Winter Ball 2007

If you walked into the foyer of the Grand Ballroom of the Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney at about 7:00 pm on Saturday 28 July 2007, you would have been greeted by a scenario rarely seen in a Sydney Hotel. The foyer was ablaze with a myriad hue of seductive silk saris draped on sylph like shapes, bejewelled and bangled with pendant ear ornaments, Men in lounge and formal wear, ladies in evening dress displaying a synthesis of two cultures - the formality of a Ball tempered with the flavours of the Orient.

It was the venue of the Winter Ball 2007, another well planned and exquisitely presented event organized by the Sri Lanka Association of New South Wales. As the pre-dinner drinks of wines red, and white, beer in tall glasses circulated, nibbles kept teeth clacking the photographers kept clicking and flashes popping in synch.

The doors of the Grand Ballroom opened to a grand show. Tables with elegant flower arrangements and gleaming cutlery arranged leaving ample space for the dance floor foretasted the guests to an outstanding night.

The two compeers Anshu Jayaweera and Dale Joachim kept the show moving with professional competence and invited Roshan and Tamara Wickremnayake and the members of the committee to open the dance to the music of the “Midnight Mist”

Chandana Jayasinghe and Ben Nathanielsz of the Melbourne based “Midnight Mist” deserve a special word of thanks for providing the subtlest mix of strict tempo through the tango and the baila that drew the entire crowd to the dance floor. Russell de Hoedt’s amplification made the walls resonate with the blood thumping tempo generated by the band.

The steady flow of wines, juices and beer against the back drop of throbbing music was too alluring for any to resist and the gyrations grew more frenzied as the hospitality gained control over the reticence natural to us all.

The formal part of the evening commenced with the President of the Association Roshan Wickremenayake speaking of the aims and objectives of the Sri Lanka Association. He stressed the commitment of the Association to draw together the different strands of ethnic religious and cultural values that interweave the fabric of the Sri Lankan community in New South Wales and the need for us to integrate with the Australian society without loosing our uniqueness.

Roshan thanked all those who had helped make the evening a success, the compeers, Ozlanka, the sponsors, advertisers, helpers, coordinators, the Hotel Staff and the attendees.

The next speaker Hon Henry Tsang Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Trade and Investment of the State Government of New South Wales spoke on behalf of the Premier and also drew links between China and Sri Lanka, an association going back over two and a half millennia.

As we know two famed travellers Fa Hien from China and Marco Polo of Italy passed through Sri Lanka on their epic journeys East to West, and West to East.

The Hon Consul general for Sri Lanka, Gothami Indikadahena conveyed the good wishes of His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse, President of Sri Lanka.

The dinner was superb, the entrée of Yamba prawns and baby chicken, paved the way for a choice of Australian lamb and red snapper. Each accompanied by salads with avocado and rosemary and vegetables. Wine with the meal and dessert of Mango and Chocolate and coffee made the event a 'calorie enhancer par excellence'

It was perhaps the seductive music inviting all and sundry to 'shake a leg' that saved the day for those of us who need to keep a stranglehold on what passes through our gullets to keep the Doctor at bay.

A cabaret by Mango Dance Productions with audience participation in the salsa showed us how easily the South American rhythm came naturally to the Sri Lankans, 1505 Ah?

Past President Aubrey Joachim invited the Lord Mayor of Hornsby, Nick Berman to pull the numbers out of the hat to award a range of ‘goodies’ from travel half way across the globe and a sari, roses, food and drink to the less lucky in a raffle that swelled the coffers of the Sri Lanka Association.

Aubrey kept up the good work marketing an air ticket, a photograph of the epic Kumar-Mahela partnership and Murali’s signatured ball to enhance the takings.

The event wound up with a vote of thanks by Dr Ruwan Walpola,

Sunil de Silva