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Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston Brings Armenian History and Culture to Life in South Florida
By Mercedes Gechidjian
FLArmenians Miami Contributor
BOCA RATON, FL – What does it mean to be an Armenian? What have the Armenian people been through in 3,000 years? How have we flourished as a people and as a nation? These are some of the questions that Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston’s (SNDC) production A Journey Through Time answered during their powerful performance on Saturday, January 24 at Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton.
The event was held in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, in which 1.5 million Armenians were brutally tortured and killed by Turkish nationalists. The show took the audience on a magical and heartfelt journey through Armenian history, in which the adoption of Christianity, the genocide, and the creation of a free and independent Armenia were portrayed.
The program was organized into two parts. Part one, consisted of a travel through time, in which the audience met famed Armenian hero’s Saint Gregory the Illuminator in Khor Virab and Vartan Mamigonian in the Battle of Avarayr, among many others. Yet, the most agonizing encounter was with the twenty brides of Adana in 1909, where the audience saw the gruesome execution of twenty, innocent, young women. Part two, on the other hand, celebrated the many cultural and melodic dances of the Armenian culture, including crowd favorites, Kochari* and Nare Nare.* This part of the production showed that, even amid tragedy, Armenians have always managed to stay connected to their roots and the essence of being Armenian; in addition to finding both peace and courage through the art of music and dancing.
According to the definition by SNDC: Kochari- “Is an ancient national, ritual dance symbolizing movements that express the sense of “fighting the battle of life.” Nare Nare- “[is a] festive dance celebrating the spirit, love, and allegiance of Armenians to their homeland.”
This wonderful event would not have been possible without the Armenian Genocide Commemoration, Inc. (AGC) and their efforts to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide in Florida. Their mission is to educate Armenian and non-Armenians in the local community on a very dark time in world history. “I felt proud, relieved, wired,” stated Arsine Kaloustian, the Public Affairs Director of Florida Armenians and Chairman of AGC. “A lot of people and a lot of work went into bringing Sayat Nova to Florida. There were a lot of moving parts to this and to watch it come together so seamlessly was energizing. To know that it was the first official event in the USA that was commemorating the centennial was very emotional for me,” Kaloustian said.
With over 700 tickets sold, Sayat Nova’s A Journey Through Time was a great success for the Armenian community of Florida, and encouraged all of us to help raise awareness and seek justice towards the atrocities that occurred in 1915. As the Armenian proverb states, “If the village stands, it can break a trunk (strength increases unity).”
South Florida Community Commemorates Armenian Genocide
Mayor of Boca Raton Proclaims April 24, 2014 as Armenian Martyrs’ Day
BOCA RATON, FL – On Thursday, April 24, hundreds of members, friends, academics, clergy and human rights activists from the South Florida Armenian American community gathered at St. David Armenian Church to commemorate the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Armenians around the world commemorate the genocide on April 24, when in 1915 Turkish authorities arrested some 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople. Thereafter, Armenians were uprooted from their homes and forced to march for hundreds of miles, depriving them of food and water, to the desert of what is now Syria. Over 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children perished in 1915-1923 in what historians recognize as the Armenian Genocide. While 23 countries have officially recognized the events of the period as genocide, Turkey denies the word genocide as an accurate description of the events. In recent years, it has faced repeated calls to accept the events as genocide, but has refused to do so.
Boca Raton City Councilman Mike Mullaugh attended the commemorative service and read a proclamation from Susan Haynie, Mayor of Boca Raton, which announced April 24th 2014 as Armenian Martyrs’ Day. The proclamation called upon the citizens of Boca Raton “to join all Armenians worldwide to observe the 99th commemoration of Martyrs’ Day in the hope that these days of infamy will never be forgotten.”
As the Armenian community commemorated 99 years of a genocide unrecognized by its perpetrators, the focus of the program echoed a growing shift. Instead of looking to the past, the evening highlighted the survival of the Armenian people and looked to the future, through artistic expression. Mr. Taniel Koushakjian, Communications Director of the Armenian Assembly of America, served as master of ceremonies and took the crowd through the evening’s events. The program included several artistic performances by local Armenians. Some read poetry, others played the piano or violin, while still others danced or performed vocally.
Fr. Galstyan of St. David Armenian Church and Fr. Joulfayan of St. Mary Armenian Church offered the memorial service for the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Fr. Saba of Saint George Cathedral, Rabbi Rosenkranz of Congregation B’nai Israel, Rev. Endruschat of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Fr. Leondis and Fr. Klund of St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church, Archpriest Gvosdev of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Fr. Marashlian and Fr. Jebejian were also in attendance.
This year’s commemoration followed on the heels of the April 12th Walk Against Genocide in Mizner Park, a walkathon organized to raise funds for genocide awareness, community outreach and advocacy for more comprehensive genocide education in Florida public schools.
David Silvers, Candidate for Florida House District 89, addressed the crowd of over 250 walkathon participants that day: “The actions of the Ottoman Empire perpetrated on the Armenian people was and is an affront to all of humanity. I strongly believe that politics shouldn’t get in the way of facts. It’s a fact 1.5 million Armenians died as a result of this genocide. It’s a fact that national, state, and local governments all over the world have recognized this genocide. It’s a fact that all of the lives lost mattered and refusing acknowledgment of this genocide is the type of political gamesmanship that’s beneath the American people.”
Both the April 12th Walk Against Genocide and April 24th commemorative service at St. David Armenian Church were organized by the Armenian Genocide Commemoration (AGC) Inc., a nonprofit organization comprised of representatives from various Armenian American organizations and churches in South Florida.
AGC Inc is dedicated to observing the Armenian Genocide, as well as bringing awareness to the public on all genocides. The committee was incorporated in February 2014 and is comprised of representatives from the following South Florida organizations: St. David Armenian Church, St. Mary Armenian Church, Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian National Committee of America, Armenian Relief Society, Florida Armenians, Homenetmen, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, and Knights of Vartan.
Florida Armenians 