Khema dances for Sahanaya
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RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT: Khema trains her
students.
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DANCE: Mental health in our society has always been marginalized and
many of those affected with mental illnesses such as depression,
schizophrenia, anxiety and stress disorders suffer lone resulting in a
heavy toll on the individual, family and society. Mental illness, like
any other illnesses, could be effectively treated thereby enabling those
affected to return to society.
The National Council for Mental Health - Sahanaya, is a mental health
resource centre for rehabilitation, education and training in mental
health in the community. It was established in 1982 as a non-profit
non-governmental organization and is an approved charity.
Khema commenced her dance career at a early age under Chitrasena and
Vajira, first as a student and then as a member of their dance company.
She progressed to a career of her own under the guidance of renowned
Sri Lankan dancers of the Kandyan and low country traditions, such as
the late Gurus Ransiri Thelkumudu, Imbuldeniya and K.S. Fernando and
Gurus Welabadage and Herath Banda.
She is a renowned performer who has show cased the dances of Sri
Lanka not only to local audiences, but also to audiences in many other
countries including India, Britain, Australia, Spain and France.
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FROZEN EMOTIONS: A close-up picture of Khema. |
She performed at the famous Theatre Du Soleie in France where she was
also invited to conduct master classes in the Sri Lankan forms of dance
for members of the theatre group over a period of two months.
Although her forte is the traditional dance forms of Sri Lanka, Khema
has also been exposed to Western dance forms and has experimented
successfully in combining these two forms of dance to produce a more
contemporary style of her own.
The current performance is a showcasing of the traditional forms of
dance and Khema performs both Kandyan and low country dances.
The programme also includes performances by other well-known artists
such as Vidyaratna Fernando, Herbert Dayaseela, Gunartana Banda, Herath
Banda and chantress, Shirani Jayanthimala.
Tickets will be available at the Lionel Wendt and at Sahanaya, 96/20
Kitulwatte Road, Borella. Telephone: 0112685960.
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