KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

The state graduation examination for the graduates of the Department of Choreographic Pedagogy, Faculty of Culture, Armenian State Pedagogical University, differs in its format.

 A traditional reporting concert is performed annually before testing the theoretical knowledge of students. The concert enables students to enter the big world of dances as professional choreographers and dance teachers.

At the State Theatre of Musical Comedy after Hakob Paronyan, the graduates of the Department performed different dances, including classical, folk, modern and other types, and impressed the audience with their theatrical skills, scenic mastery and high level of performance. 

Minas Khachatryan, Director of the Chamber Orchestra, Honoured Art Worker of the Republic of Armenia, who chaired the state examination commission in the academic year 2012-2013, praised the students’ performing art and singled out the dance performances "Battle Cry", "Carmen" and "Struggle for Existence.” The last one also surprised and touched Hovhannes Tadevosyan, a member of the examination commission, Director of “Taron” Aesthetic Center, Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Armenia. 

The dance specialist is happy to say that the students of the Department of Choreographic Pedagogy do not repeat their predecessors and present new quality dances every year, demonstrating their professional growth and the special qualities characteristic of a pedagogue. 

Within 3-4 minutes, each of the students was able to express in a comprehensible language of dance the boundaries of his/her freedom and convey his/her message to the audience.   Tigran Mnoyan is the co-author of “Black April” dance performance presenting the tragic chapter of 1915 massacres and the ensuing events. The audience was greatly impressed by the performance. 

Tigran’s course-mate Mary Kankanyan, the author of “Waltz” performance, says all dances were good but “Black April” stood out for its theme.

Professor Karen Gevorgyan, Head of the Chair of Choreographic Pedagogy, Candidate of Pedagogical Science, says the students’ consistent and diligent work in the last year was not in vain. The unique dancing skills and abilities of the boys were even more inspiring. “Even professional dance troupes will be unable to add 22 new performances and shows in their repertoire in a year; it takes at least 2-3 years. The dances, performances and the high level of performance were not achieved within a day or a week; they are the result of long and painstaking work, full of love and dedication,” he said. 

The head of the Chair stressed that the pedagogues had already handed over to the future dance specialists the compass for entering the magical world of dance and freely navigating there. 

On May 8, the graduates of the Department of Choreographic Pedagogy will present [within the framework of final certification examinations] their theoretical knowledge on the history, origin and development of Choreography and Theory of Armenian Dance.