SRI LANKA

Folklore group SAWSIRI DANCE ACADEMY
Group leader Samantha Kumarasiri

Sausiri Dance Academy is an official representative educational institution recognized by the state of Sri Lanka, engaged in teaching and fostering of traditional dance culture. The academy consists of some permanent members and around 200 students. When the academy is invited to represent the state at some event each time a group of professional dancers is formed and trained specially by the founder of the academy, dance guru Samantha Kumarasiri. 

Already in his young days Samantha was very interested in the performing of traditional dance and used to encourage teachers and his students to seek career in the field of traditional dance.  Having finished some specialized master courses of dance and music, Samantha participated in various competitions and festivals, was awarded several local and national scholarships. Very soon he started to teach himself and has founded a training institution. Being granted the title of the Sausiri dance academy, the school officially started to act in 2001. Now it joins experienced and talented actors and performers of traditional music and dance. Any talented and diligent young person has a right to study there, and even children of families in need.

The Sausiri dance academy usually starts its performance with their traditional greeting “Ayubowan!“ (long-life wish in Sri Lanka), fascinating with drum beats, colorful decorations, costumes and certainly - the spectacular traditional ritual dances and dances meant to show the force and litheness of the human body. The dances show an everlasting fight between good and evil, imitate birds, animals, demonstrate rituals for purification of the soul, fire dances, rituals to pay homage to gods etc.