The drametse ngacham is a dance form that originated in Bhutan five centuries ago. Today, the Institute of Language and Cultural Studies is documenting the dance. The following is a rare insight into the tantric Buddhist teachings of this meditation in dance.

"If you know the purpose of the dance and what the dancers are visualizing, it is a very powerful experience," said a teacher at the Institute of Language and Cultural Studies. "Even the hair on my arm stands up as the trumpets, music, and intensity of the dance increase."

The drametse ngacham, one of Bhutan's best-known masked dances, was conceived in a powerful moment of intensive ...