Past Projects
Tusker Eye
Timeline : June 2023 – September 2023
Locations : London Metropolitan University, UK
Museum of London Docklands
London India Docklands
Royal Victoria Square
Temple of the Tooth Relic, Sri Lanka
Lanka Thilaka Temple, Udunuwara, Kandy
Context:
Tusker Eye was developed as part of the MA Public Art and Performative Practices course. The project was inspired by The Line London’s Dedicated Public Art Walk Line Map and an archival image of elephants from Chipperfield Circus found in the Museum of London Docklands Archives. It investigates the historical and cultural legacies of colonialism and the trade relationships between Sri Lanka and the UK during the 17th and 18th centuries.
https://the-line.org/map/ www.londonmuseum.org.uk/port-river-archive
Methodology:
The project employed an interdisciplinary approach combining performative drawing, dance, and historical research. It involved recontextualizing archival materials and reconstructing cultural narratives through collaborative artistic practices. The choreography was developed through improvisation and incorporated traditional and contemporary dance techniques, with symbolic elements such as slings and chains.
Objectives
Historical Exploration:
To examine the colonial legacies and cultural exchanges between Sri Lanka and the UK, particularly through the lens of trade and performance.
Artistic Engagement:
To create a performative and visual dialogue that bridges traditional Sri Lankan dance with contemporary public art practices.
Collaborative Research:
To foster cross cultural collaboration between artists and institutions in Sri Lanka and the UK.
Public Interaction:
To engage international audiences through site-specific performances and exhibitions that provoke reflection on history, identity, and movement.
Outputs
Screen Dance Film:
Filmed live at London Docks and exhibited at the MA Public Art exhibition at London Metropolitan University.
Choreographic Development:
Movement phrases created through improvisation and collage methods, blending traditional and contemporary dance.
Exhibition Participation:
Presented at London Metropolitan University as part of the MA Public Art showcase
Collaborative Contributions:
Project:
Dr Jacek Ludwig Scarso, course leader and Reader in MA Public Art and Performance, Helen Whittle, Museum Archivist and Records Manager, Museum of London, Iona Ball Host Museum of London Docklands, Steve Lowe, Technical, Demonstrator Theater Arts TMG-65A London Metropolitan University, Naomi Groves Meda and AV Technical Demonstrator, AAD London Metropolitan University Lanka De Silva, Head of the Department, Department of Fine Arts, University Of Kelaniya, SL
THE LINE – director Megan Piper
Dance film :
Direction & Choreography: Dhanushka Seneviratne (UK), Videography & Photography: Sisira Madhumage (UK), Music Composition: K.M. Sachin Rukshan Konara (SL) ,Drumming, Singing, Props: A.V. Jayasanka (SL), Sri Lanka Video Recording: Chanaka Maduranga (SL), Dancers: M.D.P. Nishani, Kaushalya Ranashingha(SL), Students: Jayami Nimandi Yapa, Yashodara Lalangi Malagammana, Sathya Shyamali Maneke
Archival Integration:
Use of archival footage from AP Archive, British Movietone, and the official YouTube channel of Sri Dalada Maligawa.
Dye With Movements
Timeline: 7th – 31st July 2023
Location: Mallon Gardens, outside Toynbee Hall, London
Context:
“Dye With Movements” was part of the London Festival of Architecture under Aldgate Connect BID’s Tenterground installation by Ciaociao Design, celebrating Aldgate’s garment industry. It also formed a key component of London Metropolitan University’s summer intervention, Tales of (UP)Rising, which aimed to foster communal nurturing, growth, and sharing.
https://aldgateconnect.london/lfa2023/
The project explored the historical and cultural significance of Petticoat Lane Market and Tenterground, translating these narratives into choreographed movement and fabric-based performance. The site specific intervention used everyday materials like scaffolding and nylon fabrics to create a sustainable, interactive space for public engagement.
Methodology:
The project combined live improvisational dance workshops, community co production, and site responsive installations. Participants engaged in storytelling, movement creation, and visual art making using recycled and found materials. The collaborative process emphasized ecological awareness, cultural exchange, and the reinterpretation of historical textile practices.
Objectives
Cultural Reinterpretation:
To explore and reinterpret the history of Aldgate’s textile and garment industry through movement and visual art.
