dance emphasizing rapid spinning rather than hip motion

Surface Forms

tarantelle singular

tarantelles plural

Etymology

The word tarantelle comes from the Italian city Taranto and the spider called a tarantula, because people once believed quick dancing could 'cure' a spider bite. That's why a tarantelle is a very fast, lively Italian dance with quick turns.