Dance of the Warrior

Dance of the Warrior journeys around the world to film over 20 dancers and dance troupes representing traditions from six continents, many with roots in antiquity-the Phyrric Dance from Greece, the Sword Dance from Croatia, the sacred dance of Shiva from India and from Africa, the classic Sofani from Guinea.

The stylized movements of martial arts are represented in the choreography of Kung-Fu and Karate, as well as Kobudo from Japan and Capoeira from Brazil. The precision of military drills is portrayed by soldiers from the Royal Canadian Regiment.

Sid' Ali, an Algerian-born, Paris-based artist, serves as our guide, painting the stories and experiences of the warrior dancers. This stunning film investigates the paradox inherent in all these rituals: that the "aggression" of these performances contributes to social and individual peace--a point well illustrated by a young hip-hop dancer from Paris who explains how this modern dance form has transformed his life.

Other key themes include art and politics, spiritual awakening and colonial relations with aboriginal cultures.

Some subtitles.