Our Staff

Victor Sirelson - vsirelson@gmail.com (914)522-3888

President of the company; Producer for Dancing Crane events, including the Children’s Musical Theater productions.

He has been active as a specialist in traditional dance and music for many years. He formed the Dancing Crane organization which became incorporated in 1999 as a NY State 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Since that time he has produced hundreds of events in Georgian dance, traditional music, and theater. He oversees the programs and accounts of the organization.

Lika Sirelson - email (845)642-4823

Theater director, Musical Theater playwright and director

Creator and Director of Georgian Theater of New York, Creator, Playwright, and Instructor of Georgian Children’s Musical Theater;

Overall organizer of the Dancing Crane studio; stage manager and designer for public performances of all programs

Davit Toprakashvili -

Theater Director

Dato Toprakashvili has been involved with Georgian theater for many years. He has performed with the Georgian Theater of New York since 2008.

Ani Gadelia -

Choregrapher for musical theater. Ballet Master for Dancing Crane Company and teacher of Ballet classes.

Graduate of Chabukiani State Choreography School of Ballet, Tbilisi, Georgia; Dancer with the Georgian State Theater of Opera & Ballet, Tbilisi, Georgia; Opened ballet studio with Dancing Crane Georgian Cultural Center in Brooklyn; choreographer for children’s musical theater productions

Eka Chichua - Instructor at Music Studio Iberia

Ekaterina Chichua has these credentials. She has worked for years in Georgia as a singer and music specialist. She spent 4 years as the artistic director of the Children’s Vocal and Choreographic Ensemble "Iberia" in Tbilisi; she was the author/director of children’s TV shows with the TV Company “Caucasus”; and she holds a PhD level certificate of Candidate of Sciences from the Georgian-American University Tbilisi PR School, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Gvantsa Zakalashvili - Instructor of costume designing; studio production costume designer

Ilia Svianaidze - Instructor of Georgian dance and Children's Georgian Dance Choreographer

Mr. Svianaidze has danced in children’s and professional dance ensembles since 1996. He is trained as a dancer and choreographer. From 2009-2014 he toured in many countries with the Georgian Song and Dance Ensemble Erisioni. In 2014 he joined the “Fire of Anatolia and Troy” program and in 2016 he began to work with the Lost Legends ensemble. He has performed with the Dancing Crane Georgian Dance Ensemble since 2018.

Irakli Shengelia - Resident Choreographer

Maia Manjgaladze - Instructor of Georgian Language and History

Maka Baradze - Art Studio Director and Instructor of Art

Nino Gharibashvili - Instructor at Music Studio Lyra

Nino Gharibashvili is an accomplished musician: pianist, accompanist, soloist for chamber ensembles and a teacher with extensive experience.

Nutsa Abaishvili - Instructor of HipHop

Paata Tsetskhladze -

Director of Men’s Choir “Zekari,” Instructor of the Young Children’s Choir.

He has Masters degrees in composition and choral conducting. He has been a soloist with the very famous Basiani State Ensemble of Georgian Folk Singing and taught master classes at The Vano Saradjishvili Tbilis State Conservatoire.

Tamar Tsivilashvili -

Dance Choreographer and Children’s Dance Class Instructor

She is a Master Georgian dancer. She graduated from the distinguished dance school “Sukhishvilebi” in 2013, worked as a choreographer in 2013-2015 and joined the Lost Legends ensemble in 2014. She has danced with the Dancing Crane Georgian Dance Ensemble since 2017.

Tengiz Shautidze -

Vocal coach for Musical Theater and audio engineer.

He is a classical and traditional musician with mastery of regional and contemporary vocal styles of Georgian music as well as the traditional instruments.

Tsutsa Kapanadze -

Instructor of Children’s Theater and Manager of Georgian Theater of

New York - Manager and actress.

She is an accomplished actress on the Georgian stage and on Georgian television. She established her reputation during 14 years starring in the very popular TV show “Pa Siensi”.