Sukhishvili: The Iconic Georgian National Ballet and Its Legacy
I have long wanted to write about a masterpiece, a true treasure – the National Ballet of Georgia, known as Sukhishvili.
My list of dreams is modest. At the top is attending a Sukhishvili concert.
I can’t wait to sit in the front row. I can already feel my heart pounding as the dancers take the stage and fill the atmosphere with breathtaking performances.
Until my dream comes true, I’ll console myself by sharing exciting news about Sukhishvili. Perhaps, like me, you’ll be captivated by the stories told through body language.
Let’s trace it all back to where the rich history of the Sukhishvili family begins.
The Foundation of the National Ballet of Georgia – Iliko Sukhishvili and Nino Ramishvili
The founders of Sukhishvili were considered revolutionaries of their time. Through their work, research, and discoveries, Georgian choreography has become incredibly rich. Iliko and Nino made Georgian culture and Sukhishvili inseparable. They raised the art of dance to the highest level.
Today, Sukhishvili is officially known as the “National Ballet of Georgia.” This title is fitting, as the dance they perform has always originated from ballet.
Nino Ramishvili and Iliko Sukhishvili came from the ballet school and enriched Georgian dance with various elements. As a result, a beautiful blend of classical ballet and folk dance emerged.
Iliko Sukhishvili Sr. – Reformer of Georgian Choreography
Iliko Sukhishvili was born in 1907 in the small village of Mejvriskhevi in eastern Georgia.
He lived a difficult life. His father passed away when he was just one year old, and he began supporting his family at age ten. At times, he worked as a postman, sold boiled chestnuts on a street in Tbilisi, and even danced in a casino.
He first attended a theological school and later continued his education at a labor school, studying simultaneously at the Perini studio at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater.
In 1926, he graduated from the Georgian folk dance studio. He then joined the opera and ballet theater, where he became an artist, later advancing to soloist and choreographer.
Though a self-taught dancer, his talent was recognized early on by the famous Georgian composer Zakaria Faliashvili. In the 1930s, Iliko first staged mass Georgian dances in Faliashvili’s operas.
During the 1920s, the formation of modern Georgian theater began. Sandro Akhmeteli, one of its founders, asked Iliko to help create an authentic Georgian style, voice, gesture, and movement. Through this collaboration, Georgian life and culture found a place on stage.
Nino Ramishvili – A Symbol of a Strong Woman
Nino Ramishvili once said, “Years will pass, generations will change, some dances will change, but the story of a small nation, told with love and emotion by Iliko Sukhishvili, Soliko Virsaladze, and me, Nino Ramishvili, will remain for generations…”
Known as the mother of Georgian dance and a symbol of strength for the Sukhishvili ensemble, Nino was born on January 19, 1910, in Tbilisi. Her talent for dance was evident from an early age.
Nino and her sister, Tamara, studied under the Italian ballerina Maria Perini, who had opened a dance studio in Georgia. When their mother could no longer afford the lessons, Perini visited their home personally. She assured their mother that her daughters were talented, and destined to become wonderful dancers, and offered to teach them for free.
This story inspired a scene in Giorgi Shengelaia’s famous musical comedy film, Melodies of the Vera Quarter.
In 1927, Nino joined the corps de ballet at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater. There, she met the love of her life, Iliko Sukhishvili.
Many challenges could have hindered her career, especially her last name.
Her namesake was Noe Ramishvili, the Georgian politician and president of the first government of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. After Soviet Russia occupied Georgia on March 17, 1921, he emigrated to France with the Georgian government.
Nino’s father faced exile due to his opposition to the Soviet regime. Stalin himself once reminded her of her heritage, saying, “All of you Ramishvilis should be shot.”
A distressed Nino awaited arrest that night, but she survived.
Her uncompromising and strong character protected her from Soviet terror.
As Nino once said, “If it were not for my strictness, the ensemble would not have reached such heights.
The Foundation of Sukhishvili
Sukhishvili was born from the deep love, trust, and respect shared by Nino Ramishvili and Iliko Sukhishvili.
Iliko Sukhishvili, Nino Ramishvili, Soliko Virsaladze, and their friends faced many challenges in creating a Georgian dance ensemble. World War II was one of the obstacles they encountered.
Despite these difficulties, the friends—united by their love of dance—held small concerts and rehearsed at home.
In 1945, the Sukhishvili ensemble was officially founded.
