HERMINE KUYUMCIAN, Artistic Director 2, Artistic Director and Choreographer, Expert in Armenian Traditional Dance
The founding director and teacher of Melbourne’s Azad Gharibian Folkloric Dance Group, Mrs. Hermine Kuyumcian started her dancing career when she was 5 years old. At the age of 12, she took part in a newly formed group called “Yeridasartootyun.” As well as doing traditional dancing, she also took ballroom dancing classes. Despite being the youngest in her group, Hermine started tutoring dancing in schools, cultural centres and universities. In 1987 she was invited to dance with the “Krounk” Dance Group, whose leader was the renowned choreographer and dancer, Azad Gharibian. The group represented Armenia in many countries, such as Canada, France, Belgium, Luxemburg and Australia. After the sudden death of Azad Gharibian in 1988, all his students made a promise on his grave to keep his name alive. Hermine kept that promise by forming the Azad Gharibian Dance Group in Melbourne. In the past twenty-five years, with her hard work and dedication, the group has grown and represented the Armenian community at multicultural events in Melbourne, and around Australia.
Hermine Kuyumcian won the Laurel Marytn Scholarship in 2014 which is awarded each year to one graduating student by the Centre for Creative Industries Diploma of Dance Teaching and Management. Each student choreographs a dance item in their chosen style, based on the composition techniques learnt within their course. Hermine choreographed the Armenian Contemporary dance piece and performed “Arising from the Ashes”, representing the essence of suffering by Armenian women throughout the tragic 1915 Armenian Genocide. Inspired by the unique style of the great Azad Gharibian, this piece was dedicated to all women regardless of their race to pursue the inner strength to rise from their own “ashes”.HERMINE