Ballet meets jazz for quintessential love story
View(s):- Nilan Maligaspe Creative Dance & Drama Academy brings to stage ‘The Loveena Story’
By Yomal Senerath-Yapa
It’s the historic story of Lovina Aponsuwa and Governor Sir Thomas Maitland; their secret romance in a sea-sprayed mansion, the resulting scandal because Lovina was a half-caste dancer, and the stunning end to it all…
The Nilan Maligaspe Creative Dance and Drama Academy brings to Colombo ‘The Loveena Story’, a modern ballet with classical dance and a dash of jazz, where romance, passion, jealousy and tragedy intertwine to mesmerizing music.
Dancer, photographer and choreographer Nilan Maligaspe, who has a passion for the past has previously brought out dance dramas revolving around the yakka princess Kuveni of Lanka and the legend of Sinhabahu, the son of the lion.
The current production comes after years because COVID-19 sabotaged his plans, and his usual annual offerings got delayed.
The tale of the beautiful mestizo dancer and Maitland who was a colourful character, a son of the Earl of Lauderdale, is fascinating and tragic- with a few versions surviving of how the romance ended.
Nilan Maligaspe
We meet the cast of The Loveena Story at the Sinhala Cultural Centre, Sudarshi. The ballerinas and dancers are hard at practice and there’s no mistaking the superb professionalism even if some are as young as 13.
The energy, the grace and agility are impressive as is Nilan’s own intense mentoring.
Pathum Weerasinghe
There is a whole cohort of ‘dummies’ here who act as props, as Nilan’s ballets generally have very minimal sets. The dummies also double as the people in the governor’s residence. Many a dance act is actually a depiction of what happens within the minds of Maitland and Lovina –the turbulences, the stirring of love all depicted dramatically, intense and dream-like. Especially beautiful are the sea scenes.
The colours are shorn down to red, white and black. Red aptly for Lovina and Maitland while black and white are for the retinue. Nilan confides he has a strange penchant for working with ‘white light and smoke only’.
The clandestine trysts between the two (in the corridors of what was to become the Mount Lavinia Hotel) are depicted beautifully with candelabra.
“I don’t just give society what they ask for,” says Nilan, “I strive to give something valuable – some food for thought.” Looking back on 40 years of dance this year, this seasoned dancer has much experience and a rich aesthetic sensibility to share.
Shasika Abeywickrama. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Talking to the cast ranging from ages 13-30, we get a glimpse of their dedication and discipline.
Pathum Weerasinghe (27), who plays Maitland is Nilan’s principal dancer. He has been with Nilan since 2017. Model and actor, he took the lead role in Nilan’s ballet Unwavering Mind in 2019.
Lovina is Abeywickrema Sashika Divyanjali (19) who says she joined the group aged ten. “A lot of confidence is needed (to be prima ballerina in this ballet) and your body has to endure because scenes happen in quick succession. I bear all that so I can do justice to the audience.”
Lakshitha Kumarage (26), who is part of the retinue and plays a total of eight background roles, says each role is different and movements vary so deft adaptations on stage are mandatory.
Manuja Senanayake (23), another backup dancer says this ballet is special because it has the surreal air of a fantasy. “To make it more beautiful we have to have just the right movements, and be sensitive to the mood of the music.”
Kaveesha Perera (16), also a backup dancer, a student of St. Joseph’s College Grandpass who aspires to be a lecturer in dancing said he is delighted to be in the retinue.
Nilan is grateful to his main sponsor Tiesh, and also his other sponsors for their generous support that makes this production possible.
The Loveena Story will go on the boards at the Lionel Wendt on Wednesday, June 18 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the Lionel Wendt or
contact 071 4740799 or 071 1150799.
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