 Sami Saikkonen: Scene for a man and a woman - the third encounter
Sami Saikkonen and Minna Tervamäki danced Saikkonen’s piece Kohtaus miehelle ja naiselle (Encounter for a Man and a Woman) in Houston over 20 years ago. The work, combining dialogue and movement, dealt with two young adults falling in love and the early stage of their relationship. Young faces, dreams, beliefs, hopes, assumptions. Now both dancers have retired from the National Ballet, rebuilt their identities, and faced death: Saikkonen in a plane crash and Tervamäki in a tsunami. Encounter for a Man and a Woman – The Third Encounter draws on the life experiences of Saikkonen and Tervamäki, while simultaneously reflecting on the original 1997 piece. How do you tell the story of two people in their fifties, when it is still unfinished? The work explores the complexity of reunion, memories, and the passage of time. It is a story tinged with nostalgia and introspection about the chance meeting of two people in their fifties, who once shared a significant connection. Concept and choreography: Sami Saikkonen | Dance: Sami Saikkonen, Minna Tervamäki | Composer: Ofelia Adrastea | Light Design: Jukka Huitila | Production: JoJo – Oulu Dance Centre | Duration: 1h 20 min (includes intermission) Performances: Valvesali, Oulu Wed 26.11., Premiere | Thu 27.11., Audience Discussion | Fri 28.11. | Sat 29.11. all at 19 | Sun 30.11. at 15 KokoTheatre, Helsinki 3.12. | 5.12. | 10.12. | 12.12. | 13.12. at 19 |
