Meghri folk dance ensemble, 1920s

The photograph shows the Meghri folk dance ensemble in the 1920s. Five male dancers stand in a row with their arms linked. They wear national costumes typical of the region: dark chokhas with cartridge pockets on the chest, wide trousers and high boots. Two of them hold white handkerchiefs. Behind them is a stone building with a wooden door.

Such ensembles played an important role in preserving and passing on Armenian dance traditions. Here dance appears as an expression of collective memory and community strength.