The last weekend of June 2025 was an important occasion for Hamazkayin in Cyprus because on the Friday and Saturday the organization held the first festival of Armenian dance for the non-Armenian public.
Two dance ensembles from Armenia participated: Prof Art Dance Studio, directed by the dance instructor Tigran Mnoyan, and A-Era Art School, directed by dance instructor Dzovinar Jilavyan. Hamazkayin Cyprus participated with its Nicosia Sipan, Paphos Ani, and Limassol Giligia dance ensembles, as well as the children's Nanor Dance Ensemble. The general artistic director of the festival was dance instructor Krikor Keleshian.
The festival began in Larnaca on June 27 at the Finikoudes Beach open-air amphitheater, with over 1,000 people in attendance for the two-hour program.
On the next day the festival continued in Nicosia, at the Acropolis Park with 500 people in attendance. The program was sponsored by the mayor of the Strovolos municipality Stavros Stavrinides and the representative of the Armenian community in the Cyprus House of Representatives, Vartkes Mahdessian. Catholicosal vicar Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian was present, as was the ambassador of the Armenian republic, Inna Torgomyan.
On the Sunday, all the groups were invited to the 17th International Children’s Folk Dance Festival organized by the Folklore Association Limassol. The event, sponsored by Mayor Yiannis Armeftis, took place at the seaside Molos amphitheater. The Armenian groups had triumphant performances greeted by wild applause.
The dancers, the organizers, and the helpers all deserve credit. Special thanks to the instructors Krikor Keleshian and Tigran Mnoyan, titans of Armenian dance, whose efforts made this festival a success.
