On March 15, 2024, the Hamazkayin Nicosia Oshagan Chapter in Cyprus held its regular cultural evening. The event featured the Sipan Dance Ensemble and was dedicated to dance instructor Janna Tahmizian. More than 75 people attended.
Arto Tavitian, chairperson of the chapter executive board, made opening remarks in which he referred to the celebrations of the 95th anniversary of Hamazkayin, spoke about the chapter, and recalled the birth and development of the Sipan Dance Ensemble, naming all the former dance instructors.
The current dance instructor, Krikor Keleshian, made some remarks. He said he had gone through the archive and reviewed videos from previous decades and could attest to the great effort that had gone into laying the foundations for this structure.
Photographs and videos from previous decades were shown. Keleshian explained and described the images while audience members called out names of familiar faces on the screen.
After this fun interlude, former ensemble member Natasha Tavukjian spoke about what instructor and director Janna Tahmizian’s had learned and her memories. She praised her work in the Cyprus-Armenian community. She also thanked Hamazkayin for its members efforts to keep the torch of culture burning in the community.
After this, the audience was moved by the remote video speech delivered by Ms. Tahmizian. In it, she sent good wishes and warm kisses to everyone, noting that the ensemble is in great hands under its talented director Krikor Keleshian.
The ensemble was presented and the instructor concluded with these words: “On the screen you saw the past, in front of you is the present, and our goal is to create the future.”
