The Celestial Dance of Bhutan

In the far reaches of Bhutan, a tiny Buddhist kingdom nestled between Tibet and India, monks gather in the mountains to prepare for several days of dancing and meditation. Each year, monks dressed in celestial robes and wearing wooden masks perform a sacred dance that both purifies and cleanse away negative emotions such as fear, greed or anger.

Thugten, aged 23, comes from a long line of dancers. He is a dance master at the Drametse monastery. Thanks to the help of his master, Meme Badge, he will train his young students for the Drametse festival and will teach them the choreography, transmitted from generation to generation.