“Andok” youth ensemble marks 10th anniversary honoring Gostan Zarian

2026-03-06 - 17:34

YEREVAN — The youth folk song and dance ensemble “Andok” of Charentsavan presented its theatrical production “The Secret of That Tribe” on Nov. 21, 2025, and Feb. 20, 2026, at the Paronyan State Musical Comedy Theatre in Yerevan, dedicating the performances to the 140th anniversary of the distinguished Armenian writer and thinker Gostan Zarian and the ensemble’s 10th anniversary. The program combined excerpts from Zarian’s reflections with Armenian folk song and dance, creating a multilayered artistic tribute to Armenian cultural continuity. The performance showcased a variety of Armenian dances — work, wedding, war, ceremonial and more. Among the dances presented were Karno Kochary, Yarkhushta, Msho Khr, Astvatsatsna, and more — each performed with historical character and exact form. The performance was staged for the second time in three months, and both showings were sold out. Zarian’s words, woven throughout the production, underscored the philosophical dimension of the evening. “Dance is buried within the body. It is not the self alone, but the spirit — the inheritance that remembers — the mysterious essence that has preserved within its muscles its own rhythm and form. One need only remember, listen to the body and dance without strain. To be able to listen to one’s body, to be able to hear the inner song — that is ...” The production was conceived and choreographed by Hrayr Parsadanyan, founder of Andok. The director was Edgar Mehrabyan. Literary adaptation was prepared by Areg Bedrosyants, with set design by Andranik Harutyunyan and chorus direction by Narek Lazyan. The program featured Armenian actors Samvel Topalyan, Marine Petrosyan and Hamlet Dovlatyan, who performed excerpts from Zarian’s writings, illuminating the richness and philosophical depth of his thoughts. “Andok” founder Hrayr Parsadanyan (center) The evening concluded with the dance of Karno Kochary, during which many in the audience joined the dancers — an expression of collective participation emblematic of the folk tradition itself. Hrayr Parsadanyan, a native of Charentsavan, began his artistic formation as a teenager with the Karin folk dance and song group, established by the late master of Armenian dance, “parapet” Gagik Ginosyan. At age 15, Hrayr founded Andok with the stated purpose of cultivating cultural consciousness among youth through traditional dance in his native Charentsavan. “National culture is not meant merely to appear on stage or to earn applause and glory. Within Armenian culture is embodied the very identity of the Armenian nation — its unity and its nobility. Therefore, it must be approached with reverence, caution and sacred respect, for Armenian culture is the final stronghold for remaining Armenian in the world,” said Hrayr Parsadanyan. Now entering its second decade, Andok continues to train youth ages 12 to 18 in Charentsavan, affirming that Armenian traditional dance is not a relic of the past but a living inheritance. Click to view slideshow.