Saltarello felix

Dancing .....with Saltarello
The structure of the Saltarello can be simplified with the following steps, alternated with ad libbing by the dancers:

• Entrance ( the man invites the woman to dance together);
• Balanced step (used to synchronize the steps of the dancers);
• Crossed step ( the step can has different versions: Inchiavicchiatura,

Incrociata Romana, Forbicietta Romana);

• Spunticchio (very quick step to express enthusiasm or challenge);
• Strisciata (used for rapid lateral movements);
• Round (used to go out of the scene and leave space to the next couple);

Other Dances
The geographical areas where Saltarello can be considered as an expression of cultural tradition , are not clearly defined ; in fact traditional dances and music can have different names (Saltarella, Ballarella, Zumparella, Spallata and Tarantella) but be similar to Saltarello. For instance, the “Spallata Molisana” of 1600s , was linked to the “tarantismo” and only subsequently became a wedding dance and the “Tarantella of Fragneto” from the Sannio area, which is similar to Saltarello , has touches of “Pizzica”. The large Saltarello family is therefore linked to other musical styles of southern Italy such as “Pizzica” and the Tarantelles of Lucania and Campania, in turn influenced by the “Tammurriata”.