Traditional Folk dances have been recorded for more than 2500 years BC. These with emotion laden dances were either portraying festivals of harvesting and or folks tales. Some of these were dedicated to the gods and while some were sacrifical ceremonies to pacify the evil spirits..Well known are the devil mask dances where the omnipotent bad is warded through these dance offerings known as dahata Sanniya or 18 Spirits. A combined mixture of traditional and modern dances have been the mainstay of Sarasavi Dance troupe.Songs added to the dances portray the emotional feelings of the dancers and each and every individual movement is choreographed by Hemantha Sagara, the troupe leader.
Hemantha Sagara started his career as a Dancer and musician at a young age of 3 years under his father , the famous Manthripathige Pannikiyalage and his Mother too was a famous baratha and Kathakali Dancer, This Family generations of Dancers, who were appointed by the Sri Lankan Kings during ancient times as official Artistes and he is into the eight generation. He later proceeded to the famous bellwood Academy of Performing arts in Kandy, where he completed his Degree in Performing arts and became a Member of the Sri Lankan state Dance and cultural troupe. There he met his spouse, who herself was a Dancer and later the both of them after their marriage started an academy in the Town of alankare, moragfena in the District of kurunegela. In addition, he became an instructor for the Cultural affairs Ministry and was given responsibiulity to manage the youth Cultural Centers. Later on he joined the Sri Lankan police Cultural troupe and became its leader. Here he visited many Countries like USA,Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Korea and the list goes on and on.as and performed at international Festivals. Ranjith Padmasiri the Vice Principal of Sarasavi Dance Academy is no starnger himself. He he is a professional traditional Drummer and Dancer more a musician and became a Teacher after completing his Teacher Training at the Teachers training College for Cultural artistes , the university of Colombo, Performing arts Department. He has taken part in various competitions where he had the life time opportunity in 2002 in Bangkok, Thailand to perform a medaille with the world famous Tablaist Zakir ali Khan of shkthi fame as well as with several other percussionists. He together with Sagara are Authorities in traditional Dancing in Sri Lanka and are registered government Instructors apart from their own Academy which is elevated to the status of a higher knowledge imparting Institution with 16 branches A life time ees Islandwide and with over 200 Students. From this, Sarasavxperience awaits you.i Dance academy bhas a trained talented professional Dance Pool of 50 Members at any given time and it is out of these 50 Artistes that the best and experiences as well as talented artistes are chosen for the respective festivals international nature.
