AYF Washington, DC “Ani” Juniors celebrate Dyaruntarach/Trndez
I am Ungerouhi Victoria Penenian, the educational chair for the AYF Washington, D.C. “Ani” Junior Chapter. This past year has been very eventful, and I’d like to specifically focus on the month of February. During this time, we had many events related to the Armenian celebration of Dyaruntarach/Trndez. Not only did Hamazkayin host a wonderful community celebration, but the “Ani” Junior Chapter also held an educational lecture to learn about the holiday. Through these events, we showed the value of Armenian traditions and holidays to the younger generation.
Dyaruntarach, also known as Trndez, celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of Christ at the Temple and heralds the arrival of spring. This year, Hamazkayin of Washington, D.C. hosted its second annual Dyaruntarach celebration on Sunday, February 9. Armenians from all across the D.C. area gathered to celebrate with singing, dancing and jumping over the fire.
A highlight of the evening was a performance by the Hamazkayin D.C. “Van” Dance Group, under the direction of dance teacher Kayane Tatarian and assistant dance teacher Tamar Kolejian. The group beautifully performed the dances “Ichkanatz” and “Etchmiazin.” Additionally, students from Hamasdegh Armenian School and HMEM Scouts presented a traditional Dyaruntarach reenactment.
The celebration did not end there. On Friday, February 21, members of the “Ani” Junior Chapter gathered for their first chapter meeting of the year, where they learned about the Armenian holiday of Dyaruntarach and participated in an Armenian cultural dance. I had the opportunity to provide a brief educational presentation about the holiday, which was followed by a dance workshop by U. Carine Markarian and me. Together, we taught the juniors how to perform “Etchmiadzin.” gathered for their first chapter meeting of the year, where they learned about the Armenian holiday of Dyaruntarach and participated in an Armenian cultural dance. I had the opportunity to provide a brief educational presentation about the holiday, which was followed by a dance workshop by U. Carine Markarian and me. Together, we taught the juniors how to perform “Etchmiadzin.”
To add to the fun, the regional educational board prepared a short trivia game about Armenian culture, covering everything from Armenian mountains to capitals and rivers. It was entertaining to watch juniors eagerly guess answers—and respond correctly to almost every question!
The evening concluded with pizza and social time. Juniors chatted with their friends while U. Carine Markarian and U. Alina Aroush filmed a lighthearted Instagram reel for the “Ani” Juniors social media page. Juniors left that night with not only a greater understanding of Dyaruntarach/Trndez, but also with a new dance under their belts and the joy of spending time with their Armenian peers.
AYF DC "Ani" Chapter
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