Aravot Daily was informed via social media that two young Armenian ballet dancers, Grigor Zakyan and Gevorg Khachatryan, are very successful in American ballet. In the fall of 2018, the young dancers went to the US as part of a youth cultural exchange. We were able to speak to Grigor Zakyan. “Gevorg and I studied at the Yerevan Dancing Art State College. Then, we were accepted into the opera theater, but we did not have the opportunity to perform as soloists. We received an invitation from Rotary International approximately one year ago to participate in a 4-year youth cultural exchange program. As a part of this program, we performed in California, Tennessee, Ohio, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. Natalia Igitkhanyan-Davison from North Carolina followed our performances, and her school, the Artistic Motion School of Arts, presented us with scholarships and provides for our living expenses.”
Responding to the observation that they will continue their careers in Europe and the USA, and that they will only perform in Armenia as guests, Grigor started by saying that he received an offer from St. Petersburg, Russia, which he rejected. “America gives young people starting off in the cultural field all the necessary opportunities, and it also provides you with the right conditions to perform and then to become stable. This is a question that I can allow myself to answer on behalf of all foreign dancers. I will speak about myself and Gevorg. There are no Armenians in Greensboro, North Carolina. So the Americans who live here learn about Armenia and Armenians through us. This makes us feel like we have a huge responsibility.”
Grigor Zakyan noted that they have received invitations to participate in national dance competitions and festivals, including in places such as the USA, Mexico, Russia, Latvia, Hong Kong, and China.
He also spoke about mandatory military service for ballet dancers. “Our government passed a law that would allow young men to take a leave of absence. I believe that all my achievements will serve as a basis for me to take a leave of absence, which will give me the opportunity to continue improving in my field and, of course, to represent Armenia in international performances,” Grigor Zakyan said.
Samvel Danielyan
