Information on Kandyan dances.

Kandyan dance is a dance tradition that originated in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It is one of the main traditions of Sinhala dance. At present it is widespread among the Sinhalese people in all parts of Sri Lanka. It was a dance restricted to men until the end of the 19th century. Today, women's Kandyan dances are also widespread. Dance Arts Basic Areas. ⭕ Kandy. ⭕ Udunuwara. ⭕ Yatinuwara. ⭕ Hathkoralaya. ⭕ Dumbara. ⭕ Harispattuwa. History of the Art of Dance. According to legends, the king who was ruling at that time saw a leopard jumping on his body in a dream. According to the beliefs of the time, the king considered the dream to be a curse on Kuveni and fell seriously ill. At the request of the king to cure the disease, a group of witches came to Ceylon from India and then performed a ritual called Kohomba Kankariya for the king. History has it that the king was completely healed and that this was the beginning of the traditional Kandyan dance. Adding a Sri Lank...