Film Duration: 2:08
Kalbelya (Gypsy) Dance from India
Raw footage of Kalbelya dance performed by the women of a Kalbelya community in Rajasthan, India. Kalbelya women compose songs and are known as the best dancers of the Thar desert. The traditional occupation of this nomadic caste was catching snakes, trading snake venom for healing and to train the snakes to dance to the sound of the “pungi” for which they are called “sapera” (snake sharmer). Today with the proihibition of hunting for snakes in India (Wildlife Protections Laws), this charismatic caste is mainly comprised by dancers, musicians and singers. Dancers are attired in traditional black swirling skirts and dance to the accompaniment of pungi - the wooden instrument of the snake charmers.