Community Engagement:
To involve local residents and visitors in co creating artworks and performances that reflect personal and communal histories.
Site-Specific Performance:
To activate public spaces, such as Mallon Gardens and Toynbee Hall, through dance and installation, fostering cultural and social exchange.
Sustainability & Ecology:
To promote ecological awareness by using repurposed materials and encouraging sustainable artistic practices.
Artistic Collaboration:
To facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration between dancers, designers, storytellers, and community members.
Outputs
Live Dance Workshops & Performances:
Improvisational sessions held in public spaces, translating historical narratives into choreographed movement using fabric and color.
Community Co Produced Exhibition:
Artworks created by participants using mixed media magazine clippings, photographs, natural elements, and found materials displayed as signs, drawings, projections, and performance costumes.
Site Specific Installation:
A collaborative design intervention inspired by Tenterground, using scaffolding and nylon fabrics to create a dynamic performance and exhibition space.
Storytelling & Pop Up Events:
Interactive sessions that invited participants to share personal stories and contribute to the evolving narrative of the site.
Thematic Exploration:
Themes of belonging, identity, urban life, and communal resilience were explored through artistic expression and public dialogue.
Collaborative contribution:
Workshop facilitators and final performance – Dhanushka Seneviratne, Asela Rangadewa
Ability Visible
Timeline: June 2022 – August 2022
Locations: Sri Lanka
Context:
This project was developed in collaboration with Visability Society Sri Lanka to empower individuals with vision impairments through inclusive choreographic practices. It focused on creating a dance experience that was accessible and meaningful for visually impaired participants, using movement improvisation, audio narration, and collaborative performance.
The choreography was developed with volunteer dancers and designed to be interpreted through sound. High quality studio recordings of narrated movement instructions were played during performances, allowing participants to engage with the dance through auditory visualization. The project emphasized accessibility, inclusion, and creative expression in public spaces.
Methodology:
The project used improvisational movement techniques, audio based choreography, and collaborative workshops. Participants with vision impairments were invited to interpret and respond to narrated movements, culminating in a public performance. The approach fostered sensory engagement, embodied interpretation, and community participation.
Objectives
Accessibility in Dance:
To create an inclusive choreographic experience for individuals with vision impairments using audio narration and improvisation.
Empowerment through Movement:
To encourage self expression, confidence, and creativity among disabled participants through embodied exploration.
Collaborative Creation:
To develop choreography in partnership with volunteer dancers and community members, promoting shared ownership and artistic dialogue.
Public Engagement:
To present inclusive performances in public spaces, raising awareness about disability and accessibility in the arts.
Cross-Cultural Exchange:
To connect practices and perspectives from Sri Lanka and the UK, fostering international collaboration in inclusive arts.
Outputs
Inclusive Dance Workshops:
Conducted movement improvisation sessions with visually impaired participants and volunteer dancers, focusing on sensory interpretation and embodied expression.
Audio Narrated Choreography:
Produced high quality studio recordings of narrated movement instructions, used during performances via stereo sound systems and headphones to guide participants through the choreography.
Public Performance:
Presented a five minute choreographic piece developed during the workshops in a selected public space, engaging both participants and audiences in an inclusive artistic experience.
Dance Film Creation:
Created a dance film capturing the choreographic process and performance, highlighting the collaboration between visually impaired participants and volunteer dancers. The film serves as both a creative output and a documentation of inclusive practice.
Collaborative contribution:
Department of Fine Arts, University Of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
Milinda Thennakoon, Dulanga Gunaratne
Production: Visability Society Sri Lanka, Mahesh Umagiliya
Direction & Choreography: Dhanushka Seneviratne
Videography & Photography:
Music Composition and cheloiest: Hirunika Rajapaksha
Dance collaborators: Dhanushka Seneviratne
M.D.P. Nishani, Kaushalya Ranashingha
Pushpika Dissanayaka
Exploring Rata Yakuma: Weaving DMT
Timeline: July 2020 – July 2023
Location: Sri Lanka
Context:
This collaborative research project investigated the Rata Yakuma ritual from Sri Lanka’s low-country dance tradition, focusing on its historical use in supporting women’s reproductive health and psychological well being. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was a remote and onsite collaboration between Sri Lankan and American researchers with backgrounds in traditional dance and dance/movement therapy (DMT).
