The Chitrasena Dance Company is Sri Lanka’s oldest and most prestigious dance institution. Founded in the 1940s by Guru Chitrasena, with the unwavering support of Guru Vajira, the Company played a pivotal role in elevating Sri Lanka’s traditional dances from village rituals to the modern stage. It became their shared vehicle of artistic expression—infusing refined traditional forms with contemporary innovation—and set new standards that transformed the landscape of Sri Lankan dance theatre.

Today, the legacy lives on through his dance school and Company, lovingly nurtured by his daughters Upeka and Anjalika and granddaughters Heshma and Thaji. Renowned as pioneers and revolutionaries in Sri Lanka’s dance sphere, led by Heshma’s artistic direction, they continue to push boundaries—fearlessly experimenting while remaining rooted in tradition.