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August 12, 2010
AYA Antranik Juvenile Dance Ensemble Performs Annual Showcase in Beirut
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Members of the AGBU AYA Antranik Dance Ensemble in Beirut.
On May 29 and 30 at the Hagop Der Melkonian Auditorium, the Beirut AYA Antranik Juvenile Dance Ensemble gave its annual showcase performances, which were dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The ensemble has 65 members from ages 6-19.
The first performance began after the crowd sang the anthems of Lebanon, Armenia, AGBU and AYA. Hayarpi Jeredjian delivered welcome remarks. She said that dance is an integral part of Armenian culture, and that through history, Armenians have expressed their joys and sorrows through dance. In attendance were Lebanese State Minister and Parliament Deputy Jean Oghasapian, and Parliament Deputy Shant Chinchinian.
The first performance was a piece based on Siamanto's renowned poem, "The Dance," written in the aftermath of the 1895-1896 Hamidian massacres. The dancers embodied scenes of pain and suffering, as well as the survival of the Armenian people. The music was performed by Sayat-Nova, Mychael Danna, and Alihan, with recitations by the well-known actor Vartan Megerdichian. The stage was designed by the prominent sculptor Raffi Tokatlian.
Next, the ensemble's youngest students, juniors, intermediates, seniors, and boys groups performed 12 dances, including "Girls' Dance" (music by Aram Khachaturian), "Morning in the Forest," "Flowering Cherry Tree," "There's Nothing like the Coolness of the Mountains" (a popular arrangement by the great Tatoul Altounian), and "New Dance."
The Beirut dance ensemble's artistic director is Gayane Madzounian, who has created a unique style by forging a link between classic and new movement. Madzounian took part in the program with a solo performance of "Armenian Eyes," the masterpiece by Robert Amirkhanian. The program ended with a series of ethnographic dances involving all age groups.
The dance ensemble and its director were deluged with bouquets of flowers and a storm of applause from the audience. The Beirut AYA Antranik Juvenile Dance Ensemble is participating in Lebanese-Armenian artistic events throughout the summer.
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