Event a part of the foundation’s efforts to enrich UAE’s cultural scene
Dubai: The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation hosted a folkloric dance show titled the “Echoes of Armenia” performed by the Prof Art Dance Ensemble on Wednesday evening.
The Armenian show was inspired by a profound heritage that recounts traditional folk tales. Dressed in colourful hand-made costumes, the group performed a variety of traditional Armenian folk dances and musical pieces using common musical instruments from the Armenian culture.
The show included many folkloric dances and musical performances such as: Waltz dance by Aram Khachaturian, Kevork Garabedian music band, Vaspurakan dance group performing “Life and Battle” song, Kosher Yarkhusta folk dance, Zul Artsakh musical, Colours of Armenia dance, a Garden Rose song, Kinto dance, the Eagle song, Sayat-Nova dance, Caravan dance group, Shalakho dance and Shushi dance.
The event comes as part of the foundation’s efforts to enrich the UAE’s cultural scene and artistic movement, contributing to turn it into a leading cultural beacon in the region.
The Prof Art Dance is one of Armenia’s most well-known dance companies, founded and directed by artist Tigran Mnoyan, who studied dance at Khachatur Abovyan Armenian State Pedagogical University’s Faculty of Culture.
Mnoyan, a professional dancer, founded the Prof Art Dance Studio in 2014, which now has over 100 members.
The troupe consists of 30 professional dancers who have performed at many international theatres and festivals around the world, including the US, Russia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Oman, Bulgaria, Turkey and the UAE.
In 2019, the National Dance Art Union of Armenia awarded the troupe a first-class diploma on the fifth anniversary of the foundation of the Prof Art Dance Studio.
The event was attended by Abdul Hamid Ahmed, the foundation’s Secretary General, Bishop Mesrop Sarkissian, Archbishop of the Armenians in the UAE, Gegham Gharibjanian, Armenian Ambassador in the UAE, and a large number of Armenian public figures, intellectuals and media professionals.
Abdul Hamid Ahmed presented a memento to troupe leader Tigran Mnoyan and certificates of appreciation to the group members at the end of the show. He thanked them for their mesmerising performance, which reflected Armenia’s authentic heritage of and wished them continued success in their artistic careers.