This film is part of Free
Monkey Dance
A young troupe from Kuki village in Manipur rehearse a dance as monkeys, to the beat of a drum
Overview
A young troupe of dancers from Manipur, northeastern India, rehearse monkey-like movements and the steps of a dance. They are highly skilled, in costume and working on a performance mat. The tight frame almost excludes the drummer, until one of the dancers involves him. A brilliant contrasting shot at the end shows the performers lined up after their rehearsal, the monkeys banished to the forest.
The drum is not the pung, a kind of drum for which Manipur is famous, which is more elongated and played by hand. Here the drum is played with a stick and is the same width at both ends. The performance space is demarcated by bamboo matting. The film was one of shot by amateur filmmaker Gerald P. Stewart, who seems to have taken an interest in the culture of India's northeast region. Preti Taneja
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