Mangalika Jayalath s journey from receptionist at Dubai’s Ballet Centre to head the school is one of hard work and turning points.’
Despite limited academic degrees, Mangalika Jayalath, by sheer dint of hard work and commitment, rose from receptionist at the Ballet Centre to head the school and even expand it. Tessy Koshy reveals how even a brush with cancer refused to get her down
In a leafy bylane of Jumeirah The Ballet Centre is an iconic residential landmark. Aspiring ballerinas have been matching steps inside since 1986, long before the other two famous landmarks of Dubai – Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa – took shape. The evening we visit, the small reception area is bustling with people. Chatty mommies sharing notes with each other, stocking-clad little ones rushing into a dance studio while a queue lines up to enquire about new class schedules.
Hurrying in and out of the adjoining cabin and the reception area is Mangalika Jayalath, the proprietor of the centre. Busy answering parents’ queries and reassuring students while guiding her staff, she is humble and unassuming keen to ensure that the Ballet Centre is run as a family-friendly school that students most often refer to as their second home. ‘I always think like a parent. As a mother of two, I want this institution to be a place where I would be proud to send my own children,’ she says.
Caring for the students as a mom and considering the staff as her own family are the some of the secrets of her success – reasons that saw her rise from the role of a receptionist to principal and proprietor in a span of just 15 years.
When Kathleen Dean, mother of Terry Dean (the Ballet Centre’s founder), wanted to hand over the much admired institute to trusted hands, Mangalika was her choice. Terry, a UK trained ballerina and tap dancer had established the school in 1986 with the help of a few friends here. Unfortunately, Terry lost her life to colon cancer in 2000. Since her death, her mother Kathleen had been running the centre.
‘I still get goosebumps when I remember that day in 2012 when Kathleen handed over the keys to me,’ Mangalika says, eyes welling up as she recalls that memorable March evening. ‘We were all dining at a restaurant in Jumeirah. After the meal, Kathleen presented me with a pearl ring belonging to her daughter Terry and said she wanted me to have it. I was very emotional and said ‘I can’t take it’. Kathleen, however, persisted and told me that she had also decided to entrust the centre to me.’
Mangalika and her family – husband Bandara Wanninayaka, son Kanishka and daughter Kritika – were surprised with Kathleen’s decision. Although they were close as a family and Mangalika’s kids looked up to Kathleen as a grandparent, taking over ownership of the centre seemed like a huge responsibility. ‘Kathleen had made up her mind. And when she said, ‘I want the centre to go to the right people, who will keep my daughter’s dream alive’, I was deeply touched and felt honoured by the gesture.’
Kathleen’s decision speaks volumes of Mangalika’s abilities and attitude. Hands on, in every aspect of the running of the Ballet Centre, she always kept people and relationships first, never forgetting her humble roots.
Born in a middle class family in Kurunegala, near Kandy in Sri Lanka in 1972, Mangalika had never seen let alone heard about any form of ballet. With neither prestigious degrees nor great language skills to boast – in fact due to political unrest in the region she could not pursue studies beyond high school – Mangalika trained to be a nursery school teacher.
Arriving in Dubai at the age of 21, she did a few odd jobs before her marriage to Bandara in 1995. She was happy being a homemaker until one evening in July 2003 ‘while returning home from the beach, Kanishka and I spotted the Ballet Centre, a few blocks away from our home’. She made a mental note to apply for a job hoping to supplement the family income.’
Two months later in September 2003, after a brief interview, Mangalika was appointed as a receptionist at the Ballet Centre. ‘Initial days were tough. I was getting back to work after a long gap, and there were many new things I was unaccustomed to. But I was keen to learn and took it as a challenge.’
She immersed herself in her work, going beyond the duties of a receptionist, always ready to assist in several other jobs at the ballet centre. As she was working late in the evening and even during the weekends, her son Kanishka literally grew up at the centre. ‘He would be there after school, doing his homework and sometimes taking classes, he even learnt ballet for some time,’ she quips.
A quick leaner, hardworking and dedicated, Mangalika soon became an important team member at the centre and grew quite close to Kathleen. Five years into her job, she was promoted to manager. ‘I started handling
She immersed herself in work, going beyond the duties of a receptionist, always ready to assist in several other jobs at the centre
finance, media, staff management and also assisting at the reception when required.’ Whenever possible she added to her skills by doing short-term courses.
In 2010 she had a baby girl. Balancing motherhood and her duties at the ballet centre – with equal ease Mangalika became the most apt choice for the job of proprietor when Kathleen wanted to retire and return to the UK.
With her new responsibilities, Mangalika immersed herself yet again deeper into work channelising all her energies in developing the centre into one of the best dance schools in the UAE. ‘Knowledge is important but of more value is honesty. Terry considered the whole centre and the team as a family and I try to maintain that sentiment. The staff are all my friends and my extended family.’
The new title did not rest heavy on her shoulders. A committed team player, ‘I made sure the teachers were happy. My staff should wake up and look forward to coming to work,’ she says. She ensured their benefits were paid on time, and offered surprise vacations and staycations to keep them motivated. With her persistence and hard work she was able to put everything back in order and went on to open The Ballet Centre’s first branch in Motor City in 2014.
The expansion of the centre earned more respect and boosted her confidence. Then something unexpected happened – Mangalika was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer in 2016. ‘It was a shock; I had the same cancer that Terry had.’ Mangalaika’s daughter was only five years old and she wondered ‘how she would cope up without me? I was worried for my young children.’
During the treatment that went on for a year, the ballet centre family stood firmly by her. The manager Karen Monkhouse managed the centre while Bandara and Kanishka also actively took care of the centre’s affairs. ‘I was informed about all the developments at the school every day. Even when ill my mind was more at my workplace. This made me all the more determined to fight cancer and get back to work.’
It took a year for Mangalika to be cancerfree. The worst was over. She was grateful to have survived and now wanted to help others going through trying times. ‘I had seen the worst. This inspired me to do my bit for cancer research and for those who are not as fortunate as me to get good treatment.’
The Ballet Centre decided to donate the proceeds of their annual show for this noble initiative. Over 130 students staged the Alice in Wonderland ballet show in January 2018 and were able to raise Dh75,000. This amount was donated to Al Jalila Foundation for Cancer Research. ‘From the parents to teachers and students – everyone pitched in selflessly to make the show a success. There were eager volunteers, generous offers for ticket sale and endless rehearsals that made it happen.’
Next on Mangalika’s wish list is a third branch of the ballet centre in Dubai. Today over 1,500 students attend performing art classes annually at their two centres. Students from age three to 18 attend classes in theatre, art, ballet and taekwondo. ‘There is so much talent around me. All I can do is give them a platform to express their creativity. At the end of every successful ballet show I feel euphoric and so proud. That’s the feeling that motivates me everyday.’