Paper short abstract:

This paper explores a Portuguese Burgher syncretic quadrille dance called láánsas including its development, the various forms to which it may have once referred and continuities in practice within changing cultural contexts revealing processes of intercultural contact, virtuosity and vitality.

Paper long abstract:

Portuguese Burgher performance centres around two types of syncretic quadrille. Of these káfriinha is the most common, culturally salient, commented upon and researched of their dance forms (Fernando 1895; Cardoso et al. 2019; Radhakrishnan 2021). The other form láánsas is more esoteric and rare and attracts scant mention in scholarship. However, láánsas is very highly regarded within the community, sometimes even higher than káfriinha. Observation and analysis of the music and movement in láánsas clearly evidences its origins in the famous 19th century Lancers Quadrille with some interesting transformations. Within the current Portuguese Burgher cultural context láánsas is given special status as it is trickier to perform than káfriinha and also viewed as older. This paper explores Portuguese Burgher discourse and practice around láánsas including its development, the various forms to which the name may have once referred and its continuity within a changing cultural context. Such an exploration deepens our understanding of intercultural contact in the Indian Ocean and the interplay between aesthetic virtuosity, value and vitality.

Cardoso, H. C., et al. (2019). "Documenting modern Sri Lanka Portuguese." Language Documentation and Conservation Special Publication No. 19, Documentation and Maintenance of Contact Languages from South Asia to East Asia, ed. by Mário Pinharanda-Nunes & Hugo C. Cardoso, pp.1–33, http:/nflrc.hawaii.edu/ldc/sp19

Fernando, C. M. 1895. "The Music of Ceylon." Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon) 13 (45): 183–189.

Radhakrishnan (2021): ‘Shake it and Dance': Portuguese Burgher Identity and the Performance of Káfriinha, The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology , DOI: 10.1080/14442213.2021.1922496