Obituary of Sekine Athanas Joseph

Sekine Sharofi Athanas was born in Tirana on March 4, 1938. She is one of the first classical ballet dancers of the Theater of Opera and Ballet of Tirana, Albania. Sekine belongs to those pioneering artists who laid the foundations of the Ballet Theater since its genesis in the 1950s. She started her artistic career as a soloist of the classical ballet troupe at the Opera and Ballet Theater at the age of 14. She had a long career of 35 years as a prima ballerina, performing as a soloist in many prominent roles, with talent, technique, energy and perfection. Her last performance on stage was with the role of Lola in the ballet "Lola" in 1986. A special merit of Sekine lies in the fact that she was the first classical ballerina to dance with pointe and tutu as a soloist, with the newly created Ballet Troupe of Tirana in the 1950s, when she was only 14 years old. She will be remembered for many artistically accomplished roles and choreographic numbers, such as "Sleeping Beauty", "Death of Swan", etc., but her most outstanding role was Lola in the ballet "Lola". Sekine personified the role of Lola and the public loved her in that role. Many remember her as the “Lola” of the Theater of Tirana. She married John Athanas, a famous Albanian opera singer, and they both worked at the Theater of Opera and Ballet of Tirana for many years. They each nurtured each-other with the passion for art and music and were able to shine respectively in their talents. Sekine is viewed as an icon and a legend of the classical ballet of Tirana, Albania. One of the pioneers, if not, the first, to put on the tutu and the pointe on stage. Sekine leaves two daughters Mirela and Edlira, granddaughter Julia and grandson Easton, sister and brother and many nieces and nephews. She was a great mother and grandmother, a special person who made everyone feel welcomed. She loved to entertain large family dinners and events with her husband, daughters, grandchildren and extended family. She was a very generous and sacrificing person and will be missed by many. Visiting hours will be at the Graham Funeral Home, 3 Arlington Rd., Woburn on Wednesday morning, August 23 from 11:30am-1:30pm, followed by burial at the Wildwood Cemetery in Winchester.