Young and highly talented
by Mahes Perera
The audience was treated to a
pleasant and enjoyable surprise when our own dancers Kolitha Thenuwara
and Chamila Takshila stepped on the catwalk to recreate the fascinating
folklore of Pakistan at the recent staging of Mystic of the Saree
presented by Shaiynne Malik a leading name in Pakistan.
 The show held at the Kings Court, Cinnamon Lakeside was excellently
choreographed with a well researched commentary tracing the beginnings
of the saree to present day combined with dance items drawn from
traditional folklore of Pakistan. The two Sri Lankan dancers chosen have
to be applauded for their admirable performance in the Pakistani style.
Their fluid movements to suit the music of Pakistan was a joy to watch.
Both of them belong to the Siri Nama Art Institute, Mount Lavinia run by
the guru in dance V.G. Srinama Thalgahagoda.
Speaking with Kolitha Thenuwara he said that he and Chamila had two
days of rehearsals with Shaiynne Malik and in those two days they had to
quickly adapt themselves to a new style of dance form. “It was not a
difficult task although there is a difference - the dance steps and hand
movements were different from Sri Lankan dance, but we enjoyed
performing the new dance forms”, voiced Kolitha when he was relaxing
after the performance. A student of Carey College he started dancing
when he was twelve years, learnt Oriental and Kandyan dancing from his
teacher Nuwan Ranjith Piyanga.
After school Kolitha joined Siri Nama Institute and acquired
proficiency in dance for a career. Now he works at an advertising agency
called Sarva Integrated Agency and is a part time dancer. “Recently I
went to India for some shows and also to Switzerland and Hungary with
students of Musaeus College and St. Peter’s College who performed Sri
Lankan dance shows. In the near future I will be going to Kuwait for a
performance which I’m looking forward to”, reveals Kolitha.
The sylphlike Chamila Takshila is a dancer who should be seen more
often on our stages. Shy in outlook her movements on stage are extremely
attractive and appealing. She studied dancing from the tender age of
five at Rajini Selvanayagam’s school.
A student of Buddhist Girls College. She learnt Kandyan dancing from
Kulasiri Budawatta, but she prides on the fact that she learnt the
Western, free-style, hip-hop and Bollywood by watching videos.
Commenting on the Pakistani dance acts which they performed at the show
she said “there is a difference in style, but we were able to catch on
because of our experience and I enjoyed the Pakistani dancing, it was
the first time for me”. Chamila is scheduled to perform at Kushani
Sandareka’s show and after that she will be off to the Maldives for a
performance. When she comes back we hope she will give Sri Lankan
audiences the enjoyment of watching her dance acts, because
entertainment in Sri Lanka needs the infusion of new talent to showcase
the much required variety. |
