In 2022, I began traveling to Southern Italy in search of all I could find related to ongoing traditional dance practices, initially drawn to what I had learned about the history of pizzica. That search led me into an entirely new world: that of the music and community that surrounds regional tarantelle dances.
Puglia Residency
Since 2024, I have brought to life the dream of creating a bridge between guests to Puglia and the local music community through the annual La Danza Residency, in collaboration with the artistic direction of Rosa Voto, of the Melbourne School of Tarantella. This experience is designed for folks who want to come to the homelands of these dances and dive into experiencing them in their revived community, learning directly from local artists and tradition holders.
Writing
You can find my reflections on this journey on my substack.
Workshops in the United States
I have deep respect for the complexity of seeking to learn about community arts held in a context of profound culture lineage, over time I have come to develop my voice in sharing the stories and movements I have experienced through the dances in their cultural contexts. I offer classes & workshops from that perspective when I am outside of Italy. The focus of these workshops is:
To parse through the stereotypes and generalized notions of tarantelle dances and restore an awareness of regionality and rhythmic movements.
To share the power of experiencing rhythm and resonance together in community.
To specifically look into the lived reality of the commmunity around pizzica dance traditions today, understanding the distinctions between the pizzica tarantata/tarantismo and the pizzica pizzica social dance in its living lineage.
If you'd like to join the email list to learn about events, or to discuss hosting a workshop or other collaborations, you can contact me here.
Upcoming Gatherings
Edmonds, Washington
Tarantelle: Social Folk Dances from the South of Italy Class Series
October - December
Saturdays at 11:30am
Registration
Portland, Oregon
Winter Workshops with Cascadanza
December 7th and January 4th
10am - 11:30am
Registration
New York, New York
Tarantella Educational Event with Collina Italiana Italian Language and Cultural Center
Friday January 16th
5pm - 6:30pm
Registration
Brooklyn, New York
Tarantelle: Social Dances from Southern Italy Dance Workshop with Hidden Village
Sunday January 18th
3pm - 6pm
Registration
"The care, rootedness, and thoughtfulness that Kate brings to her own learning and teaching was apparent. ... Kate's commitment to syncing her dance work back to local traditions is paramount in her dance instruction." - Monica Berini
"The class was engaging, and fun. Presenting a rich appreciation for the subject matter, and approaching teaching a deep and important lineage in a very humble way. All attendees seemed to have felt extremely comfortable trying everything that was taught, which speaks highly to the quality of instruction. The entire room was full of smiles and openness, which again, particularly in a fairly physically intense dance class is rare." - via Scuola Italiana di Portland
Past Workshops and Projects: