RIENCD36

The dances of Dionysus
Theseus killed the Minotaur in the labyrinth in Crete. With the help of a string laid out by Ariadne in advance, he was able to escape form the maize which had been built by King Minos. The wise men tell us that the labyrinth was not only a prison for the monster but also a centre for dance, and of initiation rites of the Dionysian cult: Dionysus, God of wine and fertility, God of trance and hallucination, God of ecstasy and obsession.

As the centuries passed the Gods faded into obscurity, making way for religion and philosophy. Dance now came to be seen not as associated with magical rituals, but as an art form and a means of transient entertainment, and as the occasion for performances of folklore. Nevertheless, in the great melting pot of Mediterranean culture, examples of ancient classical choreography have been passed down to us. These dance forms are closely associated with the spirit of Dionysus. Examples of these ancient dance forms:
- The Tammurriate are dances that were repeated at certain festivals, in honour of the those mothers, who had been entrusted with one's destiny ...
- The Pizziche Tarantate are dances with a therapeutic meaning, danced by those who have been bitten by the tarantula. The dance frees them from the poison of the tarantula's deadly bite ...
- In the dance of the turning Dervishes , the dancer turns endlessly until reaching that point of rest that is almost impossible to reach and which is defined as ecstasy ...
- The tribal dance of the North African Gnawa is used to drive out evil spirits and to call forth the healing Gods ...
- In addition to the above are the Tarantelle, the Sirtaki, some more North African rhythms, and finally the Moresche. While these dances has been used unscrupulously by a dominant pseudo culture only interested in attracting tourism, it nevertheless contains age-old gestures and movements belonging to an archaic civilization.
We learn these dances to maintain a sense of balance that is constantly threatened by modern life. In following the steps of these dances we escape the chaos of the modern world and enjoy, if only for a moment, that cosmic harmony which the world seems to have forgotten.