San Diego Reader

Cançionèr presents music for a little-understood phenomenon: during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, certain areas experienced brief outbreaks of manic, “contagious” dancing that often afflicted dozens, or even hundreds. Ordinary people would succumb to a compulsion to dance furiously for days or weeks on end, some to their deaths. Some feared that they had been cursed, and perhaps gave in to mass hysteria. Music was offered for the dancers in the hope that it would appease Divine wrath.

The event will feature instrumental and vocal dance music, flagellant songs, penitential prayers, tarantellas, and more. Members of Cançionèr include locals Tom Zajac and Shira Kammen.