Our Teachers
We are here today is because of them
Visha Manohari De Silva
Choreographer, Director and an Educationist
Visha began her illustrious career in dancing at the tender age of 12 years as a student of Visaka Vidyalaya in Colombo, Sri Lanka. After her secondary education, she obtained a finance degree from University of Kelaniya.
Visha was fortunate to be guided by the internationally acclaimed great guru, the late Chitrasena and his exponents’ wife Vajira. She was a permanent member of their dance troop that performed internationally and has participated in most of Chitrasena’s great performances like Karadiya, Nala Damayanthi, Shivaranga, Kinkini Kolama among others.
In 1981, she joined the academic staff of Carey Collage and thereafter in 1994, Visha joined the staff of Musaeus College in Colombo where she spearheaded many productions and nurtured many well known female traditional dancers for over 14 years. Currently she serves as the dance instructor at the Wycherley International School in Colombo.
The Visha school of dance which she founded in 1984 celebrates 40 years this year. Under Visha’s guidance the school has produced generations of talented dancers who has graced prestigious stages both locally and internationally. We have three dancers today showcasing their talents on this stage who were fortunate to learn from Visha at the Musaeus College and Visha school of dance.
Rajini Selvanayagam
Choreographer, Director and an Educationist
Late Kalasuri Rajini Selvanayagam was a veteran Sri Lankan traditional dancer who was popularly dubbed as the Queen of Sri Lankan Dance.
She founded her own dance academy "Chamara Kala Nikethanaya" in 1975 which was solely intended at building a society enhancing culture, traditions, customs through the art of dancing.
She was well known as a professional teacher of dancing during her illustrious career and she gave so much emphasis on the propagation and sustenance of unique forms of Sri Lankan dance art. She was conferred with prestigious Kalasuri title during the 2005 Sri Lankan national honours. She was also conferred with Kala Keerthi and Vishwa Kala Keerthi titles during her career.
Her legacy extends to the countless students she inspired and taught over the years, contributing to the preservation of advancement of Sri Lankan dance forms.
