Dance takes a leading place among Armenian culture values with its rich traditions. Like the theatre the Armenian dance also takes the social problems onto the stage expressing with its own dancing gestures.
The development of the Armenian dance consists of periods. The first period is the originating time of the Armenian dance. Many fragments of musical and spoken sources give us valuable information about it. Religious and travel dances mainly formed the Armenian dance art.
Armenian ballet is a developing part of the Armenian dance art. The first steps in stage dance and ballet spheres were done in the 19th century. Many ballets were staged by famous ballet masters. The made the best conditions to form Soviet Armenia’s dance art. Soviet time is considered as the brightest period of the Armenian dance history. Many works were staged in this period. They are well known not only in Armenia, but in foreign countries as well (Tigranian’s “Anush”, Spendarian’s “Almast” operas, Khachaturian’s “Happiness”, “Gayane”, “Spartacus” ballets, Hovhannisian’s “David of Sassoun” opera ballet and etc.).
Today’s Armenian dance keeps following its rules and traditions and presents itself appropriately in modern times.
Translated by Hrayr Petrosyan
