Assistant Directors
Shaghig Palanjian
Shaghig
Palanjian has been invovled in Armenian dance for over 25 years, studying
under dance director Flora Kaloustian. She has been an instructor of Armenian
dance for the Erebouni Dance Ensemble of the Boston Hamazkain and an Assistant
Director of the Daron Dance Ensemble of the Greater Boston Chapter of the
Armenian General Benevolent Union. Shaghig has been with the Company since its inception in 1986.
Born in Lebanon, she immigrated to the United States in 1976. Her interest in art has led her to study drama and ballet at Northeastern University. With her talent, she is a valuable asset to the Company and its director.
She is the granddaughter of Armenian composer Parsegh Ganachian and lives in Waltham, Massachusetts with her husband and two children.
Hagop Ashjian
Hagop
Ashjian has been involved in Armenian dance from a very young age. Born
in Lebanon, he immigrated to the United States at the age of six. Influenced
by his brother Apo’s love of dancing, he got involved in Armenian dance
himself, first as a student at the Holy Trinity Armenian School in Cambridge
and then as a member of the AGBU Daron Dance Ensemble in Boston. His stage
debut came in 1975 as a child dancer in the Armenian folk ballet Anoush,
under choreographer Sarkis Paskalian at the Music Hall (Citi Performing
Arts Center) in
Boston.
He began instructing the AGBU Daron Dance Ensemble in 1981 and is currently the assistant director of the Sayat Nova Dance Company. His energy and motivation are an inspiration to group.
He lives in Watertown, Massachusetts with his wife and two children.