Culture Minister donates traditional stage clothes to “Royal National Ballet”

Georgia:  The Georgian Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth, Thea Tsulukiani, gave traditional stage clothes to A(A)IP “Royal National Ballet.”

The ensemble was given 20 sets of “Khevsuri” for men (shirt, heartstring, hat, cloak) and ten sets of “Khavsuri” for women (dress, veil, hat). Stage clothes for the ensemble were sewed by the company “Pafanakma,” which was selected due to the tender.

Gelodi Potskhishvili founded the Potskhishvili choreographic dynasty. Under his leadership, the ensemble has held concerts on all five continents worldwide since 1963, developing Georgian choreography and Georgian culture. 

Potschishvili’s close association with choreography started in 1955, and the professional stage—from 1963—is connected to the foundation of the dance theater “Metekhi” and today—the “Royal National Ballet.” The ensemble has been performing on different stages around the world for several decades. 

The choreographic dynasty of Potchishvili unites the schools—Potchishvilbi Dance Academy and Little Stars—which are also very successful and where the next generation is taught the art of dance.

In 2008, Gela Potskhishvili and Maia Kiknadze formed the Royal National Ballet of Georgia, whose director, artistic director, and main producer is Gela Potskishvili. Maia Kiknadze is the main balletmeister of the ensemble.

It is important that the “Royal National Ballet” will again participate in the Georgian Festival of Levili in 2024, which is organized for the second time by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Georgia and with the support of the Government of Georgia.

FYI: The need for proper quality, custom sketches of traditional stage clothing is one of the actual challenges facing state and private folk ensembles.

For about 15 years, new clothes for state ensembles have not been purchased; that’s why the Ministry of Culture allocated 197 999 GEL in December 2021 and announced the first tender.

As a result, in the first half of 2022, stage clothes (70 dresses and 277 sets of choke) were sewn for 12 ensembles and two soloists, in particular, for the ensembles “Bermukha,” “Basiani,” “Didgori,” “Actor,” “Dziriani,” “Shield,” “Weburebi,” “Riho,” “Erosion,” Rustavi, “Sukhishvili,” and Mestia Salotbar School, and soloists Tristan Sikharulidze and Lela Tataraidze.

In the same year, the Ministry allocated 133 360 GEL, and the following year, eight more folklore ensembles were produced: “Shavnabada,” “Adilei,” “Yalon,” “Margalit,” “Gurjaan,” “Mtiebi,” “Satanaosa” and more for the ensemble of Inegol (Turkey Republic).

In 2023, stage clothes (117 Chokha-Akhalukh sets, six Khevsuri dresses, and 52 dress sets) were produced for ten more ensembles. The Ministry has started fulfilling the conditions provided by the 2023 contract from 2024.

This year, stage clothes have already been handed over: State Academic Dass of Iliko Sukhishvili and Nino Ramishvili, Quintet “Urmuli” (physical person Nugzar Kavtaradze), Georgian and World Folk Dance Choreographic Ensemble “Rokva,” State Academic Ensemble of Folk Song and Dance of Georgia To the bl “Erision’s,” A(a)IP “Tutarchela 2004”, A(a)ip, ensemble – “Me, Rustveli,” A(a).IP folk song and dance ensemble “Narteb,” Abkhazia State Song and Dance Ensemble “A(a)IP C. 

State Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of Kutaisi Folklore Center.

The Ministry of Culture selected these ensembles in cooperation with the Anzor Erkomaishvili State Folklore Center.