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PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Twenty-first Century AGBU Philadelphia Cotillion Connects Generations of
Armenian Americans
On Saturday, June 20, 26 young men and women ushered the 2009 AGBU
Philadelphia cotillion into the 21st century with a program of powerful
words, music, dance and multimedia displays at the Sheraton-University
City in Philadelphia.
In an elegant integration of Armenian heritage and contemporary American
culture, young Armenian Americans took part in the event which
symbolically marked their entry into multidimensional Armenian-American
adult life. During the event, they performed a sophisticated Armenian
dance under the direction of longtime choreographer Fran Torcomian.
An elaborate keepsake program booklet, rich with biographical accounts
and photographs, captured the essence of the participants, which the
cotillion organizers referred to as "cotillionaires." This term was
coined to describe "a new kind of cotillion participant, male or female,
who is all-at-once proud of the past yet grounded in the present and
confident to link the two together," said cotillion parent Melissa
Selverian, who co-chaired the event with husband Richard and cotillion
parents Yvonne and Paul Fereshetian.
"After all, these are the young men and women who ventured bravely off
of Facebook to bridge the gap between the digital social network and the
more-than-40-year-old live cotillion network. In so doing, they changed
the cotillion for the better, making it more relevant in the lives of
young Armenian Americans today," she explained.
Mixing the live and digital social networks and the past with the
present, the cotillion featured a through-the-years multimedia
presentation and an intergenerational dance starring many of the
participants. Katrina Selverian produced and presented a biographical
video and slide show of the participants and the Ararat Dance Ensemble,
led by directors Toros Torcomian and Christopher Torcomian, captured the
timelessness of the affair in a captivating impromptu performance that
included the leaders and members of the original ensemble from three
decades ago.
Guest speaker, alumna Julie Paretchan of the AGBU Cotillion of 1999,
confirmed the enduring power and relevance of the cotillion to the
city’s Armenian-American community. She reflected on how the cotillion
had brought her parents together in marriage, and had allowed her
brother to form strong friendships with fellow Armenians. She said that
she also benefited from many friendships as a result of the cotillion.
She recently resettled in Philadelphia and she is proud to lead the next
generation of Armenian Americans by volunteering her time with the newly
formed local AGBU Young Professionals committee–YP Philadelphia.
"Cotillion alumni have a special connection with the event," Selverian
told guests, describing how the 2009 event "grew from the hearts and
minds of cotillion alums."
"Countless friendships made in cotillions over the last four decades are
long-lasting and unsurpassed," she said. "I know my husband Richard and
my co-chairs Yvonne and Paul Fereshetian share these sentiments as
cotillion alumni."
Longtime AGBU Philadelphia members and community leaders, George
Yacoubian and Liz Barone, toasted the participants and the committee for
rejuvenating the affair.
Special thanks were extended to the sponsors of the evening,
particularly Clara Marie Samelian, who honored the memory of her
parents, John and Araxie Samelian, on the back cover of the keepsake
program booklet. The Samelians were longtime members of AGBU
Philadelphia, and Araxie Samelian was the co-founder of the Philadelphia
cotillion dinner dance, which debuted in 1966.
The 2009 cotillionaires are Michael Berge Alexanian, Stephanie Hripsime
Alexanian, Niki Nubar Arakelian, Serop Buldukyan, Cerise Setta
Fereshetian, Damon Raffi Fereshetian, Jasmine Ani Fereshetian, Allison
Sonya Injaian, James Keshgegian, Karine Keshgegian, Richard Avedis
Keshgegian, Harout Nalbandian, Gabrielle Nazeni Pakhtigian, Garineh Ara
Panosian, Katrina Maritza Selverian, Sara Seerarpy Selverian, Maritsa
Suzanne Sherenian, Michael Sherenian, Talene Beatrice Soghomonian,
Alyssa Talene Sookiasian, Paul Vartan Sookiasian, Mark Tekirian, Alex
Deron Torcomian, Ana Francesca Torcomian, Christopher Torcomian and
Matthew Robert Zakian.
Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually serving some
400,000 Armenians on six continents.