Tribute to Resistance

Join us in Munich for the 4th edition, specially dedicated to Resistance. 

November 9 marks a painful memory for Armenians, the 2020 ceasefire in Artsakh. Five years on, we gather through folk song & dance to commemorate, celebrate resistance, and carry forward our unbroken cultural thread.

Registration is required (Dinner registrations are closed)

Instragram official communication

This event is organized by Armenian Folk in Motion, hosted by Khoyak Folk group and supported by AGBU Germany, Hovhannes Tumanyan School, Frauenarztpraxis Planegg and Armenische Landsmannschaft in Bayern.

Armenian Folk in Motion: Avand (Paris, FR), Gamar (Geneva, CH), Gandzak (Brussels, BE), Khoyak (Munich, DE), Nemrut (Mechelen, BE).

Exploring the Life Cycle of Dance

Theory of Traditional Dance Studies

 Speaker: Garegin Masuryan

Life Cycle of Dance

FOLKLORE COLLECTION – RESEARCH – STAGING – REVIVAL

Folkore collection 

• Origins 

• Principles 

• Future

Reaserch

• Comparing 

• Analyzing 

• Preserving

Staging

• History 

• Differences  

• Principles 

• Purpose

Revivel 

• Methods 

• Dissemination 

• Appreciation

1․ The origins of folklore collection

Movses Khorenatsi

A 5th-century Armenian historian. In his fundamental work “History of the Armenians,” he discussed key questions regarding the origin of the Armenian people, as well as the remnants of pagan and earlier cultural elements preserved in folklore and mythology up to his time.

Raffi

1832–1888: Armenian author, publicist, and public figure. In his novels, short stories, and essays, he frequently depicted the lifestyle, customs, and cultural expressions of the Armenian people. His legacy includes numerous references to and descriptions of the festivals and rituals that were common among Armenians during that period.

Ghevont Alishan

1820–1901: A member of the Benedictine Congregation of the Mechitarists, he was an Armenian poet, philologist, historian, geographer, and translator. From 1872 onward, he devoted himself entirely to scholarly work. He was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French Academy, was an honorary member and Doctor of the Jena Philosophical Academy and belonged to several Italian and Russian scholarly societies.

Sargis Haykuni

1832–1908: Armenian ethnographer and folklore collector. He studied the lifestyle and customs of Armenians as well as of neighboring peoples. He recorded the Ararat, Moks, Shatakh, and Khlat versions of The Daredevils of Sasun, along with the epic poem Mokos. He compiled and published his collected folklore materials (in about 50 dialects) in the volumes of the Eminyan Ethnographic Collection.

Spiridon Melikyan

1880–1933: Armenian composer and conductor. He composed works in various musical genres and is best known for his distinctive arrangements of folk songs. He also authored musicological studies and collections of folk music. In particular, his two-volume work Armenian Folk Songs and Dances is of great significance.

Yervand Lalayan

1864–1931: Armenian ethnographer, folklore collector, and archaeologist. In 1895, he founded the Ethnographic Journal, and in 1906 established the Armenian Ethnographic Society. Lalayan collected and published highly valuable folklore materials, both in the Ethnographic Journal and in separate volumes. He recorded thousands of fairy tales, fables, and proverbs, and conducted extensive archaeological excavations.

The Pillars of Dance Collection

Komitas

1869–1935. Armenian musicologist, folklorist, and founder of the Armenian school of composition. He devoted most of his life to collecting, arranging, and promoting the awareness of Armenian folk music. He recorded approximately 2,000 traditional songs and instrumental pieces, and was among the first to notate Armenian traditional dances — producing a total of eight examples accompanied by textual descriptions.

Srbui Lisitsian

1893–1979. Armenian ethnographer, art scholar, honored scientist of the Armenian SSR, Doctor of Philosophy, folklorist, founder of Armenian ethnochoreology, and one of the first organizers of dance education in Armenia. She was the author of the fundamental works “Ancient Dances and Theatrical Performances of the Armenian People” and “Kinetography: A System for Recording Movement.”

