The Fifth ‘Footwork International Dancesport Championships 2011’ will come alive at the Hilton Colombo on 11th of September.
Competitors from Sri Lanka and the Asian Region are gearing up for this exciting annual dance competition. Entries are coming in fast and at the dance schools in Sri Lanka; training is going on at a challenging pace. The excitement is running high and there will be a record number of Sri Lankan participants at this year’s Championship.
The Championship will be made up of twenty four events; the Standard (Ballroom) section and the Latin American section will comprise of twelve events each. In each section, the events will be – Beginners, Junior under 12, Junior under16, Seniors over 40, Seniors over 55, Novices, Pre-Amateur, Amateur and Professional. In each event, the competitors are required to dance a prerequisite number of dances. For example, the Latin American Beginners event will consist of two dances, Cha Cha and Jive and the Latin American Amateur event will feature five dances –Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble and Jive. This is the first time that Professional events will take place in a Footwork championship.
The Championship will be conducted in two segments. The afternoon session from 2.00pm till 4.00pm will comprise of the heats for each event. If there are more than twelve couples for an event, the competitors will be organized into heats. Through elimination rounds, the number of couples in an event is reduced to a final round, usually comprising six couples. In prior rounds, and up to the semi final, the judges compare the performance of the couples in each dance and select those couples that they consider should pass into the next round because of their superior performance.
The main show, which starts at 6.00PM, will feature the finalists of each event. The Championship will start off with the contestant’s parade where each team from the participating countries will be introduced to the audience. The first half of the show will be the Standard section followed by the presentation of awards to the winners.
Amaranath unravels magic of guitar with ‘Guitar Unknown’
‘Guitar Unknown’ the second collection of musical pieces played on the guitar by well-known classical and flamenco guitarist and lecturer, Amaranath Ranatunga is indeed a rare treat to hear. The compact disc (CD) with 19 melodies, a mix of western, eastern and Spanish melodies.
With seven his own compositions in the collection, Amaranath has proved his unique ability as a composer in addition to being a player. The rest ranges from world renowned western classical masterpieces, music of renowned classical guitarists like Matteo Carcassi’s (1792-1853) ‘Allegretto’ and ‘Study No 7’ and Francisco Tarrega’s (1852-1909) ‘Recuerdos de la Alhambra’ and wellknonwn popular western music and an oriental melodies of ‘Jana Kavi’ and children’s songs.
‘Guitar Unknown’ is the second CD with classical guitar music released, following his first CD which was released together with his book ‘Classical and Flamenco Guitar’. His newest CD is now available at Torana CD outlets and Sarasavi bookshops island wide.
Amaranath who gathered knowledge on classical and flamenco guitar for nearly four decades from various sources and self study now shares it as a lecturer at the University of Visual and Performing Arts, Colombo. Preparing a syllabus for a four-year bachelor’s degree for the first time in a South Asian university, Amaranath is the first Lankan to lecture on classical and flamenco guitar. In addition he also conducts classical guitar classes for London Examinations and classical guitar lovers can watch and listen to Amaranath’s performance on www.guitarnath.com.
Tharanga touches Horizon
By Sanath Weerasuriya
‘Tharanga Sampath, the latest singing sensation to hit the music scene, is this week’s feature on TV Times’ ‘Star of The Week’. TV Times together with M Entertainment and Vibrations bring weekly ‘Star of The Week’ competition featuring a singing sensation.
Each week we introduce a singing star, a popular figure in the Lankan music scene or a latest music album of a popular star to our readers. TV Times readers can now win two brand new albums of the particular star, featured on the TV Times, with the compliments of the Vibrations, your favourite music store. All you have to do is to read the story of the ‘Star of The Week’ and answer the simple question on the coupon and post it to ‘Star of The Week’, Sunday TV Times (Coupon No 9), No 8, Hunupitiya Cross Road, Colombo 2 on or before 30 August. ‘Vibrations’, the popular music store in the city, is the main sponsor of this competition along with the M Entertainments. All answers should be on the coupon No. 9 appearing on today’s TV Times and no photo copies are accepted.
The two lucky winners of the Coupon No. 9 will win two ‘Eatha Sithijaye’ CDs of Tharanga Sampath
The names of the lucky winners of the Coupon No. 8 will be announced in the TV Times of 4 September.
Tharanga Sampath, is a budding young artiste from Anuradhapura who’s determination and hard work have all led to the launch of his debut album titled ‘ Eatha Sithijaye’.
Over the past few years Tharanga has worked extremely hard to get to where he is today. Having been a part of Sirasa Superstar season one and two and also being placed in the top 16 on Derana Superstar Season 2, it shows that he has a lot of experience with tough crowds under his belt.
Having completed his degree at the University of Visual and Performing Arts, Tharanga Sampath was determined to carry his sound to the masses of our sunny island and capture their attention with his great voice.
His debut album which took him a year to complete consists of 12 Sinhalese hits including the popular track ‘Eatha Sithijaye’ of which the music video has already been launched. In addition to being a part of Sri Lanka’s biggest music competitions Tharanga Sampath also won the singing competition Thurunu Shakthi in 2005.
