Sayat Nova Celebrates 25th Anniversary with a Look Back at History

Another dance, “Yarkhoushda,” told the story of the battle of Vartanantz. Of course, the group’s namesake, the

ashough (or troubadour) Sayat Nova received a special tribute. In addition to a dance in his honor, various poems by him were recited during the evening.

One dance in particular, the “Dance of the 20 Brides,” was difficult to watch without emotion, as it portrayed the deaths of young Armenian brides killed by Ottoman authorities during the Armenian Genocide. The brides try to escape immolation after rejecting the advances of the Ottoman soldiers.

The dancers and some clever effects brought to life the tragic fate of the young women. Various historical characters, including Komitas Vartabed, came to life on the stage. The second half of the program was much lighter in tone, with bright costumes, high energy and graceful dancing.

The most sustained applause was for the first dance in the second half, that of the alumni from the very beginning of SNDC. The men, much greyer, truly relished their chance to be back on stage. They seemed to be experiencing many emotions: shyness after so long away from the stage, excitement at being back and performing this time in front of their children, and sheer exhaustion after being away from regular rehearsals. The audience embraced them wholeheartedly, with thunderous applause.

The older women performed next, more subdued but no less excited about being back, with wide grins on their faces.