Zhenya Khachatryan

Renowned Armenian ethnographer, dance scholar, and folklorist, Candidate of Philological Sciences, and student of S. Lisitsian. Her research focused on Armenian traditional dances, festive and ritual customs, and folk shadow theatre. The central focus of her work was the dance culture of the Javakhk Karno-Hay (Armenians from the Karin region), the Hamshen Armenians, and Armenians from other ethnographic regions.

Emma Petrosyan

**1934 – ** Armenian ethnographer and dance scholar, Doctor of Choreology, and student of S. Lisitsian. Her entire professional career was devoted to the study of Armenian traditional culture, particularly folk theater, dance, iconography, and related fields. In her early years, she actively engaged in folklore collection and directed traditional dance ensembles within the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography.

Rudik Haroyan

1948–2013. Armenian folklorist, dance instructor, and ethnographer, Candidate of Economic Sciences. He was actively engaged in dance collection and dance education both in Armenia and abroad. He founded and directed several traditional song and dance ensembles, including Masunk, Peria, Naroy, Kaputan, Hamshen, Nig, Gohar, and others.

Gagik Ginosyan

1966–2024. Armenian dance scholar and folklorist, Honoured Cultural Figure of the Republic of Armenia. He was the founder of the Karin Folk Song and Dance Ensemble and the National Song and Dance Academy NGO. For nearly three decades, he was dedicated to the promotion of Armenian traditional culture and initiated the National Song and Dance and Parq Banakats programs, implemented in public schools and within the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.

• Emphasis on the preservation of national identity and cultural heritage

• Prevention of the loss of traditional dance forms and other expressions of intangible culture

• Creation of a scientific and educational database to support future research and transmission

• Gaps in the memory of tradition-bearers and inaccurate transmission of knowledge

• Borrowed or distorted traditions resulting in the loss of authenticity

• Lack of qualified specialists and technical equipment

• Digitalization, classification, and archiving of materials according to predefined indicators

• Ensuring accessibility for scientific, educational, and cultural programs

• Study of the work conducted by previous folklorists and researchers

• Use of structured questionnaires and effective communication techniques during fieldwork

• Conducting group interviews to address and fill gaps in collective memory

2․Research

Current methods for research and precise documentation of traditional dance

Stage 1

Study of the everyday cultural traditions of the given ethnographic region

Collecting information using the Dance-Based Identity (Parahen) Methodology

• History of the region

• Topographical and climatic conditions

• Customs, beliefs, and aspects of daily life

• Dialect and linguistic characteristics

• Occupations and traditional handicrafts

• Traditional costumes and adornments

• Food culture, dishes, and cuisine

Additionally:

• Study of previously documented ethnographic materials and comparison of common elements across regions and sources

Stage 2

Interdisciplinary analysis through the lens of the exact and natural sciences

• Alignment of dance movements with the fundamental laws of nature, particularly those of physics

• Adjustment of dance steps in accordance with anatomical characteristics

• Clarification of dance structures through spatial and geometric principles

Stage 3

Consolidation of the final material through all available means, followed by its classification and preservation.

• Recording the dance using the Kaqavagir (movement notation) method

• Decoding and musical annotation of the dance’s melodies and rhythmic structures

• Textual documentation of the song lyrics and comprehensive description of the dance movements

• Archiving and preservation of the audiovisual recordings (if available) with proper classification and metadata

Revival of the “Karno Kochari” Dance

“It is also impossible to ignore the Kochari dance of Karin (Erzurum).
Its only section, performed rather slowly, consists of a dance figure made up of sixteen movements.
The hands are joined palm to palm, directed downward, and the dancers stand shoulder to shoulder.

The first eight movements form the usual “two steps forward, two steps back” dance pattern, in which there is no shifting of body weight.
In both directions, each step is accompanied by a double knee bend.

On the 4th movement, the left foot performs a motion in the sixth position, accompanied by the straightening of the knees, followed by a single knee bend.
On the 8th movement, during the same motion of the right foot, the double knee bend continues.

The next eight movements are quite distinctive.
The addition of these eight movements undoubtedly has a certain imitative content —
two knee bends and straightenings on one foot, and, without changing place, two bends and straightenings on the other foot.
Of course, it is difficult today to determine what was being imitated.

