i'm starting in the town of manduria.he southern end of puglia, where it's still practised, taught and performed. so we're here at the dance studio. i'm going to learn some steps, but we're a bit late, it's already started. bit nervous. i'm going tojump in. euphoric music plays. i'm going to die if she chooses me. chuckles. oh, my goodness. she's chosen me! i've no idea what i'm doing! the kids are just choosing their outfits for the performance. so, everyone�*s got a different coloured, brightly coloured skirt. this archive footage shows a woman experiencing tarantism. it was especially prevalent from the 15th to the 17th century but as we can see here, it continued well into the 20th century. she looks like she's in a lot of pain. in a way, she is. it's pretty clear, though, this has nothing to do with the spider bite. what was the real cause, do you think, of tarantism, and why did it only affect women? the whole peasant society was oppressed and the women were the oppressed part of an oppressed class. but nevertheless

i'm starting in the town of manduria.ckles oh, my goodness. she's chosen me! i've no idea what i'm doing! the kids are just choosing their outfits for the performance. so, everyone's got a different coloured, brightly coloured skirt. this archive footage shows a woman experiencing tarantism. it was especially prevalent from the 15th to the 17th century but as we can see here, it continued well into the 20th century. she looks like she's in a lot of pain. in a way, she is. it's pretty clear, though, this has nothing to do with the spider bite. what was the real cause, do you think, of tarantism, and why did it only affect women? the whole peasant society was oppressed and the women were the oppressed part of an oppressed class. but nevertheless, in the salento tradition, the women also had a sort of matriarchal power, that they could express in particular situations. like the dance — including the dance. uh-huh. so it was like a release, like a cathartic release for them — like a form of therapy, maybe? the literal part of