Alessandra Belloni One-woman Show
"Rhythm is the Cure" on April 22nd and 23rd 2013
ALESSANDRA BELLONI
in her one woman show
" RHYTHM IS THE CURE"
Dedicated to the healing of women through the power of drumming & dance
Tuesday April 22 & Wednesday April 23 – 8:00pm
Theater for the New City – 155 First Avenue – (10th St)
Tickets: 0.00
Reservations: 212.254.1109 or www.theaterforthenewcity.net
Internationally acclaimed singer/dancer/percussionist Alessandra Belloni, authoritative performer of traditional and ancient Southern Italian music, theater, dance and traditions, will perform her one woman show, "Rhythm is the Cure," dedicated to the healing of women through the power of drumming, vocals and dance, April 22 & 23 at 8 PM at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue (between 9th & 10th Streets) . In addition to vocals and dances, the instruments played by Ms. Belloni include frame drums, ocean drum, Bodhran, shakers, berimbao, harmonium, and Southern Italian tambourines, designed by the artist for her REMO line of tambourines.
This fiery “percussive journey” through the South of Italy will explore through songs, dance and rhythm, magic rituals, tarantellas used as music therapy and exorcism, healing chants in honor of the Black Madonna, lullabies, love ballads, work chants and protest songs. The show also includes original songs composed by Belloni dedicated to the Black Madonna, Yemanja Goddess of Love and Waters, and Brazilian rhythms and chants inspired by her travels to Brazil ,Hawaii, Italy and France. The performance will end with the authentic Pizzzica Tarantata, the healing trance dance from Puglia used as an exorcism to cure the mythical bite of the tarantula. The "bite" was, in fact, a mental disorder that afflicted mainly women, and that could be traced back to the ancient Greek rites of Dyonisus. As part of Belloni's healing mission, she will end the show by inviting some of her students to play the tambourines and relate some of their stories of healing and transformation through the ancient tradition of drumming and dance from the Mediterranean.
The evening will begin with a showing of the TARANTELLA TRANCE DANCE trailer, made by French American film maker Manex Ibar. This fascinating documentary centers around Belloni's work as artist and healer and was shot in Southern Italy last summer and in January in New York during Belloni's I Giullari di Piazza company in "Tarantella - Spider Dance," a powerful show of trance dance and drumming, dedicated to the healing of women who have been abused. The film relates the true story of a young Frenchwoman Amaia, showing her abuse and subsequent healing experience with the Tarantella trance dance and the healing workshops of Alessandra Belloni.
Living Shamanism - The Tarantella Trance Trailer https://vimeo.com/59786628
Schooled in the ancient practices of the southern Mediterranean tradition, Alessandra Belloni brings relief from pain—physical, spiritual, and emotional—to numbers of women and men today. Alessandra will sing healing chants and talk about her role as shaman--healer--as she journeys throughout the with her music and composes new songs inspired by ancient healing traditions. In this unique presentation, Alessandra will emulate one of the most ancients ways of praying and healing in cultures everywhere, through sacred chanting with frame drums, tambourines, shakers, and ritual dance, carrying on the tradition of Roman priestesses who played the tambourine to worship Dionysus, god of ecstasy and wine. and the Earth goddess Cybele.
Ms. Belloni has performed her solo show at numerous schools and Percussion Festivals, including
Korea Perucssion Festival
Berklee Percussion Festival, Boston
Cross Drumming Festival, Warsaw, Poland
Perc Pan, Salvador and Bahia, Brazil
Kosa Percussion Festival, Vermont
Seattle World Percussion Festival
Cape Breton Drum Festival, Canada
Perc Festival, Italy
Journe de la Percussion, Paris
Rhythm Sticks, Royal Festival Hall, London
Pasic 1996, 97, 2000, 2010, Dallas
Drumming at the Pyramids, Egypt
Oberlin, Ohio
U of Buffalo
Conservatory of Milan, Italy
Royal Marine School of Music, England
NYU Percussion Conservatory
CAL Arts
University of Hawaii
Ms. Belloni has performed her solo show at numerous schools and Percussion Festivals, including
Korea Perucssion Festival
Berklee Percussion Festival, Boston
Cross Drumming Festival, Warsaw, Poland
Perc Pan, Salvador and Bahia, Brazil
Kosa Percussion Festival, Vermont
Seattle World Percussion Festival
Cape Breton Drum Festival, Canada
Perc Festival, Italy
Journe de la Percussion, Paris
Rhythm Sticks, Royal Festival Hall, London
Pasic 1996, 97, 2000, 2010, Dallas
Drumming at the Pyramids, Egypt
Oberlin, Ohio
U of Buffalo
Conservatory of Milan, Italy
Royal Marine School of Music, England
NYU Percussion Conservatory
CAL Arts
University of Hawaii
To see more of Alessandra Belloni, please visit
Tarantella Trance Dance Trailer: https://vimeo.com/59786628
SOLO CONCERT AT MOUNT SHASTA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKbmO2c20fo
Alessandra Belloni’s links to TV appearances:
Alessandra Belloni Live Appearance on ABC-TV7 Chicago http://youtu.be/3J9ZlzKLzPw
Alessandra Belloni Live Appearance on ABC-TV7 Chicago http://youtu.be/3J9ZlzKLzPw
Alessandra Belloni featured on CNN Worldbeat http://youtu.be/IkOqBrpcB9Q
Alessandra Belloni "Spider Sex documentary " on National Geographic http://youtu.be/vp8dE3jJnq0
TARANTELLA SPIDER DANCE presentation video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-2VPrBUqdw&lc=yzssJlpJyHf5aAz8zXbyH1ISYghbVf6zM1bpqr-8wDg&lch=
Tambourine virtuoso/singer/dancer/actress Alessandra Belloni is renowned in her field and travels worldwide to perform group and solo concerts in theaters, universities, and international percussion festivals. Belloni began her career in her native Rome with the great actress Anna Magnani in "La Lupa," and with legendary film director Federico Fellini in "Casanova." She is Artistic Director/Leading Performer of I Giullari di Piazza, an ensemble of musicians/vocalists/dancers that specializes in authentic Southern Italian music and theater events, dating back to the 13th century. Belloni is a REMO artist and designer of her signature series of Italian tambourines; she is also author of the book & DVD "Rhythm is the Cure," published by Mel Bay. The only artist in the world who specializes in Southern Italian tambourines combined with singing and dance, Belloni was selected as one of the best percussionists in the world by DRUM! Magazine, and has been acclaimed in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, featured in Modern Drummer and Percussive. She has been invited to appear in percussion festivals in London, Brazil, Poland, France, Italy, Australia, Rome, and throughout the U.S.
Don Hackman, writing in the Los Angeles Times, found that "Alessandra Belloni and "Tarantata: Dance of the Ancient Spider" is a revelation, utterly fascinating."
Drum Magazine noted that "Italian-born virtuoso Alessandra Belloni is established as a unique phenomenon, not just a percussionist, but also an actress, lecturer, entertainer, and healer."
Jon Pareles of The New York Times, reviewing an I Giullari di Piazza show, remarked that "Ms. Belloni sang in an exultant voice. The songs blazed with an age-old momentum."
Women ensemble daughters of Cybele
