Short Dance Film by Rima Pipoyan
YEL is a poetic short dance film exploring the struggle of inner polarities and the eternal human search for freedom. Drawing inspiration from Komitas’ haunting adaptation of the Armenian folk song “Yel, yel”, the work interweaves dance, voice, and the timeless stillness of Armenian architecture into a visceral reflection on resilience and self-overcoming.
Synopsis:
A woman descends through the ancient stones of Erebuni fortress, burdened by inner fears, doubts, and the haunting presence of her own hidden self. Her path, heavy with hesitation and vulnerability, mirrors the eternal struggle between oppression and the will to rise. Echoes of the folk cry “Yel” (“Stand up”) resound—once addressed to the peasant’s ox, the very source of survival, now transforming into a universal call for perseverance.
Blurring the lines between movement, memory, and place, YEL evokes both fragility and strength, solitude and resilience, culminating in a powerful meditation on victory—not over others, but over oneself.
MUSIC:
Komitas’ adaptation of the Armenian folk labor song “Yel, yel” shows the Armenian peasant’s attitude towards his ox. The ox was really crucial for the Armenian peasant for it was the breadwinner of his family. In fact, it’s well-being was equal to the well-being of his child. And if someone’s ox was sick or died, it was a great tragedy. This song depicts that very moment. The peasant says, “Stand up, stand up, the day passed, it got dark. You may not know the words of the song or understand their meaning but it still makes you cry, feel empathy for everything that surrounds you and experience some unknown feelings. The harmony of its acapella tells you of eternal issues, of the inner sentiments of each human being, the power of never giving-up.
LOCATION:
In the dance movie, you can see parallels between static Armenian architecture, movement and voice. The film was shot at Erebuni fortress on the Arin Berd hill between the districts of Nor-Aresh and Vardashen in the south-eastern suburbs of Yerevan. It was constructed in 782 BC by one of the greatest kings of Urartu, Argishti I. Some experts say that Erebuni means “victory” or “capture”, while others believe that it means a city of “free people”.
FILM CREW
- Directed by Rima Pipoyan
- Line Producer Lilit Gabrielyan
- Concept, Choreography and Dance by Rima Pipoyan
- Director of Photography Artur Gharayan
- Editing, Color Grading and Visual Effects by Emil Khachatryan
- Gaffer Razmik Hambardzumyan
- Steadicam David Harutyunyan
- Steadicam Assistant Artur Galustyan
- First Assistant Camera Zareh Safaryan
- Drone Operator Valera Malkhasyan
- Make-up Artist Liana Ayvazyan
- Costume Design by Rima Pipoyan
- Costume makers Asya Soghoyan, Varduhi Soghoyan
- Shooting Assistants Maria Khachatryan, Vahagn Matosyan
- Photographer Mary Grigoryan
- The “Yel, Yel” Song adaptation by Komitas Music Performed by Armenian State Chamber Choir (ASCC) Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Robert Mlkeyan
- Film Partners: “Goethe Center” in Yerevan, Erebuni Historical and Archeological Museum Preserve, Armenian State Chamber Choir (ASCC)
- The project realized within the framework of the Contemporary Dance & Experimental Art Festival in Tbilisi
- The project was implemented under the the financial support of the organization The Trust for Mutual Understanding (TMU)
- Special Thanks to Tamuna Gurchiani the Director of Contemporary Dance & Experimental Art Festival in Tbilisi
- Special Thanks to Mikhail Badalyan the Director of the Erebuni Historical and Archeological Museum Preserve
Rima Pipoyan 