Kandyan dance

Kandyan dance is a highly refined and energetic traditional dance form from Sri Lanka, considered the national dance of the country. It flourished under the Kandyan kings from the 16th to the 19th centuries and has four main varieties: pantheru, naiyadi, udekki, and ves. The movements and postures are reminiscent of India's kathakali dance-drama.123

Kandyan dance incorporates 18 vannamas, which are dance enactments depicting animals like elephants, monkeys, and peacocks, as well as abstract impersonations. Originally, the themes were drawn from Hindu mythology, particularly the Ramayana, but later expanded to include stories of kings and legendary heroes. This dance is a significant part of the annual Perahera festival in Kandy, performed as a tribute to the glory of Buddhism. Dancers wear elaborate costumes, including a conical headpiece, bead necklaces, and epaulets, and perform with sudden leaps and spins, often accompanied by singing and drumming.12