FOR EQUALITY, AND NURTURING THE BASIC HUMAN DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN PERFORMANCE ARTS AND DANCE
Break the Barriers, the dance performance, aims to prove that those born with special needs, hailing from underprivileged backgrounds encounter no barriers in gaining social respect and protecting the fundamental human instinct to participate in dance and arts, thereby fulfilling the basic human right to participate in the cultural aspects of the community. Another important purpose of this event is to guide children from disadvantaged social backgrounds who risk facing a challenging future, in escaping their predicament.
Girls who are talented dancers under 20 years currently living in an orphanage, and a talented 21-year-old girl dancer Sadali Sewmini with down syndrome who is the recipient of a State award in dance, will also perform at this event. The goal of Break the Barriers is to help talented youth dancers be independent by further improving their dancing skills so that they can be dance teachers in their own right in the future. It is the conceptualizer’s hope that by supporting these children to participate in a dance performance on an internationally reputed stage, before an appreciative and informed audience, their autonomy as fully-fledged human beings would be protected, and it is ensured that they gain the necessary social respect to prevent discrimination against them based on their disadvantages, perceived or otherwise.
As a non-profit, voluntary, socially responsible civic contribution, Nirasha Piyawadani, director of the program, IVLP fellow, international journalist, and media trainer, created and developed the concept and name 'Break the Barriers'. Nadeeka Tarangani, director of choreography, costumes, and stage management, is an experienced dance teacher and choreographer with both local and foreign professional experience. Experienced journalist and media trainer Rasika Gunawardena has been providing his skills voluntarily to develop related graphic designs for social media flyers, and in video creation, as contextual background to the event.
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