Our Team

Shorena Barbakadze

Founder & Choreographer · President

Born in Georgia in 1979, Shorena began dancing at the age of three, immersing herself in the styles and fine details of Georgian folk dance before going on to study foreign languages at university. She came to New York in 1998 and, in 2000, founded the Georgian Cultural Center Pesvebi together with her husband, Vano Goderdzishvili. Over the years she has taught more than 1,500 students and made each of them fall in love with Georgian dance.

• Knowledge of 15 Georgian dance dialect styles, western & eastern regions
• Dancer, Georgian folk ensemble "Hereti" (1990–1996)
• Founder of the children's dance group that became Pesvebi (2001)
• Board of Directors, Pesvebi (2011–present)
• Recipient of numerous awards and certificates of recognition from Georgia and the U.S.

Ivan (Vano) Goderdzishvili

Music Director — Vocal & Instrumental Teacher · Adviser

Born in Georgia in 1977, Ivan (Vano) began studying Georgian music at the age of five and went on to specialize in conducting at the Institute of Culture. An accomplished musician and singer who plays more than twelve instruments, he was a soloist with the ensemble Kolkheti before joining, in 1998, the ensemble where Shorena danced. Together they founded Pesvebi, where he leads the live musicians behind the ensemble's dance and music performances.

• Plays and teaches 12+ instruments (string, wind, and percussion)
• Professional vocal choir and instrumental ensemble conductor
• Soloist, Georgian folk ensemble "Kolkheti" (1996–1998)
• Folk choir conductor, church choir regent, and folk-instrument expert

Natalia Goderdzishvili

Violin Teacher & Vocal Choir Director · Adviser

A multifaceted musician, Natalia came from Georgia in 1980 and is celebrated for her command of piano, violin, and Georgian instruments. She settled in New York in 2007, bringing the same deeply rooted musical education she shares with her brother, Ivan. At Pesvebi she teaches violin and directs the girls' vocal choir, and her energy has been a driving force for the cultural center.

• Professional violin player
• Strong knowledge of Georgian folk music, songs, and instruments
• Violin teacher and vocal choir director, Pesvebi (2008–present)

Giorgi Goderdzishvili

Choreographer & Dance Instructor

Giorgi Goderdzishvili is a choreographer and dance instructor with the Pesvebi ensemble.

Jurkha Lomtadze

Choreographer

Since 2011, Jurkha Lomtadze has led the boys' dance program, passionately educating Georgian-American children and instilling in them a love for Georgian dance.

Nodar Obolashvili

Drum Instructor

Nodar Obolashvili is a percussionist with Pesvebi who performs on the Georgian doli, playing in the ensemble's live music for its concerts and musical productions.

Nikoloz Sabashvili

Theatrical Producer

Invited from Georgia in November 2016, acclaimed director Nikoloz Sabashvili staged the musical "Legend of Georgia" in just five weeks, turning the center's children into actors. He returned the following year to create "Tsuna and Tsrutsuna," expanding the production with new characters and music — two productions that became milestones in the Pesvebi story.

Victoriya Dzhavakhishvili

PR Manager & Secretary

Victoriya is a multifaceted professional whose path winds from stomatology, psychology, and business administration to paralegal studies — and from medical practice to the arts and community service. She has founded several non-profit organizations and is driven by a genuine passion for community development. Her artistic roots in traditional Georgian dance, rhythmic gymnastics, and theater round out her professional life. Above all, she is a proud mother and grandmother, devoted to nurturing her family and her community.

• Founder of several community non-profit organizations
• Background in stomatology, psychology, business administration & paralegal studies
• Languages: English, Russian, Georgian

Levan Namitcheishvili

Treasurer

Levan brings deep experience in management and international affairs to the Pesvebi board, and supports the center's students with their schoolwork and English. He is based in Brooklyn, New York.

• Doctorate in Management (PhD), Georgian International University (2011–2015)
• Master's in International Affairs, City University of New York (2009–2011)
• Postgraduate study in industrial economics, Kutaisi Technical University
• Languages: Georgian, English, German, Russian, French

Nino Magali

Vice President & Event Manager

Nino Magali is a dedicated Georgian-American community advocate and volunteer, born and raised in Brooklyn. Since the age of twenty she has been passionately involved in her community through volunteering, advocacy, and assistance. She holds a BA in Political Science and has over twenty-two years of experience in politics, government, and the non-profit sector. Professionally, she is Special Assistant to an Executive Director at a major non-profit organization, supervising a team of twenty staff members.

• BA in Political Science
• Chairperson, Title I Parent Advisory Council (PAC)
• Vice President, Title I District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) and the PTA

Ezra Freeman

Communications, Social Media & Public Relations

Ezra Freeman is a social media and content professional with more than five years of experience growing audiences and driving engagement through authentic, data-driven storytelling. A Senior Content Creator at VAYNER Media, she has produced viral short-form content for global brands and appeared on screen as a cohost of CBS and Paramount+'s "The Real Love Boat." She holds a BA in Arts Administration and a BFA in Acting from Elon University. Deeply connected to the Georgian community — she serves as an Honorary Board Member and Ambassador of American Friends of Georgia and speaks Georgian — she brings both professional polish and genuine commitment to Pesvebi's communications and outreach.

• Senior Content Creator, VAYNER Media
• Honorary Board Member & Ambassador, American Friends of Georgia
• BA Arts Administration & BFA Acting, Elon University
• Languages: English (native), Georgian, Turkish

Michelle Abramov

Volunteer