PHOTOS © SURANJITH JANAKA
By Kusumanjalee Thilakarathna
M.A. Minushi Himansha is a grade six student of Mahamathya Vidyalaya, Athurugiriya. She is a talented actress and a dancer whose ambition is to become a dance teacher as she enjoys teaching dance moves to younger kids. She also hopes to continue her acting career in the future.
Q: Himansha, can you tell us more about yourself?
A: I am now 11 years old. I live in Korathota with my mother, father, and my little brother. My hobbies are playing with dolls, reading, and playing volleyball. I really enjoy music and dancing. I have three best friends – Onithi, Nirushi, and Dewansa – and I play with them every day. I am now in grade six at Mahamathya Vidyalaya, Athurugiriya. I love my school and my friends very much.
Q: What type of dance methods do you practise?
A: I love traditional dance methods and I am currently learning Udarata (Kandyan) and Pahatharata (low country).
Q: What is your favourite dance method?
A: I like Kandyan dancing because I love to learn ‘vannam’. I love to learn the folk stories linked to the animals in the ‘vannam’ style. I find them really interesting. I also like this style because of the costumes. I find them very colourful and lovely.
Q: When did you start playing volleyball?
A: Since I started in grade six. We learn volleyball as a part of our curriculum for physical education. It’s also our national sport. When I studied it, I started liking it and I wanted to join practices.
Q: Do you wish to continue volleyball practices?
A: Not for a really long time. I think I love performing arts more than I love sports.
Q: Have you been practising dancing since you were very young?
A: Yes. I have attended private dancing classes as well since I was really young. I have studied under two masters – Amila Ilukkumbura and Upul from Kaduwela Cultural Centre. I was lucky enough to participate in an all-island dance tournament under Amila sir recently.
Q: What is your favourite subject in school?
A: I like mathematics the most out of the classroom subjects. Dancing is my favourite subject out of the aesthetic subjects we have to study. In grade six, we study many aesthetic subjects.
Q: Do you have any other hobbies that you enjoy?
A: Well, I love to draw too. I am pretty good at it but I never had any private training. I used to trace things that I love first. Then I learnt how to sketch objects. Now I learn different styles by watching YouTube videos.
Q: You said you have acted in teledramas. Can you share your experiences with us?
A: I have acted in nine teledramas so far. I have acted in more than 20 commercials as well. I got the opportunity to act because of my uncles Chagi Wageesha Withana and Irusha. I am grateful to them for recognising my talent.
One of the teledramas I acted in will be telecasted on TV Derana very soon. I am excited.
Q: What kind of role do you like to play in teledramas?
A: I love to play a rich and proud character. So far, all the characters that I got to play were based on children who are poor and innocent. It’s not that I don’t like to play such characters. I love them. But I would like the challenge of playing a character with opposite character traits.
Q: What is your ambition?
A: I dream of becoming a dancing teacher. I love to teach dance moves accurately. It’s easy when you learn the moves correctly from the beginning. I don’t want to give up my acting career. I want to study more about acting and become a skilled actress in the future.
Q: Is there anyone you want to thank for supporting you?
A: My parents mainly. There are some family friends I want to thank too. They are very supportive when my mother has to manage her time and work. My brother too is a young actor and a very busy one. So, my mother has to manage her time if both of us have a recording on the same day. Her closest friends help us immensely on days like those.
M.A. Minushi Himansha is a grade six student of Mahamathya Vidyalaya, Athurugiriya. She is a talented actress and a dancer whose ambition is to become a dance teacher as she enjoys teaching dance moves to younger kids. She also hopes to continue her acting career in the future.
Q: Himansha, can you tell us more about yourself?
A: I am now 11 years old. I live in Korathota with my mother, father, and my little brother. My hobbies are playing with dolls, reading, and playing volleyball. I really enjoy music and dancing. I have three best friends – Onithi, Nirushi, and Dewansa – and I play with them every day. I am now in grade six at Mahamathya Vidyalaya, Athurugiriya. I love my school and my friends very much.
Q: What type of dance methods do you practise?
A: I love traditional dance methods and I am currently learning Udarata (Kandyan) and Pahatharata (low country).
Q: What is your favourite dance method?
A: I like Kandyan dancing because I love to learn ‘vannam’. I love to learn the folk stories linked to the animals in the ‘vannam’ style. I find them really interesting. I also like this style because of the costumes. I find them very colourful and lovely.
Q: When did you start playing volleyball?
A: Since I started in grade six. We learn volleyball as a part of our curriculum for physical education. It’s also our national sport. When I studied it, I started liking it and I wanted to join practices.
Q: Do you wish to continue volleyball practices?
A: Not for a really long time. I think I love performing arts more than I love sports.
Q: Have you been practising dancing since you were very young?
A: Yes. I have attended private dancing classes as well since I was really young. I have studied under two masters – Amila Ilukkumbura and Upul from Kaduwela Cultural Centre. I was lucky enough to participate in an all-island dance tournament under Amila sir recently.
Q: What is your favourite subject in school?
A: I like mathematics the most out of the classroom subjects. Dancing is my favourite subject out of the aesthetic subjects we have to study. In grade six, we study many aesthetic subjects.
Q: Do you have any other hobbies that you enjoy?
A: Well, I love to draw too. I am pretty good at it but I never had any private training. I used to trace things that I love first. Then I learnt how to sketch objects. Now I learn different styles by watching YouTube videos.
Q: You said you have acted in teledramas. Can you share your experiences with us?
A: I have acted in nine teledramas so far. I have acted in more than 20 commercials as well. I got the opportunity to act because of my uncles Chagi Wageesha Withana and Irusha. I am grateful to them for recognising my talent.
One of the teledramas I acted in will be telecasted on TV Derana very soon. I am excited.
Q: What kind of role do you like to play in teledramas?
A: I love to play a rich and proud character. So far, all the characters that I got to play were based on children who are poor and innocent. It’s not that I don’t like to play such characters. I love them. But I would like the challenge of playing a character with opposite character traits.
Q: What is your ambition?
A: I dream of becoming a dancing teacher. I love to teach dance moves accurately. It’s easy when you learn the moves correctly from the beginning. I don’t want to give up my acting career. I want to study more about acting and become a skilled actress in the future.
Q: Is there anyone you want to thank for supporting you?
A: My parents mainly. There are some family friends I want to thank too. They are very supportive when my mother has to manage her time and work. My brother too is a young actor and a very busy one. So, my mother has to manage her time if both of us have a recording on the same day. Her closest friends help us immensely on days like those.