Fete your feet

Ruwini Jayawardana

Aleena at a glance

Shiromi and Aleena. Pictures by Saman Sri Wedage

* Director of Sunny Low Dance Studio - Singapore

* President of the Singapore Dance Teachers Association

* Vice President World Dance Council Asian Amateur League

* Vice President Asia Pacific Dance and Dance Sport Council

* Examiner World Dance Council, UK

* Esteemed examiner of the Federal Association of Teachers' of Dancing - Australia

* Oragniser of World Superstar Dance Show

* Trainer and organiser of Wheelchair Ballroom Championship

One of the foremost pioneers of modern dance, Martha Graham was once quoted saying that dancers are the messengers of the gods. The art faces you towards heaven, whichever direction you turn. It is like dreaming with your feet. It is a short-cut to bliss and can reveal all the mystery that music conceals.

This fascinating art will be brought to light in a grand scale by inspiring dancer and dance teacher Shiromi Perera. As a member of the World Dance Council and Asian Amateur League she plans to organize an international dance competition in Sri Lanka to draw dance enthusiasts around the globe.

She had invited dance expert Aleena Tan to join her in organising the task. Tan is the official examiner of Rhythm World and together they are hoping to lure globally renowned dancers to visit the isle.

Both are pros on Latin American and Ballroom dancing. The waltz, tango and slow foxtrot are the key dance forms which make up ballroom dancing while Cha-cha-cha, Rumba, Samba, Paso Doble and the Jive make up the Latin American dance styles.

"You hold your partner closely in the ballroom dances while you are given more freedom to move about in the Latin dance forms. The costumes are poles apart. You get ball gowns and coats and tails for ballroom dancing while you get flamboyant costumes for Latin American dancing," Tan explained the differences between the two dance styles.

"The field is thriving and these dance forms are becoming exceedingly popular in Asia. There are different stages of dance. As you progress you have to pass the medal test where you learn the syllabus stage by stage. The highest stage is when you achieve the qualifications to become a teacher," the dance expert said adding that the body rhythms are more expressive in modern dance forms.

Tan had become interested in dancing from secondary school when she had to take part in a youth festival. After the dance item was over, the ballet teacher had handed her a scholarship to take part in her classes and train as a professional dancer. Later after making to the spotlight on television and stage she decided to try her hand at fast moving dance styles. She even designs her own costumes.

She says that dancing is for everyone. All you require is two feet. Some are slow learners while others pick up moves quickly but being a slow learner does not necessarily mean that you cannot excel in the field.

"The magic word connected to dance is practice. That is where you can prove your mettle," Tan stressed.

Shiromi with her award winning students Rustum and Roshanthi

Perera had been in the field as a dancer and trainer for almost two decades and had obtained the teachers qualifications 'Associate' and 'Licentiate' from the British Dance Academy, 'The National Association for Teachers of Dancing' and the oldest dance body in the world, 'The International Dance Teachers' Association', UK. She had trained under the 'Olympic Dancesport Federation', Singapore, in international standard dance techniques. Both her husband and her daughter are dancers. Two of her students Rustum Yusuf and Roshanthi Nanayakkara clinched a place in four dances in the 22nd International Ballroom Dancing Championship held at Suntec City, Singapore.

She says that though her students were embarrassed to hold each other close while engaging in dancing this attitude changed over the years.

"They have developped a mutual respect and understanding towards each other. We motivate our students to become creative and emerge with their own dance styles. It had been a bonding factor for families and friends," Perera added.

"Sponsorship is very important when organising an event of international scale. Word will spread on the beauty of the country and more visitors will be tempted to visit. The presence of internationally renowned dancers will boost the local dance industry because you would be able to see the real thing live on stage. Dance is all about melody and interaction," Tan concluded with passion.