By Lara Salahi
WATERTOWN — On Sunday, May 4, the stage at Watertown High School will transform into a living, breathing portrait of Armenian tradition as Abaka Dance Academy celebrates its 30th anniversary with a milestone recital.
For three decades, Abaka has been a cultural cornerstone in the Greater Boston Armenian community — a place where young dancers learn not just steps and rhythm, but the stories, pride, and heritage of a people.
For me, this celebration is deeply personal. My daughter, now 12, first joined Abaka at age 6. I still remember her first day in the studio: her black leotard and braids, her tiny dance shoes, the shuffle of her feet — all as I squeezed a glimpse through a folding room divider meant to limit the distractions of the outside world.
She didn’t know then what Abaka would come to mean to her — how much she would grow, not only as a dancer, but as a young part-Armenian American connected to a broader cultural narrative.
Founded in 1995 by choreographer Apo Ashjian, Abaka began as a dream to preserve Armenian heritage through dance. Ashjian wanted to give Armenian-American children a place to celebrate their identity, transforming a former hair salon into a studio where the dream of preserving Armenian culture could take root.
In 2004, Abaka moved its studio to a space next to the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center in Watertown — a reflection of its growing footprint and deepening community roots. The program has guided the choreographed footsteps of more than 750 students over the years through a program that blends discipline with joy, tradition with creativity.
“My goal when I founded Abaka in 1995 was to provide an environment where the youth of our community could come together, and through the art of dance, learn about our culture, history, and music,” Apo Ashjian said. “But it’s not just about dancing, it’s about creating a safe-place to have fun and build camaraderie with other Armenian children.”
“The energy is contagious actually, they may be too young to understand that now, but one day they will,” he added.
This year, 60 dancers, ranging in age from 4 to 16, will take the stage, including my daughter, now in the middle school group — taller, stronger and more confident than that wiggly 6-year-old who once fumbled through her first “Kochari.”
Over the years, I’ve watched her fall in love with dances like the “Shalakho,” with its joyful rhythms, and the “Tamzara,” known for its graceful, sweeping lines. She and the other students are taught not just technique, but meaning — learning that every gesture, every formation, is a thread in a much larger tapestry of Armenian history and resilience.
Many of the instructors at Abaka, including Alina Ashjian Palanjian — Apo’s daughter — are graduates of the program themselves. Palanjian now choreographs and co-directs the school alongside her mother, continuing the legacy she first joined at age 9.
“Now my daughter is 4 and dancing in the program, just like I did,” she said. “To continue this dream is truly a privilege. These kids are an absolute joy to work with.”
That generational continuity will be central to Sunday’s recital.
“We’ll be recognizing former students, some of whom now have children dancing with Abaka,” Palanjian said.
Even the show’s emcee is a former Abaka student who now performs with Sayat Nova Dance Company — the professional troupe many students aspire to join. Abaka instructors Collette Shahverdian, Sarine Ashjian, Talar Palanjian and Araz Ashjian – all a part of Sayat Nova – were once Abaka dancers too.
“It’s a celebration of how this tradition lives on,” Palanjian said.
Palanjian says sustaining the program hasn’t always been easy. Shifting priorities, busy family schedules and competition from other extracurriculars have made it harder to keep enrollment consistent.
“Parents used to be more dedicated to making sure their children were immersed in Armenian culture,” she said. “Now, it’s ballet or chess or other activities. But we want parents to know — that half hour of waiting in the parking lot, that midweek rush — it’s worth it.”
Her mother, Arlet, agreed.
“It’s hard now,” she said. “But I’m so grateful that my kids have stepped in to carry this forward. It’s more than dance — it’s our identity. It’s how our children grow up feeling Armenian.”
As the dancers prepare for the performance, the mood in the studio is electric: a mix of nervous excitement and quiet pride. My daughter has been practicing for weeks, carefully perfecting the steps, adjusting her costume and absorbing every word of her instructors.
When the curtain rises, she’ll take her place among dozens of other young people — each step carrying forward a 30-year tradition into — as the name implies — the future.
Abaka’s 30th Anniversary Recital will take place Sunday, May 4 at 3:30 p.m. at Watertown High School. Tickets here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/abakadanceacademy2025/1629490.
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