AZG Armenian Daily #097, 28/05/2005

Holiday

CIRCLE DANCE TO CELEBRATE THE FIRST REPUBLIC

87 years ago this day, May 28, first Armenian Republic was declared. To turn
the low-key national holiday into a nationwide event, the government has
organized a circle dace around Mount Aragats, highest in Armenia.

Some 250,000 Armenians have expressed willingness to dance around Mount
Aragats today. A steering committee handling the event that will be recorded
in the Guinness Book of Records, said officials on the ground are ordered to
set up special tents, movable toilets, to specify the lists of people
wishing to dance around the mountain and see also to all other preparations

Many Armenians from other countries are coming to Armenia to join the dance.
The chain of people will stretch for around 170 km and through 106 rural
settlements. The dance will be filmed by cameramen from four helicopters.

The 15-minute long dance will start at 3.00 pm with simple moves-to take a
step forth and then a step back. The participants in the round dance will
arrive at the mountainous stage on May 28, early in the morning. They will
form the circle an hour before the dance begins. And at 3 o’clock in the
afternoon sharp the first 15-minute Unity Round Dance around Mount Aragats
will commence to symbolize the unity of the nation.