The Rata Yakuma ritual, traditionally performed to prevent miscarriage, support fertility, and ensure safe childbirth, was examined for its therapeutic potential in contemporary Sri Lankan contexts. The project emphasized the ritual’s symbolic movement language, rhythmic structures, and community based healing aspects, aligning them with DMT principles.
Methodology:
The research combined embodied fieldwork, didactic learning, and experiential activities. It involved an immersive study of the ritual, movement analysis, and cross cultural dialogue. The collaboration was grounded in mutual mentorship and academic exchange, with both researchers contributing their lived experiences and disciplinary expertise.
Objectives
Therapeutic Exploration:
To investigate how the Rata Yakuma ritual can be adapted and applied within contemporary therapeutic frameworks, particularly DMT.
Cultural Preservation & Innovation:
To preserve the cultural integrity of the ritual while exploring its relevance and adaptability in modern healing practices.c
Women’s Health & Wellbeing:
To highlight the ritual’s historical role in supporting women’s reproductive and emotional health and explore its potential for addressing modern psychosocial challenges.
Cross-Cultural Collaboration:
To foster a meaningful exchange between Sri Lankan and American researchers, integrating traditional dance knowledge with therapeutic methodologies.
Community Engagement:
To emphasize the importance of communal support, symbolism, and embodied practices in healing processes.
Outputs
Conference Presentation:
Presented research at the American Dance Therapy Association Virtual Conference in October 2021. The session titled “Exploring Rata Yakuma: Weaving Dance/Movement Therapy and a Sri Lankan Healing Ritual” shared embodied research findings and therapeutic insights.https://www.adta.org/adta-56-on-demand-presentations—-75—1-0-ces
International Webinar Co-Presentation:
Co-presented “Weaving Rata Yakuma” with Ashley Fargnoli in May 2022 as part of the ICAET Network webinar “Performance as Research, Research as Performance: An International Perspective.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Publication:
Fargnoli, A., & Seneviratne, D. (2022). Exploring Rata Yakuma: Weaving Dance/Movement Therapy and a Sri Lankan Healing Ritual. Creative Arts in Education and Therapy (CAET), pp. 230–244.
Screen Dance Film:
Created a screen dance film based on movement explorations from the Rata Yakuma ritual, integrating traditional gestures with therapeutic improvisation. The film served as both a research artifact and a creative interpretation of the ritual’s healing potential.
https://vimeo.com/581258415/5d941344d
Collaborative contribution
Ashley Fargnoli, MA, LCPC, BC-DMT is a dance/movement therapist and lecturer working alongside conflict-affected populations.USA, & Licensed Psychotherapist Dancer | Choreographer | Filmmaker Fulbright Scholar (Alumna) https://www.ashleyfargnolitherapy
Life Skills through Theatre Skills.
Timeline: July – August 2018
Location: Sri Lanka
Context:
This interdisciplinary workshop was designed for students from various academic backgrounds, focusing on enhancing effective communication, teamwork, and creative problem-solving through theatre based techniques. The program emphasized the use of body language, performance, and collaborative exercises to build confidence and leadership skills.
The workshop was a collaborative initiative involving the Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy (SIBA), the Fulbright Specialist Program, Northern Kentucky University School of the Arts (SOTA), Dharmaraja College, the Rajans Theater Drama Society, and Dr. Daryl L. Harris, MFA, PhD (NKU/SOTA).
Objectives
Enhance Communication Skills:
To improve articulation, enunciation, and projection through theatre exercises, helping students become more confident communicators.
Foster Creative Expression:
To encourage students to explore and express ideas through performance-based activities.
Build Teamwork and Leadership:
To develop interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, and community engagement through collaborative theatre practices.
Promote Problem-Solving:
To introduce creative problem-solving techniques using improvisation and role-play.
Outputs
Two Day Workshop Delivery:
Conducted interactive sessions combining theatre techniques with life skills training for multidisciplinary student groups.
Skill Development Activities:
Included exercises in voice projection, body language, improvisation, and group dynamics.
Collaborative Engagement:
Fostered partnerships between local and international institutions, promoting cross-cultural exchange and educational enrichment.
Facilitator Contribution:
Led by Dr. Daryl L. Harris, MFA, PhD, with support from Sri Lankan academic and cultural organizations.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10156439475757546&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155800210277546&type=3