A friend rang me to say that she’d found an advert in the whole-food shop in Sherwood, Nottingham, advertising a drop-in group for Circle Dancing. All welcome.
She cajoled – we went – and I have to say that I was a little unwilling.

The first evening I found rather strange. Chrisandra Harris, teaching, was more than welcoming, and the rest of the group were very friendly, but I found the first dance, Paneurythmy, very odd indeed. However, at the end of the session, we danced ‘Lotus’, and I just loved the patterns and the quiet, meditative rhythm.
I went went back for a second session; and found myself being drawn in – not only to the Paneurythmy (which I now love), but to the music and rhythms of dances from all over the world.

I began to be hooked.

Soon after, I attended a one-day course on Greek dancing and just loved it. I struggled to keep up, but enjoyed the experience of dancing with people from all over the UK.

I continued with the drop-in group, gaining in confidence thanks to Chrisandra; and then signed up for a day’s course on Armenian dancing.

It was a revelation.

Chrisandra was teaching, and I heard music that really moved me; and started to learn dances that really touched me. Haniel & Martin Riviere-Allan gave a wonderful presentation on the history and culture of Armenia; Haniel’s grandfather was Armenian, which added a certain poignancy. I began to discover things about a country about which I’d scarcely heard before then. The day finished with a reading of a beautiful text written by William Saroyan.


When I got home that evening I was absolutely devastated. I was supposed to be going out with friends but rang and cancelled. I just curled and cried. And cried & cried. Not because I was sad; just that I had been so moved by the music, dancing and history of Armenia. In Wymeswold!

I continued with the drop-in group, enjoying the dancing and music even more. By this stage, the friend who had introduced me to the group had moved away from Nottingham, and a friend and neighbour Judith had joined.
Chrisandra told me about a dancing holiday in Armenia organised by Tineke Van Geel. I looked at the web site and thought about it briefly. Then, before I could think any more, I clicked on the mouse and I was booked into an hotel in Yerevan, Armenia. HOORAH!

Chrisandra & I spent a fantastic couple of weeks in Armenia. We were the only two participants from the UK; and enjoyed dancing with a group comprising dancers from Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Canada and the USA under the tutelage of Pajlak Sakisian & Liudvig Poghosian. (Translated by the wonderful & inspirational Tineka)  As well as the dancing, there were excursions to show us much of the country: I found The Genocide Museum almost unbearably moving, and Karahounj (the Armenian ‘Stonehenge’) will stay in my heart forever.
On a visit to Yegheknadzor we were able to give the villagers money which the drop-in group had raised during the year. We were welcomed into the village in the traditional manner with bread and salt, and then spent a couple of hours dancing, partying and enjoying the generous hospitality.

Whilst inYerevan, I had a costume made to match the one that Chrisandra had brought back from her visit the previous year. Haniel also had one made when she and Martin re-visited Armenia shortly before Chrisandra & me.

When we got back to Nottingham, a meeting was called for all those in the drop-in group who would like to form an Armenian Dance Group. About 12 of us were interested.

We’ve been meeting every Wednesday over the summer; practicing Armenian dances, some choreographed by Chrisandra.

We call our group ‘Kilikia’,

Judith elected to make the costumes, using my dress as a template for the women, and doing extensive research to recreate patterns for the mens waistcoats. How lucky we are to have a professional costume designer/maker as a group member!

We hope to have our public dress rehearsal in October, during a Nottingham Armenian Dance weekend that Chrisandra has organised, led by Marjolein Vliem Nieuwerth who we met in Armenia.

Happily the course is fully booked.

No flyers required then…………






Elaine Donnelly
26-09-2007