Peerless and ethereal

Ishara JAYAWARDANE

“Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”- Twelfth Night, Shakespeare

If Vajira Chitrasena was to appear in a dream she would be proud and shining. The Mother of Sri Lankan dance, Vajira Chitrasena is peerless and it is almost as if she was from another world – a celestial being. Her performance career spans over six decades. Six decades of the most amazing dance this country has ever seen. Perhaps she is the Sri Lanka female version of Mikhail Baryshnikov. Daily News took time off to tango with this Queen of Dance.

Vajira Chithrasena. Picture by Sarath Peiris

Q: What keeps you busy these days?

A: I’m carrying on my work in a different perspective. I’m not fully responsible for what is happening on stage or even conducting the activities of the school. The younger generation, two daughter and three granddaughters are carrying on the continuation of the Kalayathanaya. I am still involved in teaching and creative work to some extent. So that is how I keep my activities alive.

Q: People call you the ‘Grand Dame of Sri Lankan Dance’. When you look back at your career how do you respond to this? What do you think of this label?

A: Naturally I am the grand dame of dance here because I am really ancient! I have danced for over 63 years and played the leading roles, creating most of the syllabuses that are being taught in the school and kept it going for so long.

So all those who come under me, the generations of dancers in our family look up to me for inspiration.

Q: What is it about dance that makes you passionate? Why does dance inspire you?

A: I can’t say that I really chose dance as a career. I was made to dance when I was a little girl by my mother, I grew into the Dance. Subsequently I came under Chitrasena and that made a very big difference. He always specialized in stage craft and how to bring present dances on stage. With all those experiences I am now carrying on Chitrasena’s work. It was my mother who really instigated me to make me a dancer or make dance my career. Of course she may have judged my talent and so on. And my school teachers also endorsed that idea that I am best for the arts and culture. That is how I was brought into the scene. Then when I came under Chitrasena, he gave me the training and molded me to come up to this stage where I became a known dancer as well as how to portray characters, how to create a ballet- all those I got from Chitrasena by being with him while he created dance performances for the theater. The inspiration was from Chitrasena.

Q: Chitrasena was first your Guru and later your husband. What do you think was the most important lesson he taught you?

A: Discipline. How to be disciplined and act in a way that you don’t disappoint anyone. And also to keep the dance going – the regular practice which is very necessary for a dancer. All those important aspects of a dancer was given to me by Chitrasena. The discipline of a creative artist. Stage discipline is very important. How when things are happening on stage there should be no noise or any disturbances from the side wings. The discipline and practice keeps dance nurturing. Without discipline you can’t do anything, discipline should be part of growing up.

You can’t dance one day and rest tomorrow. Every day it was a case of continuing practice. All that was inculcated in us by our guru.

Q: They say behind every successful man, there is a woman? How true is this of your relationship with Chitrasena?

A: Later on as I grew up, and I became more responsible, I took most of his responsibilities or stage work and he also gave me enough encouragement to do my own ballets.

At the age of 19 I created my first children’s ballet. I have done 13 – 14 children’s ballets while taking part in the adult ballets. With my learning and performing I built up my career. Experience in dance and stage craft is ingredient for choreography. All that was handed down to me, and past students were given all these opportunities.

Chitrasena and Vajira

Q: You were a member of the massive cast that enacted the “Pageant of Lanka”, you took part in the production Ramayanaya , you did 17 ballets including Chandali and Kumudini, your last creation was “Bera Handa” out of these which do you cherish the most and why?

A: Pageant of Lanka, I was 15 years old then. I just moved with the group. In Ramayanaya I was the deer. It was a small episode but I was there in the thick of the performance. It was done by hundreds and hundreds of artists. Chitrasena was given two episodes to depict Ramayanaya and Landing of Vijaya. Those two episodes were given to Chitrasena by the authorities who conducted the Pageant of Lanka. As a child, moving around with a lot of people behind stage was a great experience – we had a huge place where each company had a little space behind to do our practices. The show went on with hundreds of other artists.

Q: You first exposure to an audience was in Pageant of Lanka. How challenging was that ? I believe that was your first production?

A: For a girl like me it was a great experience and I looked forward to being in it. It was my first experience on a very important show. It was a lot of discipline with so many artists practicing within an allotted time. We had to be together, broke rest days and nights and half the time I didn’t go to school.

Q: As a 19 year old you took part in the Ballet Chandali. How challenging was that ?

A: It was changed and choreographed many times. I myself did the choreography in 1996. It was one of my very important ballets. When I played the lead in 1952 it was really frightening for me to portray the main character. The story was around the Chandala woman. It was really challenging and I was a bit worried about my performance. It was very helpful with Chitrasena being around grooming me. My mother was there always and she sewed my costumes. And life became easier to carry on with the encouragement from others.

Q: As prima ballerina of the Chitrasena Company, you have danced in almost every country including most countries in Europe. The world was at your feet. Many great men and women have praised you. What was that like? What was that experience like?

A: To have that kind of attention is really humbling. I was worried. I did what was wanted of me on stage. It was not an easy task at all to be the main dancer. Stage fright is always present. It lived through till I gave up the stage. I think that feeling is good in a way, you do your best. Every night it is a chilling beginning. As the curtain opens you get the smell of perfume and realize everyone is watching you.

From that time onwards you are in a trance and you live your role transformed completely. That is what was expected and that is what I did. After the portrayal it takes a little time to get back to normality.

Q: Which performance in which country do you remember the most?

A: In the European countries like Russia they gave standing ovations and made the artists feel really great. They clap and clap and have ten curtain calls. And you know that they really appreciate you. They stay on the sides when the artists are leaving the theater, they all give flowers and they hug you. People really love the performance. It is a really beautiful feeling that people appreciate you so much.

Q: Can you tell me a little about your last production Bera Handa? That must have been a significant achievement?

A: It wasn’t a children’s ballet but a children’s story performed by adults. It is about how the drum was created. It is necessary to get the skin of the goat or the cow to make the drum. You have to kill the animal to get the skin. These happening were portrayed in the story. And in the story the character that killed the animal was taken to hell. So I showed hell as well.

Q: Currently you are teaching dance. Why are you interested in honing young minds?

A: It has been my work to instill artistic experiences and awareness of our culture to the younger generation. Create beautiful masterpieces for the public to uplift the artistic awareness of the people of our country. I have done this for almost 65 years.

Q: From your children and grand children who will carry on your legacy? How have you ensured the continuation of your legacy?

A: I have three granddaughters who are dedicated to continuing their grandfather’s dream. Heshma is our present choreographer and presenter of all our stage creations. Thaji is the principal dancer of the Chitrasena Dance Company and teacher. Umadanthi is administering the stage productions presented to the public.

Two daughters – Upeka – a great traditional dancer, guru of the Kalayathanaya for over two decades and the Managing Director of the Dance Company. Anjalika – a great character dancer, choreographer of Kumbi Kathawa, creator of movement and rhythm awareness for children between the ages of four years. My son Anudatta provides technical assistance and advice for performances.

The Chithrasena Dance company will be performing, “Ridmaranga- Vajira in Perspective’ on Feburary 9 at Kularatne Hall, Ananda College, organized by the Colombo Branch of the past pupils’ Association of Mahamaya Girls College Kandy. In addition to being Sri Lanka’s first Prima Ballerina, Vajira was a trailblazer in creating roles and opportunities for female dancers and developing drum compositions as dance acts.

For the first time, this performance brings together a number of Vajira’s finest creations to show case her impact on dance theatre in Sri Lanka.