On March 31 I attended a presentation of the Ceylon School for Deaf
and Blind, Ratmalana entitled 'Rhythm and Song' at the Ladies' College
Hall. I am no reviewer, but felt that I should bring this exquisite
performance to the notice of the public.
The show opened as is traditional with a pooja dance performed by the
hearing impaired. Without hearing the music or drums the dancers kept
excellent rhythm with the drum and dance master giving them signs of any
change of the dance sequence. The same excellence of the dance form was
shown in a subsequent item - the Gajaga Vannama.
As the performers could not hear sounds, the audience was in raptures
moving their hands above their heads as instructed by the compere
Geethanjali Algama who too did an excellent job as a presenter. But
alas, the number in the audience were few and I hope the vigour of our
hand movements would have given sufficient encouragement to this hearing
impaired dance troupe.
A beautiful baritone voice by a sight impaired person gave a solo
rendition of Edelweiss from the sound of music sound track. Then a sight
impaired orchestra gave an instrumental medley of both local and Western
songs - excellently harmonised, including the lead xylophone (mind you
by a person who could not see!).
Then the sight impaired choir sang popular patriotic songs as also in
another vocal item entitled Rangiri Giri, again in perfect harmony. They
also did the tea pluckers dance, their movements and rhythm well
synchronized, and one wondered how they could have done it even at the
edge of the stage and the wonder grew as to how they could perform as
well as any unimpaired professional orchestra, choir or dance troupe.
An appreciative audience though small in number responded with loud
applause which the visually handicapped performers would have been able
to hear and get encouraged.
After the interval, was a 45 minute ballet - Bathe Upatha performed
by the hearing impaired, and the songs sung by the sight impaired. The
story depicted was the birth of rice from the time of ploughing through
the harvest and threshing upto the eating of rice.
This was an expert performance in perfect rhythm and well
synchronised and no one would be able to say that they are differently
abled.
My purpose of reporting this exquisite performance is to bring it to
the attention of the print and electronic media and some commercial and
advertising agencies to sponsor another performance of 'Rhythm and Song'
by the Ceylon School for the Hearing and Sight Impaired, Ratmalana and
for it to be well publicised, attended and televised so that the
performers will see or hear an appreciative audience and be so
encouraged in their journey as normal people in the world.
The performers, their backstage supporters, their patient trainers -
the Master Amaradasa Thalagahagoda and Ranie Fernando deserve all the
plaudits and applause for doing almost the impossible and showing that
differently abled are as abled as any other.
DR. NARME WICKREMESINGHE,
Wellawatta
----
Governments and Local Governments come and go, but urgent work within
their sphere remain unattended in certain areas. During election time
people are promised everything under the sun but even before the end of
the tenure of office, almost all the promises are soon forgotten.
I wish to spotlight a glaring case of neglect within the Dehiwala-Mount
Lavinia Municipal Council area. The pavement on the land side of Galle
Road, especially the stretch between Kawdana Road Junction and Mount
Lavinia Courts, is in a deplorable state.
I do not know who is directly responsible, whether the Municipality,
Highways Department or Road Development Authority. Whoever is
responsible, it is high time the authorities concerned note of this and
take prompt action.
R. S.,
Ratmalana |
