Vanoush Khanamerian

Vanoush Gerasimich Khanamerian (born November 5, 1927), is an Armenian ballet, traditional and folkloric dance choreographer. He first started as a ballet dancer, his first major performance was in the wedding scene of a famous Armenian ballet production “Anoush.” As the years went on, he grew to love the art of dancing and began to play major solo parts in different ballet productions. Khanamerian became very famous, playing numerous ballet solos throughout the Asian continent and abroad. He was later appointed to be the Artistic Leader of the State Dance Ensemble of Armenia; which became one of the greatest challenges in his life. For over twenty years Khanamerian lead the Dance Ensemble of Armenia to be one of the best in the former Soviet Republic. Khanamerian managed to create and direct hundreds of different dances while he was the Artistic Leader, many of which are still being danced and will continue to be danced by dance groups around the world. Khanamerian became a true legend in the art of dancing through his cultural and folk dances.

He joined the Alexander Spendiarian [ [http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Alexander_Spendiarian Alexander Spendiarian - Armeniapedia.org ] ] Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet in 1941. In 1947, Khanamerian got his first major part as “Nerso” in Aram Khachaturyan’s “Gayane” Ballet, and soon after that became one of the soloists in the Yerevan Ballet and Opera House. Aram Khachaturyan was present at one of the concert; he expressed his feelings by saying “The way Khanamerian danced made me realize how cultural and Armenian my music really is.” Khanamerian quickly became known in the Ballet Academy when he played the role of “Sasuntsi Davit,” which he performed so well that a very famous Armenian sculptor at the time, Yervand Cochar, asked him to be the model for the statue of “ [David of Sasun] ,” one of many famous statues in Yerevan, Armenia today. Khanamerian played in as many as twenty famous ballet productions like “Arshak II,” “Sevan,” “Khantoot” and “Marmar” just to name a few, but he became famous for his role in “ [Spardak] .” Khanamerian also directed three ballet productions, two of which won national awards in Moscow.

In 1968 Khanamerian was invited to Armenia’s National Cultural Administration and was offered the title of a National Artistic Director of the Armenian Dance Ensemble. He deserved to be called a national cultural art director, but he did not take the job for the title, he had a dream to fulfill and this was the opportunity he’d been waiting for. Khanamerian directed legendary dances that symbolized thousands of years of Armenian heritage and culture, showing the real folk-lore as people's art. The capabilities of Vanoush Khanamerian as a choreographer and artistic leader were discovered with great force just in the staging of his dances, leaving such a strong impression on the audience, in spite of their seeming simplicity. Under his leadership, the Dance Ensemble of Armenia became one of the greatest groups in Armenia to represent the Armenian cultural dances. The ensemble traveled to almost every continent around the world (11 states in America), sometimes doing sixty concerts in sixty days. For more than twenty years Khanamerian lead the best of the best around the world, he retired in the early nineties.

Now, he lives peacefully with his wife in Yerevan, but of course is still active in the art of dancing. In 2001, Khanamerian was appointed to be in charge of the Union of Art of Dance Workers of Armenia, where he works to preserve the purity of the national dances. The history of the Armenian people has sadly scattered them around the world, and where there are Armenian people, there will be Armenian art. Khanamerian being the art legend himself, travels annually around the world visiting and educating the schools that he helped create, some of which carry his name. Vanoush Khanamerian Dance School strives to remember his legacy and pass down his dances to future generations. In addition, Khanamerian is regularly invited to different dance schools in Armenia to tutor instructors and students alike. It remains clear that Khanamerian will remain active in the art of dancing, just like he has in the past with no consideration of stopping.No single man alive today has contributed to the art of cultural Armenian dance as much as and to the extent of Vanoush Khanamerian. The soul of the Armenian people expresses itself strikingly in the cultural dances. Armenian cultural dances originating from ancient heathen fundamental principles, is a demonstration of sorrow and triumph, of national festivals and the medieval mode of life, of religious rights and the storm of battles, and of competitions in strength and courage. Khanamerian understood this from early on, and manipulated them into his dances. Every dance tells a story and every step of each dance has a meaning of its own. Armenian cultural dances are not only a representation of Armenian history but they are also a rich spiritual treasury. Just like the great Komitas and Sayat Nova purified and defined our music, Khanamerian purified and defined our dances.

References

* [http://www.armenianow.com/archive/2004/2002/november08/arts/index.htm]