Creative conflicts

Rivega dancers are all set to wow the audience with a dazzling fusionof traditional, contemporary and folk dance in Natmo-2015

By Husna Inayathulah

The razzle, the dazzle and the swanky… twins Rangika and Rangana Jeewantha who have added new nuances to the term fusion will add another layer when Natmo 2015 lights up the Lionel Wendt Theater, Colombo, at 7.00 p.m. on April 4th and 5th.

Presented by the brothers’ Rivega Dance Studio, Natmo 2015 is not simply a fusion of traditional, contemporary and folk dance, but a creative conflict that dissects and merges different styles and genres and traditions of dances to tell a beautiful story of love and yearning and inspiring sunrises.

The Jeewantha twins, products of Dharmodaya College, Mt Lavinia, Prince of Wales, Moratuwa and Royal College, Colombo, began their journey into inspired dancing when they set up Rivega Dance Studio while still at school. This was in 2001.

They have come a long way since then, winning many accolades and awards in the process. NAMTO 2015 is another milestone in that journey, which will bring into spectacular focus 14 types of dances.

These include Rivega, a combination act of Kandyan, low country and Sabaragamu traditional dance that depicts the beauty and power of the sunrise, Maha Devi, a Kandyan fusion dance that celebrates the dreams of Queen Mahamaya Devi before the birth of Prince Siddhartha and ‘Inspiration of Love’ which is a combination of Sri Lankan traditional dance fused with the Indian classical dance to give out the inspiring story of Shiv Parvathi.

Inspirational

Also spectacular is ‘White Swans’ a creative dance mimicking the movements and lines of a swan to the beat of the ‘Hansa Wannama’, Wewaldeniya is inspirational creative novel folk dance act based on the village Wewaldeniya that brings into focus the crane craft industry of Sri Lanka, Sandeshay, a collaboration of beat drummers and Noopura which brings out the masculine side of a graceful female to represent her strength and energy behind her spirit.

Also included in the dance ensemble are Riddi Bisav, Soul, Keli Lee, Spirit of Male, Rana Mayura, Drum Print and Flame, a fusion act inspired by the look and feel of the popular Spanish ‘Flamenco’ to the creative beats of Sachintha and beat drummers.

Rangika who has a Master of Performing Arts from the University of Performing Arts, Colombo, is an accomplished professional Kandyan dancer, professionally trained under Piyasara Shilpadhipathi, Y.Gunasena and Neranjala Narangoda. Versatile and accomplished he has also studied Ballet under Niloufer Peiris at Royal Nelung Art Centre and various Indian dance styles such as Kathak, Bharatha and Manipuri.

Gems of Rivega

“The classical ballet training which I got under Nilufer Peiris opened many doors for me,” says Rangika, explaining with a degree of pride that he was featured with Battery Dance Co. (USA) on their Asian tour in 2006.

He is received training in western dancing such as Contemporary, Jazz and Latin through the many workshops and projects organized by Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing (CSTD) 2005 and 2006 in Singapore.

He has also done many projects and workshops with Royal Nelung Art Centre as well.

At present the Rivega Dance Studio has many talented dancers. According to Rangika, they are the “Gems of Rivega”.

A recipient of the Singapore Summer School Award for National Dance Category 2005 from CSTD and Outstanding all island winner affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festival 2007, Rangika also participated in the 9th Asia Pacific Dance Competition under the National Dance Category in Singapore 2007.

The Rivega Dancers led by Rangika also took part in the Sri Lankan State Oriental Ballet Festival in 2009 and won 13 Awards, including Best Production.

Rangika has over 14 years of experience as a dance instructor in government schools, universities as well as private international schools where he is guiding, teaching, training, coaching and mentoring students with his own brand of traditional, cultural, fusion dance to enrich their awareness of dancing styles.

He has also carried out comprehensive research into Sri Lankan Folk dance and developed his own line of folk dances that won accolades from experts.

From the purest form of traditional dance to the most exceptional blend with modern and fusion dance Rangika always bring out something unique with each creation.

His past productions of Rivega are Natmo 2006, Natmo 2008, Natmo 2009, Natmo 2010 and Natmo 2012.