Genesis : Official launch of Mesh Academy of Dance 

Dancing can be embraced as a hobby, passion, stress reliever and a profession. Since dancing differs across cultures not every dancer would have the same styles. Jazz, hiphop, ballet, ballroom and other international dance styles are hardly practiced in native countries and when taking Asia no one country is second to another when looking at the different traditional dancing styles. Today we speak to Umeshi Rajeendra, an individual who is striving to make a difference by introducing her own dancing academy through her upcoming concert, ‘Genesis’.

Tell us a bit about 'Genesis'.

Genesis is the official launch of Mesh Academy of Dance. It is a different type of dance show, versatile at its best depicting a sense of “beginning” – an awakening of Sri Lanka’s dance potential. The idea behind Genesis was my inspiration by a quote from Elizabeth Kubler Ross:

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”

Genesis: the Awakening,  will therefore address certain issues pertinent in today’s society and how as humans we find our way through these challenges and gain a sense of appreciation and love for being here, now, ever present and ever engaged. Choreographed and directed by me, in collaboration with one of the best contemporary dance professors in the US, Sandra Mathern, the show will demonstrate the possibilities of dance and its future.

Have you organised any other events during the past? If yes, what are they?

I have in the US, but this production will be my first ever in Sri Lanka. So I am quite excited about it.

Do you train them or do you have a team? Are their any international participants?

I have been training these dancers since January. We have been working very hard and I am very proud of how far they have all come. Some have strong dance backgrounds and some don’t. The fun part of teaching this group is that they are all from different backgrounds. Therefore, it has been interesting to see individually what they bring to the table and how I can enhance that. The international participants will be Sandra Mathern herself, and three Dance majors from Denison University, USA.

Any words or thoughts you would like to share on behalf of Sandra Mathern and her students?

Well, she and her students are very excited about visiting Sri Lanka, witnessing the existing dance platform and demonstrating how dance as an educative art form can grow artistically, physically and mentally. A few of the students will be carrying out their dance research in Sri Lanka, therefore they are excited to study, observe and contribute their input through their teaching methodology. All in all, they cannot wait to be here, take part in the show and demonstrate what they essentially great at. I’ll leave it to Sandra Mathern to speak to you her when she arrives. But for now, on her behalf, I can safely say that Genesis is going to be a great and rewarding experience for us all and we hope the Sri Lanka audience will come for the event and experience it themselves.

Where are the tickets sold?

Tickets are sold at the British School on weekdays from 8am to 4pm and at Barefoot Garden Café on Saturday and Sunday from 11.a.m to 5p.m. Please contact 0765302714 for more info or email us on [email protected].

Why did you want to donate to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and Room to Read?

Education is the best gift that was given to me and I love teaching myself. Therefore, contributing to an education driven work to help those who are less fortunate have always been an on-going interest of mine. Hence, why Room to Read. Room to Read is an excellent NGO that focuses on educating children and have done wonders to help children in Sri Lanka for years. I, myself, enjoy working for Room to Read and have seen firsthand the children we help. It is eye-opening.

The philosophy behind Room to Read drives the idea that if we educate children it will create a ripple of positive benefits in the future in terms of career, health and welfare. I strongly believe in this and the fact that Room to Read has demonstrated the success of their program in the last 15 years by helping around 10 million children worldwide has put my faith in them to do more.

Secondly, the reason why I want to invest in Cerebral Palsy is because as a dancer and an athlete, I cannot even imagine what it means or feels to not be able to move so freely. Cerebral Palsy is a condition where one is deformed from the waist down and there are around 40,000 reported cases. When I can help, I want to help and thus I wish to provide wheelchairs or funds for therapy for these children.

Any message to people who want to do charity work like this?

Yes! A lot of us think, like and feel we want to do more and help more. My message is stop thinking, figure out what cause you want to invest in, and go help or serve already. We waste so much time thinking about it and pushing it for later, but there is no later. It is now or never. I mean there are malnourished children who could die even today! So please go help and serve if you want to.

By Kamanthi Wickramasinghe
Photograph of Umeshi Rajeendra by Nisal Baduge