The Christmas Concert presented by The Ballet School of Colombo was held on 20th December 2025 at the Bishop’s College Auditorium; it was more than a festive year-end performance. While the stage was filled with colour, movement, and youthful energy, the evening also offered a quiet but powerful reminder of why ballet and structured performing arts education continue to matter in Sri Lanka today, especially for young children.
At first glance, a Christmas concert may seem like a seasonal celebration, a joyful close to the year. But for those who watched closely, the production revealed something deeper: the value of discipline, patience, teamwork, and creative expression cultivated through months of consistent training. In a time when childhood is increasingly shaped by screens, fast content, and instant gratification, ballet stands as a meaningful counterbalance.
Ballet asks children to slow down, listen, repeat, improve, and persevere. It teaches them that progress does not happen overnight and that confidence is built gradually through effort and commitment. Each dancer on stage, no matter how young, reflects hours of practice, learning to follow structure while still expressing individuality through movement.
The Christmas Concert brought these lessons to life. Through carefully choreographed pieces and storytelling rooted in the festive spirit, the junior students demonstrated not only technical ability but also emotional awareness and stage presence. These are qualities that extend far beyond dance studios and auditoriums. They shape how children carry themselves, communicate, and engage with the world around them.
In Sri Lanka today, where academic pressure often dominates childhood schedules, structured performing arts education offers a much-needed balance. Ballet nurtures both the body and the mind. It improves posture, coordination, and strength, while also encouraging creativity, musicality, and emotional expression. More importantly, it introduces children to discipline without rigidity, teaching them that structure can coexist with joy.
Live performance plays a crucial role in this process. Standing on stage, facing an audience, and performing as part of a group builds resilience and courage. Children learn to manage nerves, trust their training, and support one another. They experience the satisfaction of collective effort, where each individual’s role contributes to a larger whole. These experiences are invaluable in shaping confident, grounded young individuals.
The Christmas Concert also highlighted the importance of cultural investment in the arts. Ballet, though often viewed as a Western art form, has found a meaningful place within Sri Lanka’s evolving cultural landscape. When taught with intention and care, it complements local traditions by reinforcing values such as discipline, respect, and craftsmanship, qualities deeply embedded in Sri Lankan culture.
The success of the event was made possible through the support of patrons Suren Cooke Agencies, Carekleen, PickMe, Shums Travels, Flipit Media, Rayelie Rodrigo Technologies, Svastha Serene Spa, Tess, SAFE, and Colombo Re Insurance Brokers, whose contributions helped bring the production to life. Their involvement reflects an understanding that the arts are not an extra, but an essential part of holistic education.
The concert was also supported by partners Amari Colombo, Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, Daily FT, and Hi!!!, further reinforcing the idea that nurturing young talent is a collective effort. When institutions, businesses, educators, and families come together in support of the arts, they help create spaces where children can grow with confidence and purpose.
What made the evening especially meaningful was its focus on junior students. Early exposure to ballet instils habits that stay with children long after the final curtain call. Learning to arrive on time, care for costumes, respect teachers and peers, and take responsibility for one’s role builds a strong foundation for future learning, both within and beyond the arts.
The concert also served as a reminder that the performing arts offer children a healthy outlet for expression. In a world where emotions are often filtered through screens, dance allows children to express joy, curiosity, excitement, and even nervousness through movement. It teaches them to be present in their bodies and aware of their surroundings, fostering mindfulness in an age of constant distraction.
Importantly, ballet teaches children that mistakes are part of growth. A missed step or moment of imbalance becomes an opportunity to learn resilience rather than fear failure. This mindset is especially valuable in shaping young minds to approach challenges with confidence rather than anxiety.
As the final bows were taken and applause filled the auditorium, what lingered was not just the memory of a Christmas performance, but the understanding of why ballet matters. It matters because it shapes character. It matters because it teaches patience in a fast-paced world. It matters because it preserves artistic discipline while allowing creativity to flourish. And it matters because it invests in the future, one child, one class, one performance at a time.
The Christmas Concert by The Ballet School of Colombo was a celebration of more than dance. It was a celebration of childhood nurtured with intention, of education that values both structure and imagination, and of a cultural future strengthened through the arts. In doing so, it reaffirmed the vital role ballet continues to play in shaping young minds and enriching Sri Lanka’s cultural landscape.
