Here is some video from the Battery Dance performance, one of the Sri Lankan fillers. It was my favorite. The quality is unbelievably crap, it’s 4x zoom on a photo camera and compressed within an inch of its life. The drums carry and Thaji’s limbs are unbelievably long, so perhaps the experience is a little tangible. To watch click play. For Sri Lankan connections I recommend pausing the video, browsing something else and coming back when it’s fully loaded. If you’re on a decent international connection it should load just fine. My main experience with Kandyan drumming is the lackluster drummers at weddings, but this is something else. The movements are lithe and angular and at the same time communicative. The dancer is Thaji from the inestimable Chitrasena school (and family) and the venue is Bishop’s Auditorium.
she’s amazing. i can’t get over it.
Incredible drumming!!
yes, that too. :) these two guys, sunsantha and prasanna, are probably the best drummers in the country right now, perhaps only second to ravibandu himself.
Ok they’re on my list now
Ravibandu is probably our best drummer, but the one drumming maestro I have seen is Piyasara Shilpadhipathi.
He is not much of a stage performer like Ravibandu, he likes to train young people and pass down his knowledge. Most of the top drummers had had their initial training from him. I have seen him perform up-close because my wife used to train classical dancing under him and his wife Kanthi, and he is inspiring every time he performs.
Thaji seems a very good dancer too. Well it’s not surprising is it, it runs in her genes after all!
Thanks for that clip Indi.
WOW! Thanks a lot for this clip indi.. Thaji is just amazing – she gets better and better..
!!!!! I can’t get enough of watching it!!! definitely made my day.