Today, everyone in Georgia knows Sukhishvili. Without Iliko and Nino’s efforts in the 1930s and 1940s, Georgian dance might have faced a very different fate. During that time, this art form was largely forgotten in Georgia.
The ensemble’s reforms in Georgian dance align with the principles of “Modern Ballet,” yet the choreography remains distinctly Georgian. The dances they staged drew heavily from Georgian folklore.
International Recognition
Their first international tour and breakthrough came in Finland, then in Denmark, followed by other European countries. No other folklore ensemble from the Soviet Union had achieved this at the time.
Concerts were sold out, and the world press praised the ensemble.
Audiences admired not only the originality, charm, and complex moves of their folk dances but also the stunning costumes designed by Soliko Virsaladze.
The Sukhishvili family set a precedent by becoming the first folklore ensemble to perform at La Scala in 1967.
When the Georgian dancers finished their performance at La Scala, the curtain rose to applause fourteen times.
Newspapers wrote of this performance: “The Georgian ballet dancers are perfection itself. This is not a dance; it’s an ascent, a storm on the stage! Their dance defies gravity, combining male strength and female grace. It’s a fairy tale of dancers cutting through the air with kaleidoscopic geometry and military precision.”
Prominent publications, including The New York Times, Washington Post, and Daily Telegraph, have called the Georgian National Ballet the best folklore group in the world.
Challenges of the Georgian National Ballet during the Soviet Union
During the communist era, when anything different was forbidden and individualism was viewed with suspicion, the ensemble began performing folk dances. Even under restrictions, however, Iliko Sukhishvili and Nino Ramishvili could still improvise.
Many of the dances considered folk today were staged by the first generation of Sukhishvili and are products of their imagination.
In the Soviet Union, they made sacrifices. To continue doing what they loved, they found the only way forward. They renounced their copyrights so their creations would not be destroyed and declared their staged dances folk.
With this gesture, Nino and Iliko passed on their work to the Georgian people, preserving a great treasure for world culture.
The Second Generation of Sukhishvili
The years of the second generation of the Georgian National Ballet were equally challenging.
At that time, Tengiz Sukhishvili, son of Iliko and Nino Ramishvili, led the ensemble.
Tengiz first appeared on stage at age 14. Beginning in 1958, he was the artistic director alongside Nino Ramishvili. By 1969, he had become the ensemble’s choreographer.
In 1985, after his father’s death, Tengiz fully took over the ensemble and continued the family tradition.
Post-communist Georgia was going through a very difficult period. Few Georgians could think of dancing or any entertainment when the country faced such hardship. The main concern was survival.
Yet, Sukhishvili survived this period too, and today the ensemble is led by the grandchildren of Iliko and Nino.
The Third Generation of Sukhishvili
The older generation of the ensemble was revolutionary, constantly exploring new ideas and making discoveries.
The third generation of Sukhishvili continues this path, though some view their bold projects with skepticism.
In the 1940s, the elders’ dances faced criticism, yet today each has become a classic.
Now, Iliko Sukhishvili Jr. is the creative and artistic director of the “National Ballet of Georgia.” He creates new dances and works on music. His sister, Nino Sukhishvili, who danced in the ensemble for some time, handles administrative duties and designs costumes.
Though Iliko Jr. and the creative team continually update programs and stage new dances, the essence remains unchanged, rooted in Sukhishvili Sr.’s foundation.
It’s safe to say their influence led other choreographers and ensembles to follow their model. Thus, all dances are built on the Sukhishvili tradition.
As mentioned, Iliko Sr. introduced mass scenes to Georgian choreography in the 1930s, beginning in cinema and theater, and then in opera. These include mass scenes in Khevsuruli, Khanjluri, Davluri, Kinto, and others.
The younger Sukhishvili has carried forward these innovations in Georgian dance.
Today, dances like Lazuri, Juta, Zekari, and others, popular in Georgia, were created by Iliko Jr.
As years pass, the dance elements and costume designs they introduced appear in other folklore ensembles.
Iliko Jr. says he always considers what the elder Iliko and Nino would appreciate when crafting new dances and programs. He strives to maintain the sharpness, foundation, and aristocratic elegance his ancestors gave to Georgian dance.
Georgian choreography and culture are fortunate that both grandchildren, Iliko Sukhishvili and Nino Ramishvili, chose to dedicate their lives to Georgian dance.
