KaniKani ~ Ranga

Post date: Jul 4, 2017 8:44:12 AM

Building Bridges with Kanikani – Ranga

The Sri Lankan Dance Academy (SLDA) in Wellington is proud to present Kanikani-Ranga, representing the harmonious blend of Maori performing arts and Sri Lankan traditional dance. The performers will share how these two diverse traditions of dance have developed over the years, while retaining the spirit and the essence of its origin. It involves a powerful combination of dancing, drumming and singing.

Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is a land with beautiful rainforests, endless beaches, diverse wildlife, timeless ruins, flavourful cuisine and above all is home to welcoming and warm people. The secret of Sri Lanka’s attraction lies with its people who are known for their serene smiles and helpful nature. Our rich culture is enriched with Buddhism, over two thousand years of knowledge and other colonial traditions.

It is with pride we share our vibrant culture, knowledge and experiences with the wider community enriching New Zealand, our second home.

New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and is also one of the last lands to be settled by people. Polynesians were the early settlers who developed a distinctive Maori culture. With the signing of Treaty of Waitangi, the country became a British colony. Today, the majority of the population comprise of European descent. The New Zealand culture is mainly derived from Maori and early British settlers.

Our production Kanikani - Ranga is a creative composition of our two cultures creating a new journey of discovery while contributing towards the cultural diversity of New Zealand. This is a result of our ongoing efforts in collaborative teaching, training and performing.

The desire to provide a glimpse of our rich cultural heritage to the younger generation was the beginning of our director, Dayani Gonsalkorale’s journey in teaching dance. From a humble beginning in 1975 the journey continued creating an opportunity to our young generation to contribute towards the rich cultural diversity in New Zealand. Our academy has imparted the knowledge of this sacred art form to more than 500 students over the past 43 years. We are humbly proud of having the resources to provide the facility to our children in a country far away from its country of origin.

Kanikani – Ranga will come alive on the 15^th July 2017 at the Victoria University Memorial Theatre at 3pm and 6.30pm with a large group of 80 performers. Our performers comprise of internationally acclaimed artists from Sri Lanka – Susantha Rupathilaka, Prasantha Rupathilaka & Shamila Prashadini, Eugene Temara and his team of performers, Mohan Sudusinghe and his students from the Sri Lankan Dance Academy. The show is directed by Mohan Sudusinghe and choreographed by Eugene and Mohan with drum composition by Susantha and Prasantha Rupathilaka. The highlight of the event would be the novel recital of drum beats and melodies of the two nations using the newly created drum “Kala Bera”. Kala Bera is a large Sri Lankan drum created in New Zealand with the resources found in the country with the guidance of Prasantha.

The academy is grateful for the whole hearted dedication of “SLDA family” of parents and well wishes, the support from the community at large and the financial support given by various funding organisations. We invite you all to be part of this spectacular event. Tickets are priced from $20 - $50 and can be purchased by contacting Neluka 027 5226694 or Vinod 0272447924