ගමන් තාලෙ
/ga mʌn ‘θɑ leɪ/ (ga-muhn THAH-ley)
From the Sinhalese gamana, meaning “journey,” and thaala, meaning rhythm or beat, the gaman thaale is a fundamental element in traditional Sinhalese dance vocabularies. Essentially a stylized stroll around the entirety of the stage, the gaman thaale typically occurs in the middle of a dance sequence, as an interlude. It is a chance for the dancer to gather his or her energy while both gauging and engaging the entire performance space.
I started learning Sinhalese dance when I was a wee thing, and I never thought much of it. I more or less mindlessly got into it the way children do – but as I’ve grown with it and into it, it’s become both a love and a fascination.
So I am starting this blog to serve as something of a gaman thaalayak within my own life of dancing — a moment to saunter through reflections, memories, and ideas, taking stock of the field, gaining ground.
While I expect this blog will help me flesh out my own vague ideas to some extent, I also hope that, as I engage with other writing, research, and media on Sinhalese dance in particular, this site will grow into a compendium of resources on this under-represented dance form. If it doesn’t, at least I’ll have spent more time dwelling on something I love.
That’s the blogging journey I see before me for now. So, away we go!
Gaman Thaale 