This newsreel footage titled 'Star dancers of India' promotes the 1957 Australian tour by pioneering Kathakali dancer Ananda Shivaram and dancer Ibetomi. Shivaram, who toured Australia four times between 1947 and 1974, collaborated with Australian-born dancer and architect Louise Lightfoot, the first Western woman to study Kathakali. Their 1947 tour introduced Australian audiences to Kathakali and other Indian classical dance styles at the National Theatre, Melbourne, and across Australian capital cities, as well as in New Zealand and Fiji. The 1957 tour continued this landmark intercultural exchange with visits to schools and colleges. The clip highlights the artistry, storytelling and movement of Indian dance by two talented performers. It is also a significant example of an early cross-cultural performance collaboration during the era of the White Australia Policy, when fewer performers of colour made their way to our shores.