Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
Ravibandhu
He had arrived at the venue agreed upon for the interview and was early. That’s perhaps how dancer and percussionist Ravibandhu Vidyapathy works and organises himself. Our meeting place was a well-frequented café in Battaramulla and he was waiting for me patiently. I could see a prepared face through the glass frame on the main door. His greeting of me was friendly. There was warmth in his hands. The same could be said about his personality; here was a down-to-earth person and ready to accommodate all my questions.
Ravibandhu (that’s how he wished me to address him) will be celebrating his long association with the stage with a show. It would also be the best time to mark the occasion which coincides with his 65th birthday. The show will be held on Monday (December 30) at the Government Information Department Auditorium from 6.30 pm onwards. His birthday fell on December 25.
The man has enthralled audiences through his theatrical displays like Nala Damayanthi, Shiraranga, Kinkini Kolama and Rashoman to name a few. On the 30th of December in the show titled ‘The Maestro at 65’ two video versions of his ballets Othello and Rite of Spring will be shown.
His serious dance moves might not have been appreciated or understood thus far and when posed the question whether people of Sri Lanka ‘missed’ observing this legendary dancer called Ravibandhu Vidyapathy he had this to say: “There have been occasions when I had to change the choreography a bit to make my dance steps appeal to the masses. This was an attempt by me to make the audience understand serious dance”.
Between sips of tea and munching into a cutlet, the dance maestro emphasised on a fact which summed up his whole approach to dance, “I am not afraid to try out new things. My passion is to try out new things. But most importantly I dance for myself”.
He has performed abroad and travelled extensively. He said that he has two identities; one being a dancer and the other being a percussionist. He constantly threw emphasis on the words ‘my stage’. What he meant he posed to me via a question; “to who do I perform? “When I get to perform for an international audience I am mindful about those who are watching me. I appreciate the members of the Sri Lankan diaspora who come to see me perform, but for me an international audience must comprise true dance lovers who are knowledgeable of dance. Like good art, good dance can enlighten you,” he said.
I am not afraid to try out new things. My passion is to try out new things. But most importantly I dance for myself
Ravibandhu Vidyapathy
From humble beginnings of learning dance from Vajira and Chithrasena, he has come a long way and at present runs his own dance studio named Ravibandhu-Samanthi Centre for the Arts. Interestingly, Samanthi is his wife and a graduate from the University of Visual and Performing Art. She is an exponent of modern Kandyan dance. Their children Jithendra and Amritha are excelling in education and reading for Masters Degrees abroad.
We have seen the best of his dances and he has performed abroad alongside celebrated artistes like Ustad Zakir Hussain and Billy Cobham. He has even made Sri Lanka’s civil war a point of discussion through dance. Two very high points in his career as an artiste would be receiving the Kala Keerthi Award in 2019 and the honorary doctorate bestowed on him by the University of Visual and Performing Arts in 2022. Age could be just a number for him, but he pointed out the importance of retaining good health because he still opts to perform; whether it’s an intense five minute dance item or being involved in a long performance like the kohomba kankariya, which demands the audience to watch him and his entire dance team for 7-8 hours.
In an era where most dance performances have turned out to be mere components that decorate an occasion, here is a seasoned individual who strives to live up to the vision of his institution and broaden the vistas of dance with local dance as a base.
Ravibandhu has enthralled audiences with numerous theatrical dance items
After about an hour and a half of chatting and taking down extensive notes on an A4 paper, it was time to take my leave of him. As we shook hands and bade each other goodbye, I could not help, but notice that he had not had his second snack, a patty, despite ordering it and affirming he had left home without having breakfast. That’s the care he takes of his body because a while ago he said that he takes some form of medicine to address some minor health issues he has. He looked perfectly healthy for a man of 65 and gave me enough signs that the dancer in him was ever willing to bubble to the surface. The great dancer ‘Vajira’ once had this to say about him: “Ravibandhu simply has talent oozing out of him”. Even today he can do the same, perhaps like water gushing out of a fountain.
