Disabled soldiers dance Swan Lake in Sri Lanka

From CNN iReport:

'An Inspired Swan Lake' is a modern fairytale that combines the memorable music of Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake with a storyline that is loosely based on the original ballet scenario. What makes the production so much more special is the fact that two thirds of the cast are physically challenged in some way. This has meant that the choreographer had to create a unique form of physical theatre and movement in order to construct the new ballet.

The choreographer, Jehan Aloysius, calls this new form of dance ‘Body Narratives’. As Jehan explains, Body Narratives are “a form of movement that deconstructs the rule-governed forms of dance, such as ballet, which are constructed for ‘able’ bodies. As a result, a new form of movement and dance evolves from the identification of the ‘disabled’ participant’s transformed body which may include new ‘appendages’ such as crutches and wheelchairs. Thus, new positive and creative signifiers are attached to these ‘appendages’ as they create images and movements of lyrical beauty and strength.”

In fact, the theme of 'An Inspired Swan Lake' is "re-discovering the human body in all its strength and beauty." The cast consists of hearing-impaired participants together with soldiers from the Ranaviru Sevana rehabilitation camp who were injured in the line of duty in the recently-concluded war. They are supported by trainer/performers from the StageHands Project which is the humanitarian arm of CentreStage Productions.

CentreStage Productions was founded by Jehan Aloysius in 2001, and has produced groundbreaking, original theatre productions. Similarly, the StageHands Project has been actively initiating theatre-based workshops around the island over the last five years, in order to address social and youth issues.

The exceptional cast of 'An Inspired Swan Lake' has been trained by Jehan Aloysius and his StageHands Team in order to bring out their strengths and talents in this physically demanding show. The performance celebrates the enduring strength and splendour of the human body through dance and acrobatics in a story that is both magical and touching.

'An Inspired Swan Lake' was first performed on a much smaller scale in October last year, receiving standing ovations each night. As Jehan states, “At this time, when the rights of the disabled in Sri Lanka are in discussion, as well as when our country, that has lost many brave soldiers due to the war, is seeking to heal itself, we believe our show has the ability to reach larger audiences and spread the message of hope and courage.”

The cast is presently working on an extended version of the show which will be performed in early March this year.