Putting forward their best
An eagerly anticipated event comes along for dance lovers in Sri Lanka as celebrated dancer and dancing teacher Kanthi Ranchigoda and her students at the Dance Works centre prepare for another spectacular show. This year in particular is indeed noteworthy as Kanthi celebrates a momentous 40 years of dance with the concert titled “Simply the Best” at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on October 25, 26 and 27.
Kanthi with some of her students. Pix by M A Pushpa Kumara
Promising a diverse array of dance styles performed from jazz, hip-hop, ballet, tap to contemporary – “Simply the Best” will offer the best of everything but in a simple way say Kanthi while explaining the idea behind the show’s title.
“Going through the years, I don’t know how many students have passed through. Maybe about 100 girls and it finally came to 40 and I woke up.
It took a long time to get them (the girls) together. I wanted to give up and just do the concert next year because it was quite difficult as there were school curriculums, work, uni but I already went halfway through and I thought no giving up, ” confesses Kanthi.
She reminisced while speaking about her youngest performers and about her senior students who came to the studio at the same age. We took the opportunity to speak to a few senior dancers on their thoughts on the show and how they felt about being apart of the journey towards this milestone.
Kendra Gomez has been dancing since she was three when her mother realised that she would not stay still. Twenty something years later, Kendra talks to us about how the concert is going to have something for everyone to enjoy. “Aunty Kanthi made sure that we did not just stick to one style of dance but tried out everything from ballet, hiphop, jazz… We really got to branch out and become versatile dancers.”
Udesha Bopitiya
Udesha Bopitiya
Thilini Jayawardana
Udesha Bopitiya eagerly shares with us her excitement for the upcoming show, “We grew up together, basically the senior lot have been dancing together throughout the past 15-22 years. It has been so amazing and we are so happy for Aunty Kanthi because she has done such a great service towards the arts and dance industry in Sri Lanka,” elaborating that coming to practice was a stress-buster after work and other responsibilities.
Thilini Jayawardana who was also a young girl who came to dance off her abundance of energy commented saying, “I mean for every show we are excited and pumped up but I must say this show is going to be a whole other level. One thing I’ve learnt at Aunty Kanthi’s is that no one’s single performance is going to make a show great, it is everyone working together. I think as individuals what helps is our passion and I am extremely passionate about dancing. ”
All the proceeds of “Simply the Best” will be donated to The Society for Upliftment and Rehabilitation of Leprosy Affected Persons (SUROL) as done in previous years as well.
Tickets for the show are available at Dance Works Centre, No. 70A, Lauries Road, Colombo 04, priced at Rs.3500, Rs.2500, Rs.1500 and Rs.1000(balcony)
