The Berd Dance Ensemble (Armenian: òÃÂ¥ÃÂä úáÃÂáõëö áöýáôâì) is an Armenian folk and stage dance collective founded in 1963 by Boris Gevorgyan, People's Artist of Armenia. The ensemble performs traditional and staged Armenian dances in Armenia and internationally, and has participated in over 500 international festivals, 1,000 concerts, and performed before audiences of nearly one million people. In 2009, by Presidential Decree N124, the group received the honorary title of Honored Collective of Armenia.
The ensemble was founded in 1963 in Yerevan by Boris Gevorgyan at a time when traditional cultural activity was not widely promoted in Soviet Armenia. It was initially created as a group to preserve Armenian folk dances, later becoming a professional state ensemble. The name refers to the Armenian folk dance Berd ("fortress"), which traces its roots to the province of Vaspurakan and the ritual game Gmbetakhagh ("dome-game").
Since the 1990s, under Karen Gevorgyan, the ensemble has combined preservation of tradition with ethnographic research and staged innovation. The repertoire includes collected dances from different Armenian regions such as Taron, Mush, Vaspurakan, Kharberd, and Homshen. The choreography emphasizes collective strength, symbolism, and national themes, while adapting dances for large-scale stage productions.
The ensemble has performed in more than 30 countries and participated in over 500 festivals worldwide.
The ensemble is considered a cultural bridge between Armenia and the diaspora. Its performances are attended both by Armenian communities abroad and international audiences. It has been described by international media as representing Armenian heritage through dance, costume, and symbolism.