Sri Lanka’s oldest and most prestigious dance ensemble returns to Sydney in its first Australian visit since 1972. The Chitrasena Dance Company, Sri Lanka’s internationally acclaimed traditional dance ensemble, was established in 1943 and today brings an artform developed 2,500 years ago, its origins based on offerings to a pantheon of gods, deities and demons is brought to the stage in a fresh, vibrant way.
The Chitrasena Dance School was a major centre of new forms of arts and culture from the 1940s to the 70s and became a cultural haven for leading artists of that period who travelled from across the globe, including film stars, performers and dancers such as Martha Graham, Paul Tailor, Nurtan and Ravi Shankar.What is also interesting to note is the similarities to traditional Indian dance in the regal posture, fluid arms and feet, and the sounds and rhythms. The style is quite sculptural, and at times quite exuberant and energetic, at other times more flowing and meditative. The dancers have exquisite feline grace and soft, powerful pantherine jumps.
Particular mention must be made of the four drummers who in their eye-catching red costumes performed with high octane non stop energy. The drums were insistent and persistent, another fascinating element being the different sizes, styles and timbres used for the dances and the various accoutrements used to play them.
Now the third generation of the Chitrasena family brings its dynamic dance styles again to Sydney, with choreography by Heshna Wignaraja, the grand-daughter of the school’s founder. The performance is divided into three parts and five sections with a mellifluous introduction and explanation for each part in voice-over. The first part is the dramatic startling appearance of the demon god to bless the dancers and musicians and the audience.
The second section, at one point delicately lit with masses of candles like stars, was an Ode to Ganesh combining Kandyan dance, three types of different drum and original folk melodies to celebrate Ganesh, segueing to Pantheru Matha (Stories of the Pantheruwa).
The third part, Reflections, began with Moksha (Perfection In This Lifetime) a glorious solo by Thaji Dias meditating on dance as worship. Musically it draws from rhythms claimed to be from King Narasinghe’s court, temple sounds and a traditional Ode that describes the qualities of Buddha.
The final piece Kaankaari Aara (A Way of the Kandyan Ritual) that follows the development of Kandyan dance from dance as ritual and worship to the stage. It begins with the traditional male Ves dancer evoking the essence of the traditional setting with drums and chants supporting . Of particular importance here is the sacred headdress he wears.
This is followed by a delightful duet, showing how the path was opened for female dancers in a dance form originally exclusively for men. The show closes with an exuberant rhythmic joyous stamping by the whole cast that brought the show to a celebratory conclusion.
A vibrant, energetic and exotically colourful way to open this year’s Sydney Festival.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Dancing for the Gods
Seymour Centre
8-11 January
Chitrasena Dance Company
Choreography by Heshma Wignaraja
Sydney Festival 2015
www.sydneyfestival.org.au
8-26 January
