Traditional Dancing
Dance was initiated in Sri Lanka during the 4th century B.C for the purpose of expelling natural disasters, sickness and greeting people and land. At the end of Polonnaruwa period (15th century A.D.), the Chola influence came into Sri Lanka and folk dancing was adopted in Sri Lanka.
The classical dance forms are associated with the performance of various rituals and ceremonies which are centuries old and are based on the folk religion and folk beliefs going back to times before the advent and acceptance of Buddhism by the Sinhalese people in the third century B.C. These rituals and ceremonies reflect the values, beliefs and customs of an agricultural civilization of Sri Lanka.
