Ayerevan@ucla.edu
The Sayat Nova Dance Company, a non-profit volunteer dance ensemble based in Boston, Massachusetts, presented “Power in Rhythm,” a series of traditional and allegorical dances that reflect Armenia’s rich cultural heritage and national pride, on November 8, 2009 at the Glendale High School Auditorium.
Over sixty members of the company performed such dances as the traditional “Yamar Yan,” which featured women in elaborate costume, and the energetic “Lernabar,” part of a lively suite of dances performed to the tune of the Zourna and Dhol. The troop opened the two and a half hour performance with a modern number, featuring the dancers, dressed in black, in perfect synchrony under a dazzling display of lights. Guest singers Michael and Hovhannes Shahbazyan occasionally accompanied the dancers on stage, weaving through them as they sang.
The mood of the evening was somber at times, with dances depicting the deportations of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The evening culminated with a nationalistic fervor, including a dance depicting the liberation of Artsakh, in which a lone dancer representing Karabagh was rescued from villains with whips and knives by a marching brigade carrying the Armenian flag, and a finale which featured the entire company dressed in military uniform. The company was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation as they received gifts, flowers, and congratulations from a moved audience.
The Sayat Nova Dance Company, which takes its name from the famous 18th century Armenian bard, was founded in January 1986 by director Apo Ashjian and is dedicated to the “Preservation and Promotion of Armenian Culture through the art of dance.” The company regularly tours the United States, and has performed in Armenia twice, including a sold-out performance at the Yerevan Opera House. Director Apo Ashjian is also the founder of the Abaka Armenian School for Performing Arts, which teaches Armenian dance to children ages 3-16.
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