‘Vibrant, energetic and exotically colourful’

Saturday, 24 January 2015 03:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

From a demon dancer driven by pulsating drumbeats, to an homage to Ganesha, to a reflection on the Buddha, ‘Dancing for the Gods’ charts the evolution of the joyful ancient Kandyan dance tradition and transports it boldly into the present. This is how the Chitrasena Dance troupe’s elegant production was introduced to Sydney’s audiences at the Sydney Arts Festival currently on. Large crowds turned up and appreciated something rarely presented to them. Hardly any dance troupes from Sri Lanka visit Australia although there are regular visits by Sri Lankan musicians, often accompanied by their orchestras.

Of course, in major cities the Sri Lankan community is able to get their children trained in Kandyan dancing by qualified Sri Lankan dance teachers. They do a pretty good job judging from regular concerts organised by them to showcase the talent of youngsters. ‘Dancing for the Gods,’ brilliantly choreographed by Heshma, a third-generation member of the ‘Chitrasena clan’ won the plaudits of many. Another granddaughter, Thaji, as leading dancer won the hearts of many. The critics paid glowing tributes. Among the Sri Lankans who greatly appreciated the performance were students of Chitrasena and Vajira who were thrilled to see strides made

by the troupe now under the capable hands of Upekha with whom some of them had learnt dancing many years ago. “A vibrant, energetic and exotically colourful way to open this year’s Sydney Festival.” This was a comment by a reviewer. The Sydney Morning Herald reviewer wrote: “They and their four onstage drummers address the gods, pay homage to Ganesha and reflect on the Buddha in a blend of old dance and new. They move well with sinuous fluency and are notable for the elegance of their arms; male dancers as well as female. Their commitment to the traditions of their country and their craft shines through their performance and invests it with warmth and integrity.” “Propelled by singing and drumming, time-honoured classical movements unite with modern choreography and theatre craft in these 2500 year-old Sri Lankan rituals,” the Sydney Festival program note said. “With its origins in offerings to a pantheon of gods, deities and demons, ‘Dancing for the Gods’ is a gift – one of the world’s oldest continuous dance forms conveyed from across millennia to the contemporary Sydney stage”.

The attractive brochure carried exciting photographs of some of the items presented along with notes about them. This gave the audiences a glimpse of the rich tradition of Sri Lankan dance. Many are bound to preserve them as a souvenir of an unforgettable evening. The troupe moved over to Canberra after performing in Sydney and this is what Bill Stephens, Canberra Critics Circle had in a review: “‘Dancing for the Gods’ represents the distillation of 70 years of endeavour by the Chitrasena Dance Company to evolve, preserve and present Kandyan dance to be enjoyed not only by Sri Lankans but by world audiences. As such it is a fascinating and compelling demonstration of the success of their endeavour, and one would hope that Australia does not have to wait another 40 years for another opportunity to enjoy this fascinating and accomplished company.” As an admirer of Chitrasena and Vajira since the days of ‘Karadiya’ and ‘Nala Damayanthi’ many decades ago, it’s so comforting to find the new generation continuing the tradition with even more vigour and vitality. What a fine tribute to the pioneering duo! Continue the good work.