Is it the breathtaking rigor of the dance, the unique cultural setting, or the expressive features of its young lead that make this film so memorable? Merab, a lithe young dancer training to fill a coveted opening in the Georgian Ballet, is at first threatened by, and then attracted to, a dancer newly arrived from another town. Controversial because of broken Georgian Ballet taboos, this film embodies the oppression in that Orthodox Christian Country, treating the audience to a rare look at the rich dance heritage of this region of the former Soviet Union.