Mesh Academy of Dance ignites passion for dance as educative art form

• In collaboration with the USA

Sri Lankan, Umeshi Rajeendra’s passion for dance ignited at the tender age of four. A graduate from Ohio’s Denison University with degrees in Dance and Economics, Rajeendra has over the years gained a wealth of experience both as an international and residential teacher/choreographer.

The culmination of her passion to nurture a love of dance among students whilst encouraging technical understanding has given birth to Mesh Academy.

The newly launched novel dancing school seeks to change Lanka’s dancing landscape. Under Rajeendra’s expert guidance, Mesh Academy prides itself as a vibrant, dynamic, and creative cross cultural establishment, awakening the love of dance focusing on each student’s development and cultivating dance as an educative art form.

Rajeendra spoke enthusiastically about the launch of the academy, “I am excited at the incredible opportunity to connect more deeply with our local dancing community and firmly believe the Mesh Academy will play a vital role helping to cultivate and enhance; the body, the mind and the spirit whilst promoting students love and appreciation of dance.”

The Academy is also proud to announce its collaboration – the first of its kind in Sri Lanka – with US choreographers and professors in Universities to help local students experience the transformative power of dance, developing intercultural relations through professional and personal exchange. 

The partnership will help dance students from the US and Sri Lanka come together to learn each other’s dances and share through the language of movement.

“Mesh Academy of Dance’s important partnerships help us to forge further ahead, introducing new and challenging forms of dance to Sri Lanka, but also exposing talented Sri Lankans onto international dance arenas,” said Rajeendra. 

One prospective collaboration is with Denison University – a leading liberal arts college in USA. Professor of Dance, Sandra Mathern-Smith, dancer and choreographer of international repute, along with three Dance Majors from Denison University will be visiting Sri Lanka this July to launch and strengthen the Academy’s intensive training and capacity building for students. 

Launching a new era in Sri Lanka’s cultural dance history, Mesh Academy will showcase its inaugural performance titled ‘Genesis’ soon. Embracing artistry of dance, advanced music and sound techniques the show stopper will present a unique blend of five pieces consisting contemporary dance, post-modern, African jazz, hip-hop and ballet. Contributing to an electrifying event will be Sandra Mathern-Smith’s electrifying contemporary dance performance. 

Parts of the proceeds from the performance will be donated to the Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation which helps and supports children with the disease and Room to Read, an education and gender equality driven non-profit organisation. 

Mesh Academy also plans to award need-based scholarships to two talented girls from low-income families to realise their dancing dreams. Working with Room to Read, the Academy also plans to provide dance therapy workshop for 50 girls in Hanguranketha.

Registrations for the Mesh Academy begin on 1 August with classes commencing on 7 September at the Nelung Arts Centre.