Twenty-first Century Philadelphia Cotillion Connects Generations of Armenian Americans

On Saturday, June 20, 26 young men and women ushered the 2009 AGBU Philadelphia cotillion into the 21st century with a program of powerful words, music, dance and multimedia displays at the Sheraton-University City in Philadelphia.

In an elegant integration of Armenian heritage and contemporary American culture, young Armenian Americans took part in the event which symbolically marked their entry into multidimensional Armenian-American adult life. During the event, they performed a sophisticated Armenian dance under the direction of longtime choreographer Fran Torcomian.

An elaborate keepsake program booklet, rich with biographical accounts and photographs, captured the essence of the participants, which the cotillion organizers referred to as "cotillionaires." This term was coined to describe "a new kind of cotillion participant, male or female, who is all-at-once proud of the past yet grounded in the present and confident to link the two together," said cotillion parent Melissa Selverian, who co-chaired the event with husband Richard and cotillion parents Yvonne and Paul Fereshetian.

"After all, these are the young men and women who ventured bravely off of Facebook to bridge the gap between the digital social network and the more-than-40-year-old live cotillion network. In so doing, they changed the cotillion for the better, making it more relevant in the lives of young Armenian Americans today," she explained.

Mixing the live and digital social networks and the past with the present, the cotillion featured a through-the-years multimedia presentation and an intergenerational dance starring many of the participants. Katrina Selverian produced and presented a biographical video and slide show of the participants and the Ararat Dance Ensemble, led by directors Toros Torcomian and Christopher Torcomian, captured the timelessness of the affair in a captivating impromptu performance that included the leaders and members of the original ensemble from three decades ago.

Guest speaker, alumna Julie Paretchan of the AGBU Cotillion of 1999, confirmed the enduring power and relevance of the cotillion to the city's Armenian-American community. She reflected on how the cotillion had brought her parents together in marriage, and had allowed her brother to form strong friendships with fellow Armenians. She said that she also benefited from many friendships as a result of the cotillion. She recently resettled in Philadelphia and she is proud to lead the next generation of Armenian Americans by volunteering her time with the newly formed local AGBU Young Professionals committee--YP Philadelphia.

"Cotillion alumni have a special connection with the event," Selverian told guests, describing how the 2009 event "grew from the hearts and minds of cotillion alums."

"Countless friendships made in cotillions over the last four decades are long-lasting and unsurpassed," she said. "I know my husband Richard and my co-chairs Yvonne and Paul Fereshetian share these sentiments as cotillion alumni."

Longtime AGBU Philadelphia members and community leaders, George Yacoubian and Liz Barone, toasted the participants and the committee for rejuvenating the affair.

Special thanks were extended to the sponsors of the evening, particularly Clara Marie Samelian, who honored the memory of her parents, John and Araxie Samelian, on the back cover of the keepsake program booklet. The Samelians were longtime members of AGBU Philadelphia, and Araxie Samelian was the co-founder of the Philadelphia cotillion dinner dance, which debuted in 1966.

The 2009 cotillionaires are Michael Berge Alexanian, Stephanie Hripsime Alexanian, Niki Nubar Arakelian, Serop Buldukyan, Cerise Setta Fereshetian, Damon Raffi Fereshetian, Jasmine Ani Fereshetian, Allison Sonya Injaian, James Keshgegian, Karine Keshgegian, Richard Avedis Keshgegian, Harout Nalbandian, Gabrielle Nazeni Pakhtigian, Garineh Ara Panosian, Katrina Maritza Selverian, Sara Seerarpy Selverian, Maritsa Suzanne Sherenian, Michael Sherenian, Talene Beatrice Soghomonian, Alyssa Talene Sookiasian, Paul Vartan Sookiasian, Mark Tekirian, Alex Deron Torcomian, Ana Francesca Torcomian, Christopher Torcomian and Matthew Robert Zakian.