The rhythm of these knee bends and straightenings was particularly interesting — they alternated with the double jumps of the first half of the dance figure.
It is also noteworthy that all of this together was called Kochari.

The overall plan of the participants’ movement along the entire line contains no turns.”

S. Lisitsian, “Ancient Dances and Theatrical Performances of the Armenian People,” 1958

3. Stage Interpretation

1920s–1930s: The Awakening of Choreographed Folk Dance

Studio movement

• “Studio of Artistic Speech, Rhythm, and Plasticity” – founded in 1917
  Srbuhi Lisitsian, Tiflis (now Tbilisi)

• “Ensemble of Armenian Traditional Dances” – founded in 1925
  Vahram Aristakesyan

• “Studio of Rhythm and Plasticity” – founded in 1927
  Anna Durinyan

• “State Technical College of Rhythm, Movement, and Physical Education” (now the State Choreographic College) – founded in 1930
  Srbuhi Lisitsian, First Director

• “Armenian Folk Dance Group” – founded in 1938
  Srbuhi Lisitsian

• “Ensemble of Armenian Traditional Songs and Dances” (now the Armenian State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble) – founded in 1938
  Tatoul Altunyan

1960s–1980s: The Renaissance of Choreographed Folk Dance

The Earliest Folk Dance Groups

• “Ashnag” Independent Folk Dance Group – founded in 1956
  Vahram Aristakesyan

• “Vaspurakan” Ensemble of Ancient Traditional Dances – established in the 1970s
  Emma Petrosyan

• “Mush–Taron” Independent Folk Dance Group – established in the 1970s
  Zhenya Khachatryan

• “Akounk” Folk Ensemble – founded in 1974
  Maro Muradyan

• “Van” Folk Song and Dance Ensemble – founded in 1979
  Hayrik Muradyan

• “Naroy” Folk Ensemble – founded in 1986
  Rudik Haroyan

• “Sasoun” Folk Song and Dance Ensemble – founded in 1988
  Andranik Manukyan

2000–2015: The New Era of Dance Staging and Promotion

Widespread Growth in the Number of Folk Dance Groups

• “Tsovak” and “Karin” Folk Song and Dance Ensembles – founded in 2001
  Gagik Ginosyan
  (with more than 20 affiliated ensembles)

• “Noubar” Traditional Song and Dance Group – founded in 2006
  Lusine Nazaryan

• “Masounq” Folk Ensemble – originally founded in 1986, reestablished in 2007
  Rudik Haroyan

• “Sasna Tsrer” Folk Ensemble – founded in 2011
  Hovhannes Mkrtchyan

• “Areg” Folk Song and Dance Ensemble – 2013
  Artavazd Ayvazyan

• “Menk” Folk Song and Dance Ensemble – 2013
  Stepan Toroyan

• “Kayt” Folk Song and Dance Ensemble – 2014
  Koryun Davtyan

• “Lernapar” Folk Song and Dance Ensemble – 2010
  Gagik Ginosyan

Forms of Staging Traditional Dances

1. Adaptation to Stage Conditions
   The adaptation of a folk dance to the conditions of the stage, where it is performed in its unaltered, authentic form—preserving the characteristics accepted within the environment of its practitioners.
   In this case, only partial modifications are introduced, arising from the practical necessities of stage performance.
   Thus, the genuine folk creation is not staged in the theatrical sense, but rather adapted to the conditions of stage presentation.

1. Choreographic Arrangement of Folk Dance
   The choreographic arrangement of a folk dance in which the performance remains primarily grounded in folk tradition, yet undergoes certain structural or stylistic modifications.

1. Stage Interpretation by a Professional Choreographer
   The stage interpretation of a folk dance by a professional choreographer who, while preserving the stylistic and traditional features of folk dance art, enriches it through personal creative expression.
   In this case, the folk dance serves as a thematic and inspirational source for the choreographer’s artistic composition.

When a traditional dance is brought to the stage, its ritual essence and original purpose inevitably undergo transformation.
The dance becomes somewhat distanced from its immediate emotional and communal context, which, in turn, places greater responsibility on the performers.

