Niloufer Pieris:

A life dedicated to classical ballet

Gwen Herat

BALLET: For a Sri Lankan ballerina to have studied, danced and worked under world-famous choreographers like Robert Helpmann and John Crancko is an achievement by itself.

To have been associated with the Royal Academy of Dancing and the Royal Ballet is yet another milestone in the illustrious career of Niloufer Pieris. This was just a part of her future that was going to be.

This was the art she pursued with a burning passion whose flames are still brightly lit with sparks. Lissome and talented, she has travelled on the correct path with wisdom and fortitude against many a barrier to what she is today.

I found it difficult to believe the road of vibrance that began with strenuous training, discipline and dedication, finally led her to the icon choreographers. John Crancko was a firm favourite of mine about whom I have written so much.

I envy Niloufer very much because if I had the exposure she had as a youngster, believe me, I would have danced with Rudolf Nureyev even for a moment which was my only life-long cherished dream that never came true.

But Niloufer had other dreams. As unselfish as she was, her dream was to come to Sri Lanka, teach and choreograph ballet for the benefit of our youngsters. She always opted to be in the background, shunning publicity.

I had to persuade Niloufer to tell me about the rise and pitfalls of ballet in her life and what I heard and read about her, was simply stunning. I wish I was in her (ballet) shoes rather than on pointe under Timmy Ingleton who always said that I was too tall for a Sri Lankan ballerina.

Niloufer started her illustrious and colourful career as a child in Bangalore India which held good for a beginner. Her mother who studied Indian dancing, encouraged her young daughter to learn ballet where her tender heart lay. So, the family set out to the West.

But everything was not rosy for young Niloufer as she moved from pillar to post seeking the greener pastures of classical ballet bound in an endless energy and passion. Finally, she marvelled some of her teachers with her pointe work and slender body.

Her legs had to be straightened up and ankles spruced before the final countdown. Then, she blossomed out into the spirit of girlhood romance of ballet.

With a dedicated mother trailing her, Niloufer commenced her stint at The Royal Ballet School but not without the harrowing experience of facing Director, Arnold Haskell whose lectures on History of Ballet the School marvelled her spirits along with opera and music by the famous musicologist, Anthony Hopkins. Later, as a member of Company of Dusseldorf along with Haskell, Niloufer did a marvellous production choreographed by Erich Walter.

Two and half years later, Niloufer’s technique improved and she made her first debut performance on the London stage at the Coliseum in a lavish production Aladdin choreographed by Robert Helpmann.

He was rather frightening to the young and inexperienced Niloufer with his panoramic multi-talents as director, dancer and choreographer. Niloufer had earlier seen him at the Old Vic with her mother in Richard III.

Niloufer’s mother worked hard so that her daughter could study at the Royal Ballet School and Legat School. This stretched to a period of ten years and after Aladdin experience, she left for Paris to study under Madame Nora Kiss, a Russian. She was extra careful with overseas students and this helped Niloufer to brush up her dancing.

The French are known for their brilliance and she needed to acquire virtuosity in turning steps and big jumps (Grande Allegro). Niloufer was aware that the French had a different approach and she wanted to work eventually in Germany. Niloufer needed to move up to this level.

All the time, it was challenges and more challenges but they were stimulating. For the first time, Niloufer was on her own in Paris but was supported and encouraged by fellow students. There was huge enthusiasm and hope for the future among all and Niloufer merged with the crowd.

Niloufer was born in Sri Lanka against the background of Second World War and the Indian Independence struggle. While her mother did classical Indian dance, Niloufer commenced her ballet lessons with a local teacher in Ooty.

In 1952, she had professional training at the Legat School (Russian) in England. In 1957 Niloufer had the distinction of being the first Asian to be enroled at the Royal Ballet School. The same year, she appeared in Aladdin in London at the Coliseum, choreographed by Robert Helpmann.

Niloufer had further training from 1960-62 in Paris with Russian teachers. Her professional engagements included in her repertoire were in Lubeck - Germany (1962-63) Wuppertal - Germany (1963-66) with Ballet Masters Eric Walter and Alan Carter and also with Guest Choreographer, John Crancko.

The years 1967-77 took her to Dusseldorf under Eric Walters. Niloufer was thrilled with this company as it was very impressive and exciting because the representative works performed were from the 20th century choreography of Massine, Kurt Joos and John Crancko.

The same era saw Niloufer at the Dance Festivals with the Stutgarte Ballet at The Royal Danish Ballet. The tours took her to the European Festivals in Holland, Florence, South America, Mexico, Scandinavia, Crenada and Spain. This ten-year spell enriched her love for ballet together with dancers from many parts of the world.

In 1977 Niloufer was awarded the Teaching Diploma in Dance from the Royal Academy of Dance in UK. The following year, teaching assignments took Niloufer to the John Crank School in Stutgart.

From 1980-91, Niloufer had a spectacular experience when as Ballet Mistress to the Bat Sheva Company and The Israel Ballet came under her charge. She also taught in various schools in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheva.

Yet another feather to her cap was when she was appointed Guest Teacher to The Singapore Dance Theatre in 1989 when Singapore was being projected as the Global City for the Arts. In 1991, Niloufer returned to Sri Lanka and set up the Nelung Dance Academy.

Her students displayed considerable ability, especially when Udeshi Gunawardena majored in the RAD sessions in Singapore. There is Rohan Dunham currently studying at the Royal Conservatorium in Hague-Holland.

Niloufer was also the Guest Teacher at the Training Programme with young teachers from Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore.

A strict disciplinarian, Niloufer Pieris maintains that a young ballerina should be well versed in her initial basics, be profoundly disciplined both in mind and body with a clear vision of how ballet is going to shape her future if she is serious about this art because nothing is possible without the right basics.

The Nelung Dance Academy is a privileged home for the right student who is prepared to work hard to achieve her goal and Niloufer will see to it she goes places like for instance Erangika who will accompany Niloufer to Singapore in the near future to represent Sri Lanka along with Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore in a highly competitive competition for youth dancers.

Erangika has been at the Singapore Ballet for two years and hopefully be the winner who will eventually get a berth with the Singapore Ballet in a rare feat. Erangika according to Niloufer is a physically fit dancer with great technique who has combined Kandyan and Ballet to be what he is.

Let us hope that Erangika will do Sri Lanka proud and Niloufer’s love’s labour won.

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