Sarkis Djanbazian
| Sarkis Djanbazian | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
January 15, 1913 Armavir, Russian Empire |
| Died | December 11, 1963 (aged 50) Tehran, Iran |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Occupation | Ballet master, dancer, choreographer, producer |
| Known for | First male ballet dancer in Iran. Founder of a ballet academy in Iran. |
| Spouse(s) | Fleur Djanbazian (m. 1950) |
| Children | Anna Djanbazian Albert Djanbazian |
Sarkis Djanbazian (Armenian: Սարգիս Ջանբազյան; Persian: سرکیس جانبازیان), also written as Sarkis Janbazian, (15 January 1913 in Armavir – 11 December 1963 in Tehran) was a Russian-born Iranian-Armenian artist. He was the first male ballet master, dancer, choreographer, producer, as well as the founder of a ballet academy in Iran.
Sarkis Djanbazian was born in Armavir, then part of the Russian Empire (now Armenia). As the Encyclopedia Iranica states, from early childhood, Djanbazian took an avid interest in the arts, especially in dance. After graduating from high school, he went to Leningrad (St. Petersburg at the time) to study dance. He graduated from Vaganova Dance Academy of Leningrad on 14 January 1936 and from Lesgaf University with a Masters of Arts degree on 15 November 1936. After graduation, he worked as a principal dancer, choreographer, and artistic director in Kirov Theatre in Leningrad until July 1938.
As the Russian Communist government exercised heavy political pressure on Armenians, Djanbazian left Russia for Iran in 1938, settling in Qazvin. There, he decided to found a dance school. However, upon being expelled after this proposal to the city council, he turned himself to the Armenian Church in Qazvin. With allowance of the Church's head priest, he was allowed to hold dance classes on the rooftop of the church, in the same year of 1938.
Djanbazian left Qazvin for Tehran in 1942. There, he started to give dancing classes in the Armenian Kušeš high school after the lessons had ended, initially for some 150 students. His perseverance, energy, and tireless effort made him establish the Tehran Ballet School in 1942 in Tehran.
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