New challenges emerge in the process of stage presentation, including constraints of duration (typically 3–10 minutes), stage dimensions, and the corresponding number of performers.
Furthermore, practical factors—such as avoiding turning one’s back to the audience, maintaining the integrity of the dance’s movement patterns, and achieving the appropriate lighting and sound effects—introduce additional artistic and technical difficulties.

“Many dance movements today are simply staged incorrectly.
Instead of the naturally soft, half-open hand that is characteristic of Armenian dance, one often sees fingers spread wide apart.
Female dancers frequently perform with ballet-inspired arm positions, extending their hands and fingers in a manner reminiscent of Italian or French ballet techniques—sometimes so inconsistently that it is unclear which school they are attempting to emulate.
None of these stylizations bear any genuine connection to the spirit or essence of Armenian dance.”

Emma Petrosyan

“We often encounter intolerable, unprincipled, tasteless, and poor-quality “stagings” that amount to nothing more than vulgar distortions of genuine folk dance elements.

The interpretation of certain folk dances is indeed possible; however, it must be approached with the utmost care, grounded in a profound understanding of the dance’s character, and executed with impeccable artistic taste.”

 S. Lisitsyan

“Instead of what is purely national, we are often shown what is merely “Oriental”;
instead of what is authentically traditional, we see what is artificially modern—“programmed” or “staged”—and distinctly European or classical in form.
As a result, while watching such performances, one can hardly discern whether what is being presented is a folk dance, a ballet, an artistic gymnastics routine, or even a circus act.”

 Paruyr Sevak

Within the Framework of Folk Dance Staging

Not Permitted

• Alteration of dance steps and the introduction of unnatural movements of the limbs.

• Dominance of choreography over the original dance (at least 51% of the staging must remain authentic).

• Modification of the overall direction of spatial movement of the dance.

• Changes in the number of dance or musical counts, steps, or musical measures.

• Performance of the dance to different melodies when an authentic dance song or tune exists (with certain exceptions).

• Deviation from the original final formation of the dance line or composition.

• Distortion of traditional stage costumes.

Permitted

• Change of step direction while preserving the dance steps themselves (e.g., “1 count – right foot to the right” = “1 count – right foot forward”).

• Rearrangement or repetition of dance sections (A, B, C → A, C, B → A, C, C → A, B, B, etc.).

• Pauses on the supporting foot, maintaining the correct count measure.

• Division of the dance line into sections, preferably while preserving the handhold.

• Combination of multiple variants of the same dance.

• Rotations of the body around its axis (within 90°–180°).

• Inclusion of improvisation, limited to a maximum number of counts equal to one full dance phrase.

The stage production must include five main components:

1. Prologue

2. Beginning

3. Development

4. Climax

5. Epilogue

“The stage and the altar are alike; one must always ascend the stage with the same calling with which the apostle ascends the altar.”

 Gagik Ginosyan

1. Bringing the Dance Back to the People

Methods

• Formation of long-term and short-term (three-month) amateur dance groups

• Organization of open-access dance classes and workshops

• Production of educational videos and series combining theoretical and practical components, available on public platforms

• Regular concerts and performances

• Inclusion of the “Folk Song and Dance” subject in public and private schools

• Implementation of the “Parq Banakats” program for military dance training within certain units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia

Consequences

• Comprehensive training in both theoretical and practical aspects of dance

• Wide public engagement and attraction of new participants

• Remote learning opportunities, ensuring precise retention of material and providing accessible support in case of forgetting

• Opportunities for public presentation and artistic appreciation

• Introduction to traditional culture from adolescence, fostering national identity and values

• Strengthening of unity among military personnel, promoting psychological well-being, moderate physical conditioning, and meaningful cultural recreation

Results

Extensive public promotion, enhancement of national consciousness and self-awareness, prevention of cultural loss, widespread dance education reaching hundreds of thousands, creation of new cultural initiatives, and the revitalization of other traditional art forms.

Risks

Difficulties in maintaining consistent instructional quality, uneven regional distribution, and potential distortions caused by uncoordinated individual initiatives.