WALTHAM, Mass. — Apo Ashjian, of Waltham passed away peacefully on May 4, 2026 with his family by his side.
He was the husband of Arlet Ashjian; father of Alina Ashjian Palanjian and her husband Sevag, Garineh Ashjian and her husband Hrag, Vrej Ashjian and his girlfriend Megan Kaloukian; grandfather to Liana, Sevana, and Alique Palanjian, and Arek and Aren Thomasian. He was the son of the late Joseph and Alice Ashjian; brother of Sona Ashjian, Hagop Ashjian and his wife Arpie, and brother-in-law Alfred Ghoughasian; and uncle to Araz and Sariné Ashjian. He is also survived by many caring family members and dear friends.
Born in Aleppo, Syria, Apo moved to Lebanon at the age of 3 with his family. In 1970 he migrated to the U.S. with his family and settled in Cambridge. He later attended Northeastern University majoring in physical education and was a collegiate soccer player.
After moving to America, Apos’ parents felt it was important to preserve his Armenian identity and signed him up in as many Armenian youth organizations as possible. He joined the Tekeyan Cultural Association at the age of 17, and there he developed a passion for Armenian dance. This led him to direct the AGBU Daron Dance Ensemble in 1980 and the Hamazkayin Erebuni Dance Ensemble from 1981-1985.
In 1986, Apo and a few special individuals felt it was important to form an independent dance company, one free of any political or religious affiliation so that all individuals from all walks of life could join. This is when he founded the Sayat Nova dance Company of Boston in 1986 and directed its premiere performance that November to a sold-out audience. In October 1987, Ashjian traveled and studied with various dance ensembles throughout Armenia. He studied extensively with renowned choreographers and expert ethnographers and in 1994, he received his certification as an Armenian dance Director and Choreographer. In 1995, Apo also opened Abaka Dance Academy where he instilled the love of Armenian culture into the children of our community, giving generations of children something to belong to.
Through Sayat Nova Dance company of Boston and Abaka, the number of individuals that Apo has impacted is immeasurable. The lessons he taught went far beyond dance steps and choreography. He was a father figure and a role model, helping shape lives for countless individuals. His gentle guidance and grounding presence taught discipline and pride. By giving his life to something bigger than himself, he encouraged others to also lead a life with purpose. He did not only promote Armenian culture through dance, but also as a hairdresser, where he would educate his non-Armenian clients about Armenian culture and music. Many of his clients actually traveled to Armenia to visit the country after hearing from Apo about what a beautiful place it is.
