GENEVA — Straight from Armenia, the Golden Gates Dancers, a group of young talented dancers and musicians, will be in Geneva Wednesday, Jan. 17, through Friday, Jan. 19, and will present a public performance on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Albright Auditorium at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
The group is coming under the auspices of the Reunite Cultures Fund, which supports programs that promote good will between the people of America and other countries to develop a better understanding of cultures, music and traditions and build cultural bridges.
Students from Armenia and Lithuania have previously visited Geneva under the same program. The Geneva Rotary Club is facilitating their stop in the city. Members of the group are staying with Rotarians while they are here.
Golden Gates started to tour the United States nationally in 2003. Each tour lasts four to five weeks and covers 20 to 25 states.
Besides the performance at HWS, the Dancers will perform at Geneva High School on Thursday, and the Rotary Club is organizing a dinner for the students and the adults traveling with them at the Sons and Daughters of Italy lodge.
They will perform elaborate lyrical suites and pulsating dances of foot-stomping ferocity, bringing to life a taste of their culture in a whirlwind of colorful costumes and exotic sounds.
The company offers audiences an entertaining and authentic glimpse into Armenian culture through music, song and dance. The program is broad and varied, with something to appeal to everyone, including audience participation through clapping and learning Armenian songs and words.
Spiritual duduk, a double-reed woodwind instrument, dynamic dohl, a double-headed drum, qanun, an Arabic stringed instrument, kamancheh, a Persian bowed string instrument, traditional dances and superb vocals combine for an exhilarating and educational performance for audiences of all ages.
“This is a chance for real people to meet and get a glimpse of Armenian culture,” said Vitally Bezrodnov, leader of the Reunite Cultures Fund, who travels with the group.
https://www.fltimes.com/arts_and_entertainment/around-the-lakes-armenian-dancers-musicians-to-perform-at-hws/article_3c7d1eb8-b3ee-11ee-9fe3-ef58db980858.html