EQUAL GROUND and Colombo PRIDE 2020 (the virtual Edition) are happy to announce the winners of the Stand Out in PRIDE – Music and Dance Video Competition. 28 entries from very talented performers were submitted for consideration.
Winner Dancing Category Cash Prize of Rs 20,000/=
Among the 07 entries received for the Dancing category, the judges picked the Entry by Team Ishan as the winner of the Dancing Competition. Congratulations to Team Ishan. Please click on the link to see their incredibly creative performance!
Winner Singing Category Cash Prize of Rs 20,000/=
11 entries were received in the Singing category. The entry sent in by Liam was the judges’ winning pick. Congratulations Liam! An incredibly soulful performance! Please click on the link to see Liam’s performance.
Winner Instrumental Category Cash Prize of Rs 20,000/=
10 entries were received for the Instrumental category. The judges picked Saranga Cooray as the clear winner. Congratulations to Saranga! Please click on the link to see Saranga’s winning performance.
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Panel of Judges
Tarja de Silva – Tarja is a Latin & Ballroom dancer and a Dance Fit instructor. She is the Co-Founder of T&A Fitness in Colombo. She is also a product developer at Marks and Spencer.
Shane Perera – Shane has many talents. He is ‘the’ go to and very creative DJ who plays at all our PRIDE parties and other major events in Sri Lanka! In addition to his amazing talent to mix music and choose just the right musical fit for each occasion, he is a Drummer, Event Manager and a MMA Fighter as well!
Leana Pieris – Leana is a former Trustee of EQUAL GROUND and a Founder Director of Taru Villas, Sri Lanka’s pioneer in creating and managing small luxury boutique hotels in this country.
Rosanna Flamer-Caldera – Rosanna is the Executive Director and Founder of EQUAL GROUND. She is also the Founder and Director of Colombo PRIDE in Sri Lanka.
COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGES
Tarja de Silva – “It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm and excitement that came through in most of these videos. The backgrounds, themes and layouts were very well thought of. Congratulations to the winners – you displayed true talent and I wish you nothing but success. Keep shining and never be afraid to show your true colours!”
Shane Perera – “I am really happy to be a judge for this competition as I see all the hidden talent coming out by the day. Please note that we have selected the winners based on Creativity / Talent / Use of Rainbow colours in the background of your performance & few other guidelines. Thanks to Rosanna & EQUAL GROUND, now the community has their own platform to perform. You do not need to fear or to hesitate or to keep your talents inside. Congratulations to the winners and everyone who took part in this. Always remember you have nothing to lose and in the community, you are ALL winners! Looking forward to seeing more entries in future competitions.”
Leana Pieris – “The performance arts are a healthy, holistic & productive way for queer community members to self-actualize. This is especially true for those who may still be struggling with their sexual or gender identity, or for those who have limited ways in which to express themselves: music, song and dance are a wonderfully liberating way to find expression, and a means to self-worth, fulfillment and pride. It is heartening therefore to see the interest this competition has engendered. We hope to see greater fostering of these creative arts and continued enthusiasm from the queer community in the years to come. Well done to all the participants!”
Rosanna Flamer-Caldera – “Congratulations to the winners! We had many great entries to choose from but in the end the winners we picked, really stood out! It was a tough decision to postpone Colombo PRIDE for the first time in 16 years, but thanks to the support we received from the US Embassy in Colombo, we were able to take Colombo PRIDE virtual this year. The overwhelming participation it received was so encouraging, including the Music & Dance Virtual Festival and Competition! Happy PRIDE!“
EQUAL GROUND would like to thank the US Embassy for their support in putting this wonderful event together. Await a video montage of shortlisted entries for your entertainment and thank you to all who participated.
