Tarantella is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Grande Tarantelle by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, arranged by Hershy Kay.
[1] George Balanchine originally created Tarantella, a pas de deux, to showcase New York City Ballet dancers Patricia McBride and Edward Villella's techniques, especially the latter's speed and jumps.
[3] He later recalled, "I would be flying parallel to the floor, and then I would be in the wings, on the ground, gasping for air".
[5] The title of the ballet is taken from Tarantella, a type of Neapolitan folk dance accompanied by tambourines.
Hershy Kay rearranged Louis Moreau Gottschalk's Grande Tarantelle for the ballet.