Dance to remember

Kapila Palihawadana with his troupe of dancers from nAtanda presented Issuki in April this year, which was a different experience in dancing. All who saw it will be thrilled to hear that they will be taking the stage again in June. To those of you who didn't, you don't want to miss this.

The dances for the show have been reprised from one of their performances last year, but with a new touch. The show is organised by the Overseas School of Colombo in collaboration with nAtanda to raise funds for charity. The performance, which is focussed on displaying the variety of different dance styles and forms which Kapila's troupe excels in, is appropriately called AKA which means 'dance' in Burmese.

The programme is an hour's worth of energetic and vibrant dancing, showcasing the various talents of the dancers, predominantly jazz, classical ballet and contemporary styles with Indian influence. First in line will be 'Colour' which will feature an all-male dance troupe showing off a combination of traditional dancing techniques.

The ladies will follow with 'Gejji,' a dance that symbolises the power and beauty of the feminine. Kapila's solo 'Depression of a Monk' portrays the battle within a Buddhist monk who must abstain from his human urges in order to maintain inner peace while, 'Secrets of Nature' will be a special dance derived from the 18 vannams, portraying the various behavioural patterns of animals in the wild.

The programme also features the dance version of the Anda Bhoota Jataka story which follows an old man who marries a young girl and finds himself later, in love, but deserted. This piece is depicted using mainly classical ballet movements but with influences from the Indian traditions in term of hand gestures and such.

'Bolo' is a personal favourite of Kapila's as the dancing and costumes have been created based on an Egyptian theme. The accompanying music is an interesting mixture of Indian and fusion with some influence from the European tradition. The last dance is, according to Kapila, the most concentrated one. It will be a short piece lasting only two-and-a-half minutes but composed of very quick, forceful movements based on contemporary dance styles.

This piece depicts the sudden anger and frustration which accompanies sadness, and other emotions. Students from the Overseas School of Colombo will also take part in the programme, in a children's dance featuring Kapila's students aged between five and ten. Kapila has found the experience of working with them very rewarding, as they are not afraid to ask questions and make suggestions, turning the learning process into an interactive one.

AKA will go on the boards at the Overseas School of Colombo in Pelawatte on June 6 at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at the OCS, Pelawatte. Future performances by nAtanda include a replay of Issuki by popular demand, as well as a tour of Bangkok later this year.