Interests
I'm a Finnish freelance dance artist graduated from Balettakademien Stockholm. Currently I'm living in Helsinki. For me, one of the most important aspects of being a dancer is that I can use my physical capacity and expression to discover different ways of being, feeling and connecting to myself and to others. I really want to work in choreographies, which are technically demanding, risk taking and full of motion and passion. During the past few years, I have also become more inspired by physically demanding dance theatre. Being able to perform and use, not only movement, but voice, text and acting is challenging but very intriguing and fruitful. I'm also trying to use more breath, qualities of vulnerability, roughness and reflections of different life experiences in order to find more meanings into my dance and movement quality.
What I do
After my graduation in 2010, I have had the honor to dance in performances choreographed by f.ex. Joona Halonen, Thomas Freundlich, Johanna Nuutinen, Milla Virtanen, Reija Wäre, NordCC and Nomodaco. I have also been part of a few big productions at the Swedish Theatre in Helsinki and Finnish National Opera.
I'm very motivated in being active on my own creative work and co-operating with other artists and filmmakers. In 2012, together with dancers Meeri Altmets and Emmi Väisänen, we founded NosteK that is a collective that creates and produces dance art with choreographers and freelancers from different artistic fields. So far NoskeK has performed two full-length dance pieces.
Teaching contemporary, lyrical and modern jazz has also been part of my career since graduation. I really enjoy this challenge and I want to share my knowledge about movement and body as pedagogically as possible and inspire people to move and dance. Besides working, I have regularly continued taking professional classes and courses in Finland, around Europe and in Israel in order to keep up my strength, improve my technique and broaden my horizon.
Academic career
In addition to my great interest in dance, I have studied in the University of Jyväskylä, Regina and Gothenburg during the years 2003-2008. My major was educational science and my minors were ethics, gender studies and psychology. I’m having a break from my academic career during the near future, but I have decided to write my theses one day and possibly connect the research work with dance. I think that dance as a cultural phenomenon, lifestyle, sport and art genre is worth researching because the dance world is full of interesting people, pieces of work and phenomena that should be lifted up. But before the theoretical aspect, I want to take part in it practically as much depth as possible.
Work as a dancer | ||
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2018-2019 | [frames] | Iiro Näkki / Helsinki |
2018 | Kuusnolla | Satu Tuomisto / Helsinki |
2017-2018 | Kiteytyvä | Guillermo Sarduy / Kuopio, Kokkola, Helsinki |
2017-2018 | Edith Södergran - Vierge Moderne | Ooppera Skaala / Helsinki, Turku |
2016-2019 | You and Me | Thomas Freundlich / Kotka, Helsinki |
2016 | Pelkopiiri | Mia Malviniemi / Vaasa |
2016 | Untouchable | Thomas Freundlich / Kotka |
2016 | Indigo | Reija Wäre / Finnish National Opera |
2015-16 | Transit | Thomas Freundlich / Helsinki, Kotka |
2015 | Symposion | Thomas Freundlich / Helsinki |
2014 | Staden | Tove Skeidsvoll, Carolina Bäckman / Umeå |
2014 | Reflex | Tove Skeidsvoll / Vaasa, Skellefteå, Mariehamn |
2014 | It's All Over Now, Baby Blue | Milla Virtanen / Soul, Korea |
2014 | 5th Floor | Milla Virtanen / Oulu, Kuopio |
2013 | Svorskuomi | Arja Tiili, Åsa N. Åström, Vilde Sparre /Stockholm, Trondheim and Helsinki |
2011-13 | Kristina från Duvemåla | Lena Josefsson / Swedish Theatre in Helsinki |
2013 | Fire Circus Walkea | Antti Suniala, Minttu Pietilä / Helsinki |
2011-12 | Worry Doll | Joona Halonen / Oulu and Pyhäjärvi and tour in Sweden and Norway |
Work by NosteK and me | ||
2017 | Tunsimme toisiamme | Minttu Pietilä and Katri Salmenoja/ Helsinki |
2017 | 36/42, 60seconds dance film | Minttu Pietilä, Thomas Freundlich, Pauli Juppi |
2016 | dance7en, dance film project | Minttu Pietilä and Pauli Juppi |
2015 | Faked on a New Story | Minttu Pietilä / Urban Apa Festival, Helsinki |
2015 | 36/42, solo performance | Minttu Pietilä / Karjaa, Turku, Sastamala | 2015 | Faked on a New Story | Minttu Pietilä / Urban Apa Festival, Helsinki |
2015 | Sliding on Surfaces, Riding on Horses | Katja-Maria Taavitsainen, NosteK production / Helsinki |
2015 | Fall up - Get down. Dance film | Minttu Pietilä, filmed by Pauli Juppi |
2014 | Piirto | Veronica Yakushevich, Minttu Pietilä / Zodiak - Mamuska, Helsinki |
2013 | Riesa | Johanna Nuutinen, NosteK production / Helsinki, Kuopio |
Education | ||
2009-10 | Balettakademien Stockholm, Professional Dance Programme. 3rd year of the education. | |
2008-09 | DiAmbra Dance Programme and Balettakademien Stockholm Street Dance Programme. | |
2003-08 | University of Jyväskylä, Regina and Gothenburg. Educational science, psychology, ethics etc. | |
2002-07 | Jyväskylä Vocational Institute, Degree in Comprehensive Course of Dance. | |
2002-03 | Västra Nylands Folkhögskola, Professionally Oriented Dance Program. | |
2002 | Mäkelänrinne Upper Secondary School, Matriculation Examination. | |
Some workshops and classes | ||
2010-2018 | Professional contemporary and ballet classes at Tanssille ry, Helsinki Dance Company and Marameo and Dock 11 in Berlin | |
2017 | L-E-V dance company intensive in Turin, Kidd Pivot workshop in Amsterdam, Gaga workshop in Helsinki | |
2016 | Petri Kekoni workshop in Helsinki | |
2015 | Gwyn Emberton and Ido Batash, iCODACO workshop in Stockholm | |
2014 | Amsterdam Summer Intensive 2014 at Henny Jurriëns Foundation | |
2013 | Gaga Intensive Spring in Belgium and Summer 2013 in Tel Aviv | |
2013 | Palamós Summer Dance by CobosMika Company | |
2013 | ilDance Summer Intensive in Gothenburg | |
2012 | Impulztans Vienna International Dance Festival | |
2012 | Amsterdam Summer Intensive 2012 at Henny Jurriëns Foundation | |
2011-12 | Tero Saarinen Workshop in Turku and Pyhäjärvi | |
2010 | International Summer Courses in Stockholm | |
Teaching | ||
2018 | Treenit ry, dance classes for professionals in Tampere | |
2017 | Tanssille ry, dance classes for professionals in Helsinki | |
2015 - | Tanssikeskus Footlight - contemporary, lyrical jazz | |
2017 - | Helsingin tanssiopisto - lyrical jazz, Jazz Attack performance group | |
2016-2017 | Porvoon Tanssiopisto - contemporary, lyrical jazz | |
2016 | Kruununhaan ylä-aste and Kaisaniemen ala-aste - dance education | |
2011 - | Substitute teacher at Tanssikoulu DCA, Helsingin Tanssiopisto, Tamara Rasmussen Opisto, Tanssivintti, Taidetehtaan tanssikoulu |
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