The worst attack since the end of the country's 27-year civil war shocked Sri Lanka – known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean – on Easter Sunday. The series of coordinated bomb blasts in churches and hotels left over 300 people dead and hundreds more injured.

However tragic the incident, Sri Lankans have demonstrated the fortitude to weather such grief and anger, given their turbulent history, which dates backs to the sixth century B.C. Warfare, turmoil and poverty have failed to wipe the optimism from the people living on what 13th-century explorer Marco Polo christened as the “the finest island of its size in the world.”

Among its sumptuous cultural relics, "Pandam Paliya" – the country's traditional dance – stands out as a repertoire in almost all pageants. One of the must-see performances, the fire dance was originally designed to drive darkness out of the night, to scare away fear, anxiety and ailments brought about by “evil spirits.”

The fireball dancers continue to captivate tourists given the performance's risk as well as beauty. After all, it is playing with fire. “Even though fire is dangerous, young kids have innate abilities to handle it,” said Ilandari Thilakarathana from Peliyagoda. Born in 1953, he is a professional fireball dancer who has received presidential awards every year since 1978. He now trains young people to inherit this tradition, allowing the next generation to support themselves with the art.

Infusing the fire dance with his own style, Thilakarathana ultimately created a unique choreography by incorporating Angampora, a kind of ancient Sri Lankan martial arts.

In Sri Lanka, playing with fire is deemed an essential way to foster patience, perseverance and courage to tide over ordeals. Although dangerous, experimenting with fire has also allowed humans to tame nature and form civilizations. Greek philosopher Heraclitus described the entire cosmos as “an ever-living fire.” 

For Thilakarathana and his apprentices, playing with fire reinforces their faith in them and refining their dancing is a life-long pursuit.