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Talented Kshanya Colette Ambrose has been accepted to a prestigious performing arts school in the UK, bringing her one step closer to achieving her professional dancing dreams.
The 15-year-old Sri Lankan Sacred Heart School student will be joining some of the best aspiring young dancers, singers, actors and theatre students in September at the Arts Educational Schools (ArtsEd) based in Chiswick in the London Borough of Hounslow.
“It feels extraordinary,” said Kshanya, who has been dancing since the age of five. “It’s hard to put into words – dance is more than just a passion to me.
“I was always inspired by watching dance in films and was encouraged to take up tap and jazz, in addition to ballet and pointe. It was then that I realised that this is what I wanted to do as my career.”
Her immediate aim is to achieve a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) Dance qualification on her way to performing on stage.
The course will give her the opportunity to learn about the industry, develop an understanding and apply those skills and knowledge in a vocational dance setting.
The International Dance Teachers’ Association (IDTA) also created Rainbow Certificates to recognise the dedication of all dancers who have continued to attend classes online during lockdown. Kshanya received one.
Victoria Shaban, the principal of Victoria Dance Bahrain - the studio which Kshanya has attended since the age of 11- is proud of her achievements.
“Kshanya continued to dance throughout the lockdown and adhered to all the Covid-19 restrictions,” she said. “She never stopped working and improving her technique. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that she will go the distance and achieve her dream of being a professional dancer.
“She is incredibly dedicated to her art and is very hard working; she pushes herself to the limit in all her classes.”
Kshanya is thankful to her father, Chithalka, 51, a manager at an interior design company, and mum Shereen, 54, who is a general manager at an interior design company. She is also grateful for the support of her friends at the dance school.
Her advice to other young dancers is to put all their heart and energy into the art.
“Know that dance is not something that your parents can push you to do, but rather a passion that comes from deep within you,” she said. “Accept the criticism that you get, because it can make you stronger. Always put in more than you have to and give it 110 per cent. Lastly, remember to fix your posture and point those toes!”
