On November 22, after the Sunday Holy Mass, the yard of the Saint Gevorg Church of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese in Tbilisi turned into a dance square where the attendees showed everyone the traditional Armenian “Kochari” dance.

The event was organized by the culture and youth divisions of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese under the leadership of Levon Chidilyan and Valery Badalyan. Among those attending the performance of the Armenian national “Kochari” dance were Adviser of the RA Embassy in Georgia Karen Melikyan, Second Secretary of the RA Embassy Elina Mkrtchyan, honorable figures of the Armenian community of Tbilisi, many faithful, schoolchildren, guests and foreigners.

The purpose of the event was to show that the “Kochari” is the most preserved and most common traditional dance of the Armenian Highland. The Republic of Armenia has submitted an application to have the dance be included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. With this event, the Armenians of Tbilisi expressed their support to the mother homeland’s initiative, writes armenianchurch.ge.

Conveying his blessing to the attendees, Primate of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, His Grace, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan praised the initiative of the divisions of the Diocese to play the music of the Armenian “Kochari” dance in the yard of the renovated and improved St. Gevorg Church and performing the beautiful round-dance symbolizing the unity of the Armenian nation. His Holiness reflected on the development of the combative dance and appreciated the strong spirit of combat in the dance that was created in the pre-Christian era and has been preserved to this day, which is also a manifestation of the Armenian identity.

Among those performing the “Kochari” dance in the yard of the Saint Gevorg Church were the Taron Dance Ensemble of Hayartun Center, Ani Dance Ensemble (dance instructor Angelina Nazaryan-Kochyan) and Vank Dance Ensemble led by dance instructor Liana Kashavanidze. People of all ages also joined the dancers.