New Year's Eve in Sorrento with a tarantella show
There is one dance that has always gone hand in hand with celebrations in Sorrento: the tarantella. Rhythm, joy, spinning couples and ringing tambourines: the tarantella sorrentina, the traditional folk dance of Sorrento, has everything a year-end night needs. That is why many hotels, restaurants and families think of a tarantella show for New Year's Eve on the Sorrento Peninsula.
Why the tarantella is perfect for the last night of the year
New Year's Eve is meant to be shared, and the tarantella is a dance you watch but, above all, join in. During the show guests are drawn in with tambourines and castanets, and even people in Sorrento for the very first time find themselves in the circle with everyone else. It ties the party to the place: not just any evening, but a New Year's Eve that truly feels like the Sorrento Peninsula.
There is a symbolic side too. In the eighteenth century, around Naples, the tarantella lost the ritual meaning linked to tarantism and became a festive dance, a dance of love and courtship, as we explain on our page about the origins of the tarantella. Seeing in midnight with a dance that has celebrated the joy of being together for centuries has a charm all of its own.
Where the show fits in
There are several options, depending on who is organising.
- Hotel gala dinner: the show can liven up the gala dinner between courses, or open the dancing after dessert.
- Restaurant: for a restaurant with a New Year's menu, the tarantella is a highlight worth mentioning when taking bookings.
- Private party: in a villa or a home with a terrace, even a show with just a few couples changes the pace of the evening.
- Corporate events and groups: for groups travelling at the end of the year, a dinner show with the tarantella is an experience to remember.
You will find the different options on our tarantella show for events page.
When to schedule the tarantella during the evening
The night of 31 December has its own rhythm, and it pays to respect it. Many organisers choose one of these moments:
- the welcome, with dancers in costume greeting guests at the door
- the middle of dinner, when the room is full
- after midnight, once the toast is over and everyone wants to dance
A show usually lasts between 20 and 40 minutes; if you would like several moments in the same evening, they can be agreed in advance. Remember to keep a stretch of level floor clear: the tarantella needs room for hops, turns and side openings.
Costumes, instruments and steps: what your guests will see
Guests will see the couples in traditional costumes, hand-sewn by Sorrento seamstresses: for him, the red wool cap, the waistcoat with gold buttons and the multicoloured sash; for her, the white lace-trimmed blouse, the velvet bodice and the pleated skirt with three gold bands. They will hear the tamburello, the nacchere and the triccheballacche, and see steps such as the traversè, the heel-and-toe and the rondeau, in which each couple makes a full turn around its own axis.
If you would like to know more before the party, every step is explained on our dance page, which is also handy for writing a couple of lines of introduction for your international guests.
Practical tips for planning it
New Year's Eve is one of the most requested dates of the year for anyone in entertainment. A few tips:
- plan ahead: availability for the night of the 31st is limited, so it is wise to enquire well in advance
- tell us the number of guests and the space available: it helps work out how many couples are needed
- decide on the music: recorded or live changes both the logistics and the cost
- think about logistics: a room where the dancers can change and a precise arrival time, because getting around on New Year's Eve takes longer
Pricing depends on the same factors as any event (number of couples, running time, location and travel, music, number of moments), with the special date to bear in mind: that is why the cost is set in a tailored quote, which you can request here.
New Year's Eve in Sorrento: where to find out more
If you are still deciding how to spend New Year's Eve, you will find New Year's Eve programmes and venues in Sorrento on a dedicated website, useful for comparing gala dinners, parties and nights out in town.
And if you are the one organising the party, at a hotel, a restaurant or at home, Sorrento Folk can bring the tarantella sorrentina to your evening. Ask for a quote with the date, venue and number of guests, and Daniela Esposito will reply with a proposal.
