The Sama Ballet Troupe established in the year 1985 is Sri Lanka’s first full time professional dance company. It is an approved cultural institution under by Department of Cultural Affairs in Sri Lanka.
“Sama” means peace in Sinhala and Tamil the two official languages in Sri Lanka. The main objective of the Sama Ballet Troupe is to promote peace and communal, religious and social harmony among the people of the world through dance, music and other performing arts.
While preserving traditional dance forms intact and presenting the same on stage, the Sama Ballet Troupe also extends it’s creative energys towards experimenting with new ideas and forms. Since it’s inception the Sama Ballet Troupe has represented Sri Lanka at the larges number of world dance festivals organized by “CIOFF” (Council of International Organizations for Folklore Festivals and Folk art – affiliated to UNESCO) and has also performed at such prestigious venues as the Sadler’s Wells theater in London.
The Sama Ballet Troupe has toured worldwide from 1986 promoting peace through traditional and modern Sri Lanka dance.
The company was directed by Ajith Amarasiri, who was the one of founder member of the Sama Ballet Troupe. Since its inception, he served as the main dancer, Assistant Director, choreographer, and troupe manager of the company. His leadership brought the company's development to great heights artistically, logistically, and financially, establishing its reputation as a dance troupe of high artistic standards. He was a dancer of great capacity in both traditional and modern forms. Following his passing, his daughter, Nihinsa Nethmini Jayasinghe, continues his legacy as the Present Artistic Director and Choreographer of the company.
