The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Tarantism \Tar"ant*ism\, n. [It. tarantismo: cf. F. tarentisme.
   See Tarantula.] (Med.)
   A nervous affection producing melancholy, stupor, and an
   uncontrollable desire to dance. It was supposed to be
   produced by the bite of the tarantula, and considered to be
   incapable of cure except by protracted dancing to appropriate
   music. [Written also tarentism.]
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

tarantism
    n 1: a nervous disorder characterized by an uncontrollable
         impulse to dance; popularly attributed to bite of the
         southern European tarantula or wolf spider