Pizzica is a compelling, highly rhythmic and "catchy" Italian music and dance. The first time I heard pizzica was in the movie "Ne Te Retourne Pas" (2009) starring two great actresses Monica Bellucci and Sophie Marceau as the main characters when Jeanne, trying to remember her past and in search for herself, went into an Italian home where a celebration took place. Initially the dance was like a flirtation between an unknown man and a woman, but latter grew into a dance rivalry between two women. Surfing the web and reading the dance descriptions, it turned out that this short fragment of the movie very well reflected the essence of the dance.
Foto Daniele La Monaca
It is a popular Italian folk dance, which originates from the, so to say, heel of the Italian boot - Salento region and is specifically connected with the town of Lecce. Later spread to other areas of Italy. Pizzica basically comes from Tarantella that is an optimistic, quick twosome dance, usually accompanied by tambourine.
From movie Pizzicata (1996) – Salento region in Italy
Usually the dance is performed in pairs, woman - man, woman - woman or less commonly man - man. The ornamentation of the dance anticipates one person dancing around the other. Same-sex dance expresses an idea of competition and fight. Pizzica is usually danced bare-footed and with a kerchief in one`s hands.
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