International Dance and Music Festival: Young dancers and musicians bring accolades to country | Sunday Observer

International Dance and Music Festival: Young dancers and musicians bring accolades to country

12 January, 2020

The dancing troupe and oriental band of Vidura College, Thalawathugoda was the winner of the Folk Music and Dance category at the International Dance and Music Festival ‘Moscow Believes in Talent 2019’ which concluded last week. The students competing under the Folk Music and Dance category clinched the first place in Instrumental Music and Best Performance in the Folk Music subcategory and the Best Dance Performance and Best Costume in the Folk Dance subcategory.

The Moscow International Dance and Music Festival 2019, was a week-long event where over 120 teams of dancers and musicians participated, under various categories. “The participation at this event was a great experience for the students from Sri Lanka”, said the Master in Charge of Dancing and Head of the Sri Lankan delegation Dinesh Epasinghe. While the competition gave a “Fair opportunity, without fear or favour to any group, the students maintained excellent discipline and brought honour to their team, school and country,” commented Epasinghe. He believes in discipline as a promoter of traditional dance and music of the country.

“Indiscipline is the root cause of the destruction of our traditions, dancing included,” he explains.

Epasinghe who choreographed all the performances, said that their dance performance, a compilation of traditional Lee Keli, Pathal, Thea Dalu and Thaalam dances was sensational. As the Dance Master, he never gets an opportunity to watch his students perform sitting among the audience, but encourages them backstage or at the side. Even at Moscow, it was inevitable, Epasinghe reminiscences. “I was surprised to hear from some of the parents who were in the audience, that the four judges had been recording our dance performance,” he said with a laugh.

The troupe and the head of the delegation thanked the Principal of Vidura College, D.G. Sumanasekara for being a tower of strength to them, encouraging them at all times. They wish to thank the parents who encouraged them and enabled their participation through financing the project and to Waruni Akampathe Sri Lankan coordinator, for all the support.

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