Arts
The power of body language
Umeshi Rajendra (above): Different movements, different emotions). Pix by Sanjaya Mendis
A show that promises to immerse you in a world of sensorial movement, Pluralism presented by the Mesh Dance Academy (MAD) and the Mesh Dance Theatre hits the stage on April 5 and 6.
“Through the dancer’s powerful exposure and at times emotional and mental connection with the audience, the performance is bound to make the audience co-creators,” reveals founder and Chief Artistic Director of Mesh Academy of Dance (MAD) Umeshi Rajeendra.
Umeshi will be performing with her students who make up the Dance Academy- – Onara de Silva, Niren Ranasinghe, Dilkushi Wickremasinghe, Pathum Dharmarathna, Bhagya Virajani, Daham Anurada, Shashika Madhushan, Zahabiya Adamaly, Indika Lakmal and Kanchana Shani. Two guest artists Kathleen Weitz and Hope Rajasinghe will also be performing at the show.
Guest performer Kathleen Weitz, a dancer and choreographer from the US who is working on a piece that addresses gender stereotypes pointed out that “each dancer has contributed their own movement and stylistic nuances to the work and they are always learning from each other.” She believes that the Dance Academy is beginning to lay an excellent foundation for a thriving contemporary dance scene in Sri Lanka.
Natasha Senanayake who has composed original music for the show found that creating new music for dance was an intense journey, in which they had to experiment with different sounds until they found what worked best. “We then have discussions about what kind of sounds, feel and style would work with the movement.” There will also be music featuring other artists as well.
Pathum Dharmarathna aptly puts into words what he hopes audiences will take away through ‘Pluralism’. “We want to be able to make our audience stop for a moment and think… ‘we don’t have all the answers and we are still on the search for humanity and what this all means as well’.” By using their bodies they want to speak about diversity, humanity, plurality and in all honesty.
Guest performer: Kathleen Weitz
Onara de Silva has been dancing since she was just eight years old. Having started training with Umeshi at 15, she is very grateful to her for helping her grow as a dancer and a person. “As always Umeshi’s choreography is powerful and thought provoking and I’ve enjoyed being able to embody these ideas through movement. I love working with the other dancers and the various different dynamics they bring to the group,” she says.
Joining the Mesh Academy back in 2017, Shashika Madhushan who had only learnt traditional dance styles was able to incorporate and learn contemporary dance as well. Shashika sincerely believes that the production will be sucessful as they “are talking and performing about social problems in the show.”
“The production is going to be an explosion,” shares Bhagya Laksha Virajani. Thoroughly enjoying working with the other dancers and being taught by Umeshi, she believes the audiences will appreciate and value the concept of the dances put together.
Pluralism appeals to Zahabiya Adamaly because “it challenges social norms, questions society’s and cultural perceptions of a being and is – as always with Umeshi’s choreography – open to interpretation.” Each dancer brings a different dynamic to the group Zahabiya shares further and it has always taken her breath away watching Umeshi’s ideas, themes, creativity and vision carried out through the troupe’s movements.
Dilkushi Wickremasinghe sees working with her fellow dance members as the best part of the show. “The team has been great to work with. Always ready to help out and extremely hard working.
It’s an absolute pleasure to be part of this team. Umeshi has always been a great teacher and an awesome individual. Her passion towards promoting performing arts in Sri Lanka is quite commendable.”
Daham Anuradha Dissanayake believes that Pluralism will be ‘“the next step in Sri Lanka’s dance platform”. Having only known traditional dance at a young age, contemporary dance always intrigued Daham and he is very grateful for having found the Academy where he feels a sense of belonging.
“It is important to acknowledge the power of abstract art with regards to communicating concepts, ideas and experiences,” comments Niren Ranasinghe as he shares his thoughts on Pluralism.
He hopes that the piece impacts and confronts people’s belief systems and their own personal ontology as it “reflects the constant struggle throughout history and around the world to challenge archaic anthropological structures that continue to oppress, marginalize and exploit.”
Pluralism will be held on April 5 and 6 at the Park Street Stables, 50/1, Park Street, Colombo 2 at 7.30p.m. with an additional 3 p.m. show on April 6. Tickets priced at Rs. 1000, 2000 and 3000 are available for purchase on www.taktikbook.lk