DANCE STUDIO SHOWS A NEW MOVE
By Michael J. Arvizu

Glendale News Press
Nov 2 2009
CA

Grigori Sedrakyan helps students in his couples dance class with
their moves at Matador Dance Studio in Glendale last week. Sedrakyan
opened his own studio after renting for the past three years. (Scott
Smeltzer/News-Press)

Matador Dance Studio, is the culmination of a lifelong dream for
award-winning dancer Grigori Sedrakyan. After three years of having
to rent studio space, the classically trained dancer finally has a
studio he can call his own.

Matador, at 1814 Flower St. in Glendale, celebrated its grand opening
Wednesday.

Sedrakyan, who co-owns Matador Dance Studio with wife, Lilia, was
all smiles about his new studio and the opportunities that await him.

"It’s like a story that never ends," Sedrakyan said of his new studio.

"I try to pass whatever I achieve, whatever I have, all this, to my
students. It feels really good."

Before opening Matador Dance Studio, Sedrakyan would have to rent
space at various locations.

Matador, Sedrakyan said, is bigger and offers better amenities than
his old studios. The Flower Street studio offers space for private
instruction, showers, a kitchen and waiting room. Currently under
construction are a gym and a store that will be offered to parents
to buy dance supplies.

"Everything is different about this studio," said Ani Avetyan, whose
daughter, Ani Ratevosian, is a student of Sedrakyan’s. "It’s much
bigger and much nicer."

Having his own studio also gives him the freedom to come in whenever he
wants, giving his students more freedom to schedule private instruction
and for other instructors to schedule group classes, Sedrakyan said.

Sedrakyan offers classes for people of all ages — his youngest student
is 5, and his oldest student is 91. He tailors his teaching style to
fit his student’s age. Matador offers classes in international Latin
dancing (Sedrakyan’s specialty), ballroom dancing, international
ballroom dancing, salsa, samba and rumba. Other classes Matador is
looking to introduce include ballet and hip-hop.

Sedrakyan began dancing in his native Armenia. He has been an
instructor and student in Moscow, where he also competed. Sedrakyan
has also competed and taught in Ukraine and Lebanon.

When Sedrakyan moved to the United States, he began competing with
partner Lilit Avagryan. The couple went on to win the U.S. nationals,
becoming one of the top dance couples in the country. Avagryan is now
an instructor at Matador. For now, Sedrakyan has stopped competing
professionally so he can concentrate his efforts on teaching his
students, he said.

Sedrakyan has also choreographed shows in Las Vegas, most recently
assisting on the choreography for the show "Le RÃ~Cªve."

Sedrakyan, 27, has been teaching since he was 16, mentoring new
students in Armenia. By the time he began teaching, Sedrakyan was
already a dance champion.

"I’m happy that we have this studio," said Matador Dance Studio student
and instructor Mariam Narinyan, 18. "This one, I can come here any
time. We have all the time here. It’s much bigger. It’s like the
ballroom where I go and compete."

The new studio, Narinyan said, will give her more time to practice —
up to three or four hours, compared to the one hour she would have at
the old studios. Practicing for only one hour made her feel unprepared
for competition, Narinyan said.

"This studio is more fun for them," said Armine Boulankian of West
Hollywood, whose three kids are enrolled in classes at the studio.

Dance student Nare Aharonyan said the old studio was cramped, and
"most people didn’t get to dance." Aharonyan said the new studio will
give her more opportunities to dance, given that it’s much bigger, and
more freedom to express herself by taking advantage of a bigger space.

"Anybody can come here for their health, and to learn how to dance,"
Narinyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress