Summary

Mrinalni Sarabhai and seven members of her troupe of Indian dancers -- the Darpana Dance Company-- perform a classical Kathakali piece, Krishna and the Milkmaid and a long extensive Song of Creation which was choreographed by Sarabhai Sarabhai, now no longer dancing, was once in the front rank of Indian dancers with troupes 1973 Mrinalni Sarabhai and seven members of her troupe of Indian dancers -- Darpana Dance Company-- perform a classical Kathakali piece, Krishna and the Milkmaid then a long extensive Song of Creation which was choreographed by Sarabhai Sarabhai, now no longer dancing, was once in the front rank of Indian dancers with troupes 03:25 TITLES: DANCE: The troupe performs a Kathakali South Indian dance about Lord Krishna Bowers's V/O interprets every gesture of the sign language The god dallies with his milkmaids 03:00 INTRO: Bowers on camera explains Kathakali as a theater of miracles Dance so that I may hear you, paraphrasing Socrates' Speak so that I may see you Sanskrit and gesture, symbols and actions are discussed India's future is like a deck of cards endlessly shuffling the past VISUALS: Stella Snead's photos from Rummer Godden's book Shiva's Pigeons are shown 03:00 INTERVIEW: Bowers and Sarabhai talk about the difficulty of Indian dance Mood or atmosphere, philosophy, not religion but a way of life… Americans are in danger when they copy Indian… the vogue for Asia is unsubstantiated by study… must grow up with Indian culture Sarabhai explains that she turned to choreography because of a need to express, not herself, but the eternal theme of the Vedas (the struggle of man, and contemporary problems of peace, understanding, friendship, and the struggle with oneself) 19:55 DANCE: Sarabhai's The Song of Creation is performed by Sarabhai and the troupe It co-stars Chatunni Panicker, considered India's leading contemporary male dancer Hymn, birth emerges like sea, Supreme Being is a man, Sarabhai stars as Divine Inspiration, bond of union with man through intellect, being and non-being, existence and non-existence Pulling chain of Karma dragging world into birth Circle of Maya or illusion Life force of woman gives man life Woman draws him from web of illusion Confusion of thought How arose the universe? Dances like gods in heaven or stars in the firmament The Gods are later than the world's creation Mrinalni Sarabhai and seven members of the Darpana Dance Company Faubion Bowers, expert on Indian dance and Asian arts