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The beautiful Ran Akama as Nikia unaware of her fate in The Temple Dancer.

It is dancing time for Sri Lanka as many teachers and choreographers have tried their skills at modern, classical and even mime. It also means new trends in thinking by the culture loving people especially in the metropolis. There is absolute response. The dancing community; whether dancers or their makers, have got the green light.

The latest dance theatre to hit Colombo is The Temple Dancer, presented by the senior students of Deanna School of Dancing scheduled to go on boards on 13 and 14 September at Bishops College Auditorium.

This is an ambitious piece of work where the public will expect a very high standard due to the high profile production of La Bayadere, the ballet from which The Temple Dancer is adapted. This ballet is in the repertory of all the major dance companies around the world and was originally adopted from Kalidasa's Sakunthala and The Cart of Clay.

On point; Ayumi Ratnakumara and Nalakini Wickramasinghe with Nishan Pieris.

La Bayadere was originally produced in Russia under the name of Bayaderka as a ballet in 4 acts and choreographed by Khudekov and M. Petipa. Minkus provided the musical score and debuted at the Maryisky Theatre in St. Petersburg on 4th February 1877.

The passionate story of the Bayadere Nikia who is in love with Solor who reciprocates. However, Solor gets involved with a Princess called Gamazatti, the daughter of a powerful Raja. Enraged by Solor's love for Nikia, Gamazatti sends a basket of flowers to Nikia with a snake hidden in it. The sanke stings Nikia who succumbs to the poison. Saddened, Solor dreams of meeting Nikia in the Kingdom of Shades. At the wedding of Solor and Gamazatti, the temple collapses and both are buried alive. In many of the later productions, the last act was omitted. The full length production is still in the repertory of the Kirov Ballet. Petipa who opted to do the Kingdom of Shades and considered a masterpiece, is usually seen today. However, with the coming of Rudolf Nureyev, the full length of La Bayadere was reproduced for the Royal Ballet.

Nureyev also danced in it with Margot Fonteyn. This was in 1963, 27th November, one year after he defected from Russia. Later, Natalia Makaroa produced it for the American Ballet Theatre on July 4, 1974. La Bayadere was also staged at the Paris Opera Ballet and in Holland.

In unison; Nalakini Wickramasinghe, Shanaka Ranatunge, Karin Wijeratne, Devika Sethukavala and Ayumi Ratnakumari to back up The Temple Dancer, choreographed by Deanna Jayasuriya.

Since this production has an oriental flavour, it best suits our girls from Asia and I am sure under Deanna's choreography, the ballet version should rise to the occasion. She is a product from the Royal Academy of Dance and attend refresher courses for updating new techniques both in ballet as well as in modern, tap, jazz and Spanish dancing.

The Temple Dancer includes among others Ayumi Ratnakumar, Nalakini Wickramasinghe, Mauri Munasinghe, and Natali Jayasuriya. The lead dancers are; Ran Akima as Nikia, Anika Amalean as Gamazatti and Nishan Pieris as Solor.

A musical extravaganza titled "Salute to the Legends" will be held at the BMICH, Colombo on Saturday September 13 at 7 p.m. Vijaya Corea will be the compere.

Hotel Catering International Management Association (HCIM) said the show which has been conceptualised by DR Entertainments will feature music of musicians of all generations.

The musical memory of the legendary performers from the theatre of music, song and cinema will be brought alive in a colourful salutation that music lovers will forever remember.

There are some musicians whose melodies and lyrics remain to touch the heart strings of music lovers, generation after generation. Who can forget Sunil Shantha's unmistakable rendering of 'Olu Pipeela', 'Handa Pane', 'Suwanda Rosa Mal Nela', 'Mihikatha Nalawala', 'Kokilayange' and 'Lanka Lanka'? These musical gems will glisten afresh when Ivor Dennis pay tribute to Sunil Shantha with a six piece orchestra that will assist the renowned Rajiv and the Clan to make it a truly legendary performance.

Sunil Perera of the Gypsies, will step mike-side to pay tribute to the legendary singer, Wally Bastian, singing the evergreen bailas which are yet unmistakably at every party and cricket match such as 'Nurse Nona', 'Mathakai Amme', 'Vadakaha Sudiya', 'Yamang Bando', 'Irene Josephine' and 'Babi Achchi'.

When it comes to song, humour and an act on the silver screen, the names of Rukmani Devi and Eddie Jayamanne ring in our ears and fall glamorously before our mind's eye. Ronnie Leitch will pay tribute to the veteran film star and singer, Eddie Jayamanne with song hits such as 'Shirini Apey Lankawe', 'Payana Sandawatakara', 'Lapati Rupe Age', 'Thakkita Tharikita' and 'Kolumpure Sriya'. The memory of the queen of the silver screen and nightingale of song, Rukmani Devi will be rekindled when Corrine Almeida sings 'Gala Kandeni Muthuwela', 'Siri Buddhagaya Vihare', 'Nilambare Kalumperi', 'Mawilapenevi Rupe', and 'Mage Pemwatha Rasawatha'.

Tickets could be obtained from Torana outlets at Liberty Plaza, Majestic City and Video International, Nawala Road, Nawala.