YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS. Students of the Yerevan State Dance College performed for their special guest today, First Lady of Armenia Nune Sarkissian, as the president’s spouse visited the institution.

Speaking to reporters after the visit, the First Lady said the performance of the students made her regret that she quit ballet classes when she was younger. She said she likes dance and music very much and she attaches great importance to dancing arts in the Armenian culture.

“I am surprised and amazed by everything I saw in this school. Creating a ballet is a very difficult work of many years. After seeing a ballet performance for the first time at the age of 6, I begged my parents to take me to a dance school. But 6 months later again I begged my parents, this time to take me out of the school, I was saying it is too hard, I can’t do it. Now, seeing these students and this beautiful result, I am already thinking that quitting was wrong,” she said, adding that her 6 year old granddaughter is attending ballet classes.

The First Lady says she also likes Armenian national dances, and also Rock 'n' Roll. She says dancing helps to get rid of negative energy.

Nune Sarkissian also noted Armenia’s old ballet traditions going back to the times of Agrippina Vaganova – the prominent Armenian ballet teacher who developed the Vaganova method. The St. Petersburg Dance Academy is named after her.

“And today I see that this tradition is continuing. I love dance very much and I am ready to support with anything I can,” she said.

She mentioned that her favorite ballet is Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian.

The First Lady, a graduate of Yerevan’s Spendiaryan music school, says she enjoys playing piano in her spare time. She said she even takes piano classes until now, because she tries to always perfect her work.

Speaking about existing problems for ballet dancers in Armenia, the First Lady mentioned lack of funding and lack of performance venues. She said the same problem exists abroad too. She said she hopes she will be able to help the dance school and ballet in general.

Photos by Mkhitar Khachatryan

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan