Who is the famous dancer in Sri Lanka?
Deshamanya Vajira Chitrasena (born 15 March 1932) is a veteran Sri Lankan traditional dancer, choreographer and teacher. Vajira is regarded as Sri Lanka’s first prima ballerina. She is the first Sri Lankan woman to practice the traditional Kandyan dance which was traditionally performed only by men.
How many Wannam are there?
Originally a vannam (or wannam) was a kind of recitation. Most vannam describe the behaviour of animals such as elephants, monkeys, rabbits, peacocks, cocks, serpents etc. Later dancers have used the vannam as a background song for their performance. There are 18 vannam in the Kandyan dance form.
What are the 3 traditional types of dances in Sri Lanka?
There are three main styles of Sri Lankan classical dance:
- The Kandyan dances of the Hill Country, known as Uda Rata Natum;
- The low country dances of the southern plains, known as Pahatha Rata Natum;
- Sabaragamuwa dances, or Sabaragamuwa Natum.
What is Sri Lankan dance called?
The kandyan dance is highly sophisticated and refined. It flourished under the Kandyan kings from the 16th through the 19th centuries, and today it is considered the national dance of Sri Lanka. It has four distinct varieties: The pantheru, naiyadi, udekki, and ves…
Who created Kandyan dance?
Kandyan dancing is popularly known as Udarata Natum derived its name from the traditional dance forms peculiar to the central region of Sri Lanka. The origin of Kandyan dancing can be traced back to the time of the Nayakkar rulers who ascended the throne of the Kandyan Kingdom 300 years ago.
What is Sabaragamuwa dance?
The Sabaragamuwa dance style is performed to worship the God of Saman. Typically, this dance is exclusively performed in Ratnapura. The local people love and admire the God Saman in a fascinating way. What’s more, this dance style is a combination of both Kandyan Dance and Low country Dance.
What is Pahatharata dance?
Dances in low country are highly ritualistic. This form of dance is performed to appease evil spirits which cause sickness and is thus called ‘Devil Dance’. The dancers wear masks depicting many characters varied in forms of bird, demons, reptiles, etc.
What do Kandyan dancers wear?
The costumes of Kandyan dancers are striking; male dancers wear a skirt-like garment with their bare chests decorated with exquisitely silver regalia and spectacular headgear; silver bangles are also worn on the arms and ankles. The performance is companied with hectic rhythms of drums called “Geta Beraya”.
What is the main ritual of the Sabaragamuwa dancing style?
The main Puja was identified as “Pahan Maduwa” and it is the main and the most important way of dancing which belongs to Sabaragamuwa. The people who perform this ”Pahan maduwa” mostly expect this Protection from the evil spirits and to get the fertility from their agricultural crops.
What is Pahatharata Natum?
What is so special about the low country dance tradition compared to other dance traditions?