Dance in Sri Lanka Kandyan dance takes its name from Kandy , the last royal capital of Sri Lanka , which is situated about 120 kilometers from the modern capital at Colombo . This genre is today considered the classical dance of Sri Lanka. In Sanskrit terminology it is considered pure dance (nrtta); it features a highly developed system of "tala" (rhythm), provided by cymbals called "thalampataa". There are five distinct types; the ves, naiyandi, uddekki, pantheru, and vannams. The three classical dance forms differ in their styles of body-movements and gestures, in the costumes worn by the performers, and in the shape and size of the drums used to provide rhythmic sound patterns to accompany the dancing. The drum used in Kandyan dancing is known as the Geta Bera , the drum in Ruhunu (low country) dancing as the "Yak Bera", and ...