Mr. K. K. Piyananda Rupasinghe

Qualifications:

• BFA – University of the Visual and Performing Arts
• MA – University of Sri Jayewardenepura
• Diploma in Fine Arts (Dancing) – National Youth Services Council,
• Staff Development Course – University of the Visual and Performing Arts
• Certificate in Research Methodology and Scientific Writing – Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of SriJayewardenepura

Profile:

Mr. K. K. P. Rupasinghe is a distinguished dance educator, performer, and researcher specializing in the Kandyan dance tradition of Sri Lanka. With over two decades of professional experience, he has made an invaluable contribution to the preservation, performance, and academic study of Sri Lankan traditional and ritual dance forms. A graduate of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts and a Master’s Degree holder from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Mr. Rupasinghe combines deep traditional knowledge with academic excellence. His foundation in the performing arts was further strengthened by his Diploma in Fine Arts from the National Youth Services Council. He has served as a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Languages, Cultural and Performing Arts at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and in the Kandyan Dance Division of the Central Institute of Buddhist Arts (CIBA), affiliated with the International Buddhist University of Sri Lanka. Within the University of the Visual and Performing Arts, Mr. Rupasinghe has rendered outstanding academic and administrative service, holding several leadership positions including Head of the Department of Kandyan Dance and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Dance and Drama. He has also served as Course Coordinator for the Diploma in Dance conducted by the Centre for Open and Distance Learning, as well as Senior Student Counsellor, Student Counsellor, and Student Advisor of the Faculty of Dance and Drama. In addition, Mr. Rupasinghe is a member of the Senate of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts and serves on the Technical Evaluation Committee of the Faculty of Dance and Drama. He has actively contributed to numerous academic and administrative committees, including the Subject Evaluation Committee, Library Committee, and Examination Result Format Revision Committee.

Publications:

• Vathpiliwethhi Bhavitha Pandama ha Samajaya” (Cloth candle and society in Ritual Practice) (02) “Sokari Jana natakaye Samajavidyathmaka Pasubima” (Sociological Background of “Sokari” Falk Drama) (03) “Ghana Vady Bhanda” Prabhawaya, Vikashaya ha Bhavithaya.

Publications in Non-Refereed Journals:

• Our Country’s Dances – Wijaya Newspaper, 3 November 2015
• The Legacy of Kandyan Dance – Wijaya Newspaper, 10 November 2015
• Dances of the Low Country – Wijaya Newspaper, 17 November 2015
• The Dances of Sabaragamuwa – Wijaya Newspaper, 24 November 2015
• The Story of Kohomba Yak Kankariya – Wijaya Newspaper, 17 November 2017

Research Books:

• ඝන වාද්‍ය භාණ්ඩ ප්‍රභවය, විකාශය හා භාවිතය
• පන්දම සහ සමාජය

Research Articles:

• The Cultural Synthesis of Religion and Performing Arts: Exploring the Suvisi Vivarana Ritual in Sri Lanka
• පන්තේරු නර්තනයේ ප්‍රභවය හා විකාශය
• සොකරි ජන නාටකයේ සමාජ විද්‍යත්මක පසුබිම
• ශාන්තිකර්ම අභිචාර විධි හා ආයුර්වේදය
• රයිගම් කෝරළයේ සිංහල ජනයා අතර පවතින ශාන්තිකර්ම හා සබැඳි අභිචාර විධි
• ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පිත්තල භාණ්ඩ නිර්මාණකරුවන්ගේ සමාජ පසුබිම පිළිබඳ අධ්‍යයනයක්
• කවි හා සෙත්කවි රචනය පිළිබඳ විමර්ශනාත්මක අධ්‍යයනයක්.
• බහිරව පූජා වත්පිළිවෙත් හා සමාජ වටිනාකම.
• සතර කෝරළයේ ගුරු පරම්පරා පිළිබඳ විමසුමක්

International Cultural Programs and Performances:

Mr. Rupasingha has represented Sri Lanka in numerous international cultural festivals, promoting traditional Sri Lankan dance and ritual performances around the world.

Selected international engagements include:

• United Kingdom (1994)
• Singapore (1995)
• Japan (1997)
• India (1999, 2005, 2006, 2015)
• Pakistan (1999)
• United Kingdom (2000)