On the first day of spring, Nairi Armenian Folk Dance Group of Nizhni Novgorod celebrated its 10^th anniversary with a concert held at one of the largest concert halls in the city.

As reported Regina Safaryan to Hayern Aysor, the event began with the reading of information sent from the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, according to which artistic director of Nairi Armenian Folk Dance Group Karine Kocharyan was awarded with the Komitas Medal for disseminating Armenian arts abroad and making significant contributions to the development of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership, while the dance group’s dance instructor Anahit Saribekyan was awarded with a certificate.

Everyone was in a festive mood. The high appreciation of the Armenian government was unquestionably the fruit of the directors’ hard work and unconditional dedication to Armenian arts. When choreographing dances, stage director/dance instructor Anahit Saribekyan aspires to preserve the traditions of Armenian dance and show her individual approach at the same time. Every dance performed by Nairi Armenian Folk Dance Group is a staged act that is unique in terms of style and beauty. Thanks to her talent and extraordinary organizational skills, Karine Kocharyan has gathered 150 children for whom the dance group has become a second family. The absolute majority of those children were born and raised in the Russian Federation. Many have trouble speaking Armenian, but the language of dance regenerates everything that is part of Armenia and the Armenians in their souls. Every dance lesson is also a lesson about the history of the Armenian people and is part of the national upbringing.

The dance group has given concerts and performances in not only the Russian Federation, but also abroad and has always returned with awards. The group has also participated in the festivals held in Armenia. Nairi Armenian Folk Dance Group collaborates with the Union of Dancers and Dance Experts of Armenia, CID UNESCO (International Dance Council) and EUROGRADE.

The event was attended by several guests who warmly congratulated the dance group. Minister of Culture of Nizhegorod Oblast A. S. Gorin congratulated the dance group on its tenth anniversary and said that the dance group is the décor of all the festivities that are held in Nizhni Novgorod. On behalf of the administration of Nizhegorod Oblast, O. N. Shumakova gave a touching speech in which she stated that the “Armenian Community of Nizhni Novgorod” organization is the most active national non-governmental organization in the oblast and that Nairi Armenian Folk Dance Group makes its irreplaceable contribution to the activities of the Armenian community.

On behalf of the administration of the Kanavinsky district of Nizhni Novgorod, I. A. Stepanov granted a certificate to the dance group for sewing national costumes. Deputy of the Municipal Duma N. I. Inglikov and Vice-Chairman of the Youth Palace A. A. Urfalyan expressed their gratitude and congratulatory remarks to the group. Members of the council of the “Armenian Community of Nizhni Novgorod” organization, the children of the local Armenian Sunday school and the dancers’ parents also expressed their warm greetings to the dance group, and their tears showing gratitude serve as evidence of the pro-national activities of Nairi Armenian Folk Dance Group.

Nairi Armenian Folk Dance Group has only been around for ten years, but it has already become highly popular and has gained the love and trust of the people, and this is the result of the joint efforts of the stage director/dance instructor, the artistic director, as well as the children and their parents. The dance group is growing and enriching its history. The March 1 concert was a special kind of “report” on the past ten years of activities and a display of the work that had been done with love and devotion.

Armenian music was heard and Armenian dances were performed in Nizhni Novgorod on the first day of spring…