Tharanga Sampaths debut album ‘Eatha Sithijaye’ is now available through M Entertainment at all Vibration outlets.
Book on Sumitra’s life and cinematography
A book on the country’s leading female filmmaker Mrs. Sumitra Peries written by cinema lover and academic Mrs Vilasnee Tampoe-Hautin was launched recently.
Tittled “Sumitra Peries: Sri Lankan Filmmaker, Poetess of Sinhala Cinema”, the book revisits the accomplishments of Sumitra Gunawardena-Peries, Sri Lanka’s first professionally qualified film editor and woman director of national and international renown, who has also served as Ambassador of Sri Lanka to France (1995-1998).
Commencing with the formative phase of Sinhala cinema (1947), the book articulates Mrs. Peries work in relation to the socio-economic, political and cultural movements that marked the 1950s and the 1970s, and which moreover oriented Sri Lanka’s nascent film industry. It presents an invaluable opportunity for students, specialists and general readers to discover an important chapter in the history of Sinhala cinema, considering that for more than fifty years Sumitra Peries has, on the strength of cinematographic training she underwent in the best film academies of France and Great Britain, contributed immensly to the development of cinema both in Sri Lanka and overseas.
Having triumphed at the festivals of Carthage, Cannes, London, Acapulco, New Delhi and Fukuoka, Sumitra Peries’ award-winning films, beginning with ‘Gehenu Lamai’ (1978), today rank among the immortals of the Sinhala screen.
The author of the book, Mrs Vilasnee Tampoe-Hautin herself hails from a family of filmmakers in Sri Lanka. Her interest in cinema is inherited from her father Robin Tampoe, and her grandfather, W.M.S. Tampoe who were pioneers of Sinhala cinema during its formative period. Mrs Vilasnee Tampoe-Hautin is a Maître de Conférences at the University of La Réunion, the French university in the Indian Ocean, where she obtained her PhD on Sri Lankan cinema. She earlier authored ‘Last of the Big Ones’, a biography of her father, published in 2008, and has written a number of articles on Sinhala cinema, published in France and in the US.
The book was published with the support of the French island of La Réunion, the University and the Research Centre for Literature and History of the Indian Ocean in La Réunion. ‘Sumitra Peries: Sri Lankan Filmmaker, Poetess of Sinhala Cinema’ is available at Barefoot, Odel, Lake House, Sarasaviya and Vijtha Yapa.
V-Awards to tribute volunteers
A unique effort to recognize the silent service rendered by volunteers around the country, ‘News First’ the leading television news provider of Capital Maharaja has joined the V Award, a project organized by the National Steering Committee to celebrate 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteer- IYV+10.
To honour individuals who make extraordinary contributions to society, the programme aims to identify the role models and champions those who could inspire society to volunteer for social causes.
The four main awards; Volunteer of the Year- Gold, Volunteer of the Year- Silver, Volunteer of the Year- Bronze and a Youth Award will be given away to those nominated by non-related third parties. All nominees must be citizens of Sri Lanka and must be above the age of 15. The Youth Award age limit will be from ages 15 to 25. The nominations have to be carried out through an application process where a non-related third party should nominate an outstanding volunteer and his or her project initiative. The nominated volunteer should be an individual who is engaged in the cause out of his/her free will and did not work for any monetary gains by any means and who is working towards making a positive difference in his/her local community or Sri Lanka at large.
“There is a long history for volunteerism and self-sacrifice in society but unfortunately these noble efforts have not been recognized,” said the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Douglas Keh. He noted that the real superstars of this world should have been those who make self sacrifices for others and in that sense this programme is important to build a perfect society.
Prof. Siri Hettige, Co-chair IYV+10 National Steering Committee speaking on the V Award said to build a sense of community it was important to recognize the contribution of the volunteers. ‘We have not been able to coordinate, network or promote the efforts of the volunteers,” he added.
An initiative to recognize and reward the most outstanding volunteer contributions at a national level, the applications received for the V Awards would be passed through two filtering panels, an evaluation panel and then a judging panel, before the semi finals where individual case studies will be aired for a month from December to January on News 1st.
“Volunteerism is in our blood, in our culture and in our tradition. There are a lot of people who help others without expecting anything in return in todays society,” speaking about the V Awards, Electronic Media Hub of Capital Maharaja Organisation (Pvt) Ltd. Group Director Mano Wikramanayake said. “This initiative to recognize outstanding Sri Lankan Volunteers not only highlights the exceptional contribution these individuals make to society, but will inspire many others to follow their shining example” he added.
Harry Potter final showdown
In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war, ‘Harry Potter 7’ or ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2’ is now being screened at the Majestic cinema, Colombo.
Directed by David Yates, the movie portrays Harry, Ron and Hermione who team up to search for Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord.
Ranked as the best in the series, this re-enacting of the final battle between Harry Potter and the Dark Lord with excellent acting on the part of Daniel Radcliffe and Ralph Fiennes and great graphics — the 3D experience adding to its powerful impact on the audiences. With the successful screening all around the world, the cinema adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s novel is once again ready to hit the box office.
zThe final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest of finding and destroying the Dark Lord’s three remaining Horcruxes and the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again. |
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