ABAKA
Armenian School for the Performing Arts
About Us
Abaka Armenian School for the Performing Arts aspires to enrich the Armenian cultural lives of the children in our community. Abaka aims to teach our rich traditions as well as instill the spirit and pride of our heritage all through visual and performing arts.
Abaka was founded in 1995 with the objective of creating a small piece of our homeland in our community of Boston MA. The dancegroup gives children a chance to be exposed to Armenian music, dance, language as well as Armenian culture and history.
Within our doors, our students flourish in a positive atmosphere, under the guidance of our experienced and enthusiastic instructors. Here they create lifelong friendships and have fun, while mastering the art of the Armenian ethnic dance.
The school is open to youngsters between the ages of 3 and 16. Classes in Armenian Dance are taught on weekdays and are culminated into a year-end performance presented to the community.
Abaka is located conveniently at 101 Bigelow Ave. in Watertown, MA, next to the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (A.C.E.C.).
For more information about the School and for Registration Details, please call
Mr. Megerdichian at 617-543-8269.
Eddie Megerdichian - Director
Eddie started his dance career at the age of 7 and has been dancing ever since. He studied Armenian dance under the direction of Apo Ashjian in ABAKA. In 19— ; after graduating from Abaka, he joined the prominent "Sayat Nova Dance Company", and continues to accompany the dance group coast to coast while promoting Armenian culture and history.
In 19— he joined the dance group on a trip to Armenia where the company performed – shows all around our homeland including Artsakh.
Eddie has close ties to his Armenian community, has been the dance instructor for St. Vartanantz Armenian School, and has been apart of many of our organizations, planning many community events.
Outside of the Armenian community, Megerdichian has been an instructor at Arthur Murray Dance Studios teaching ballroom dance, he is also a Zumba instructor and has been volunteering his time with “Dancing with the Waltham Stars” for 4 years in a row – Fundraiser for Waltham Seniors – where he took home the 1st place trophy in 2015.
Growing up, Eddie took ballroom lesson at Fred Astaire Dance Studios (FADS) in Belmont and competed at the Regional competitions - where he won all that he competed in. Later on he did an internships with FADS Eastern Regional Office as the event planner and Dance Instructor.
Eddie attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence RI and graduated in 2010 in the Hospitality field as an Event Planner.
With over 20 years of dancing experience, Eddie became the Director of Abaka Armenian School of the Performing Arts in 2014.
“The Armenian dance has been considered one of the oldest in the world. It embodies the history of our culture and tells the story of our ancestors. Whether we are dancing the dances of our forefathers preparing to go into battle or that of our grandmothers admiring the beauty of our land, we are bringing our history to life and creating a tie between our motherland and our youth here in America. This is the reason why Armenian dance has been a passion of mine for so many years. The stage is where I have shown my pride in my culture and people, with every kertsy, every kochari, every sweat drop and tear I have kept my history alive. I can only wish to pass on that fire to our amazing students of Abaka.”
Pearlene Varjabedian - Assistant Director
Pearlene Varjabedian was born and raised in Boston , MA and has been active in Armenian Dance for over 20 years. She has studied under choreographers Flora Galoustian Rostamian, Apo Ashjian and Shaghig Palanjian. As a member in various Armenian Dance companies including Boston’s Hamazkayin“Erepouni” Dance Group, AGBU “Daron Dance Ensemble,” and the prominent “Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston” she has performed in various performances across the United States.
In 1990, Mrs. Varjabedian founded and directed the San Francisco based Hamazkayin “Groung Armenian Children’s Dance Group” and upon her relocation back to Boston she was an instructor at the Abaka Armenian School for Performing Arts from 1994-1997.
Over the past 15 years in Southern California, Pearlene continued her dedication in teaching the love and respect for Armenian Dance to Armenian youth. She directed and choreographed in Orange County, California with the St. Mary’s Zvartnotz Youth Choir and Dance Ensemble and then founded the Hamakzayin Yeraz School of Armenian Dance in 2002, where she was the Artistic Director/Choreographer for ten years until her relocation back to Boston in 2012. Her commitment and strong belief in preserving our unique Armenian culture, has led her teaching many students over the past several years and is excited about returning to her hometown of Boston, MA and re-joining ABAKA and its mission.
“I have had the privilege to teach our Armenian youth for the past 20 years. In such vast and widespread Armenian communities, it has been most rewarding to teach, knowing that each student has learned to respect and love our rich Armenian culture through dance and music. I am very proud that even in some small way… the seeds of the future continue to be planted and the rhythm of our ancestral beats and melody of Armenian songs will be preserved and danced to eternally…“
Apo Ashjian - Founder
Apo has been active in Armenian dance for more than 30 years. Studying under choreographers Sarkis Paskalian and Ohan Armoudian, he has performed extensively with Armenian dance ensembles as well as with the internationally renowned Mandala Folk Ensemble.
In 1982, Ashjian directed his first production, "Tribute to Armenian Heritage," at Tufts University, in Medford, MA. He has been a director of the Erebouni Dance Ensemble of the Boston Chapter of Hamazkain (1980) and the Daron Dance Ensemble of the Greater Boston Chapter of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (1981-1985).
In October 1987, Ashjian traveled and studied with various dance ensembles in Armenia. At the invitation of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Armenians Abroad, he returned to Armenia twice, in January 1990 and September 1992, to continue his training. He studied with choreographer and soloist for the State Dance Ensemble of Armenia, Gagik Karapetian, and also with Artousha Karapetian, a choreographer and expert of ethnographic dances.
In 1994, Ashjian received a certification as an Armenian dance Director and Choreographer from the Dance Department of the Khatchadour Apovian School of Dance Instruction and Choreography. He completed the extensive five-year course of study, a few months at a time, during his many visits to Armenia.
Born in Syria and raised in Lebanon, Ashjian immigrated to the United States in 1970. After graduating from the Cambridge Public School System, he majored in Physical Education at Northeastern University in Boston, MA.
Ashjian, his wife and three children live in Belmont, MA.
"My dream has always been to be able to provide an environment where kids and the youth of our communities can come together and, through the art of dance, learn about our culture, history and music. My hope is to be able to instill in them, love for our homeland and our people — at least as much as I do. My goal is to make a contribution to society by making a difference in the lives of our Armenian communities. This is what I live for and this is what I love doing with passion."