Hayern Aysor’s correspondent sat down for an interview with founding artistic director of Flowers of Armenia Armenian Dance Ensemble of Moscow Haik Sahakyan, who was hosted at the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia.

Karine Avagyan: Mr. Sahakyan, you have selected a very beautiful and expressive name for your dance ensemble-“Flowers of Armenia”. Whose idea was it?

Haik Sahakyan: In the beginning, the dance ensemble was based in a school. Our school’s homeroom teacher Svetlana Matevosyan came up with the name of the ensemble. I liked it a lot because it was not only beautiful, but also sonorous. It also sounds very impressive in Russian. In a short while, I choreographed various dances, and our ensemble became popular with the “Dance of Flowers” by Khachatur Avetisyan in Moscow. After that, I choreographed the “Berd” Armenian dance.

Karine Avagyan: When was the ensemble established?

Haik Sahakyan: On January 20, 2018, the dance ensemble will mark its 20^th anniversary. The ensemble includes people of all ages and different professions. There are even first graders. Most of the members are female since most of the men living abroad are working to maintain their families.

Karine Avagyan: Mr. Sahakyan, as far as I understood, your dancers are not professional. Do you teach them, or do you invite professionals?

Haik Sahakyan: The members of the dance group are not professional. There are talented people and beginners. I practice with them with pleasure and patience because this is also a unique way of preserving the Armenian identity in a foreign country. Armenian song, Armenian dance, spoken Armenian, Armenian religion and Armenian upbringing are the powerful pillars on which Armenians are based and they help preserve the national identity of the Armenians.

Karine Avagyan: What remarkable events, concerts and festivals has the dance ensemble participated in?

Haik Sahakyan: We have given concerts in almost all the cities of the Russian Federation. We have also participated in the events organized by the Armenian communities of Moscow and other Russian cities, as well as the “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival organized by the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia.

Karine Avagyan: How are your ensemble’s performances received by the audiences of Moscow?

Haik Sahakyan: The audiences of Moscow praise us. When we were participating in the national festival in Moscow where every nation had to present a national dance, the audience became indescribably excited when we started performing an Armenian dance. First, we performed a dance to the sounds of Ara Gevorgyan’s song “Artsakh”, after which the ensemble performed the 2^nd “Berd” Armenian dance, followed by Aram Khachaturian’s “Gayane” ballet and the “Saber Dance”. The audience gave warm rounds of applause. In 2005, on the occasion of the 60^th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, we performed the “Berd” Armenian dance at the grand event held at Red Square in Moscow.

Karine Avagyan: How do you solve the problem with costumes? Do you have a stylist or consultant/ethnogapher?

Haik Sahakyan: My son solves the financial issues, while I am in charge of stylistics and design. I have danced in different dance groups of Armenia and examined the costumes of different Armenian provinces for many years. During my years of dancing in Armenia, I have helped order costumes. Currently, we have a stylist by the name of Rubina, who works with me. I have also examined the albums of costumes.

Karine Avagyan: You said you have danced in different dance groups of Armenia. When did you start dancing? In which dance groups have you grown professionally?

Haik Sahakyan: I started dancing when I was a little boy. Later, I danced in Vardges Rashidyan’s Haiastan Armenian Folk Dance Ensemble, which was part of the Railroad Workers Palace of Culture established in 1966. I performed as a solo dancer and directed a children’s ensemble. Dance is my element, my world.

Karine Avagyan: What dance are you currently choreographing?

Haik Sahakyan: There are many dances that I plan on choreographing. We recently performed a dance called “Dance of the Women of Karabakh”. I designed the costumes with financial support from the community of Moscow. In the beginning, the Armenian community helped us. Now my son, Armen Sahakyan mainly provides funding.

Karine Avagyan: Where is your soul?

Haik Sahakyan: My heart and soul are always with Armenia and the Armenians (Armenian dance, Armenian song and spoken Armenian).

Interview by Karine Avagyan