Sudesh Mantillake - Regional Advisor

---

Sudesh Mantillake is a dancer, choreographer, researcher, and educator. He received his BA degree from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, his MSc from the University of Lugano, Switzerland, and his PhD from the University of Maryland in the USA. He is trained in Kandyan dance of Sri Lanka and Kathak dance of India, theatrical clowning, and contemporary dance. Apart from Sri Lanka, he has presented his work in Athens, Sharjah, London, Helsinki, Lugano, New York, Virginia, Chicago, California, Ohio, Minnesota, Maryland, Toronto, Montreal, and Pondicherry - India. His performance pieces “My Devil Dance” and “Mask and Myths” explore Sri Lankan dancers’ experience in the “colonial exhibitions” in Europe and U.S. In his dance film In Search of Ravana, Sudesh questions multiple identities given to the mythical king Ravana. 

Sudesh has been awarded the International Teaching Fellowship (the University of Maryland, 2013-2014), Leonardo Fellowship (University of Lugano, 2006), University Prize for Academic Excellence (University of Peradeniya, 2004), All Island Sri Lanka-Best Solo Dancer – Kandyan (Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka, 1997). Sudesh has been an intern at the National Museum of Dance, New York, and at the Sri Lanka Educational, Cultural and Welfare Foundation, London. He has also done summer institute at Dance Exchange (founded by Liz Lerman) in Takoma Park, USA. Sudesh is a permanent faculty member and the former Head of the Department (June 2020 - June 2023) at the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He is also the Chairman of the Arts Council of the University of Peradeniya.