The PIOT festival is celebrated all over Tornio, and on Saturday 6.11.2021 in Rantakatu Park, surrounded by domestic and international light art, at the festival’s main event.

The artistic team of the PIOT festival is piloted by Julius Oförsagd, who has Tornian roots and a long history of event production in Lapland and around the world. The team also includes Matti Paloniemi, the artistic director of Dance Theater Rimpparemmi, who was planning the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest and is responsible for the dramaturgy of the PIOT festival. Lighting artist Jukka Huitila is responsible for the lighting contents of the PIOT festival in collaboration with Lauri Lundahl, and the gentlemen have designed lighting works around the world and have been doing, among other things, the Lux Helsinki event since its early years.

Light and media artists in the main event are Teemu Määttänen, Duncan Mathews and Aleksander Salvensen. The conception and design of the lighting in the area has been carried out by lighting artist Jukka Huitila and technical designer Lauri Lundahl.

https://www.piot.fi

"Eternal Return is a human work flirting with horror and death, where the shiny just plays with the beautiful and the repeatability begins to strangle the throat."
Kaleva review 5.11.2021

​Eternal Return is a strange ride! Green lights are on! Strong lighting, you have been warned!

Thar Be Dragons is a platform for theatrical dance research, education, and performance, created by Annamari Keskinen and Ryan Mason in 2018. Here, both choreographers bring their professional experience and individual artistic vision into collaboration. Their work explores notions of subconscious communication, revealing dense and sometimes unseen intimacy between the layers of our inner landscapes. Their staged work shifts between rapid changes of mood, sustained states of tension, and layered imagery, often encircling themes of death, the unknowable, the paradoxical, borders, silence, light, the mystical, and the quotidian. Thar Be Dragons presented their first full-length work, Dying Animals Don’t Feel Sorry For Themselves at the Kaiku Club in Helsinki in 2018. They have been commissioned to create work for the Staatstheater Kassel, Staatstheater Braunschweig, and Hubbard Street Pro. 

https://www.tharbedragons.org

Lighting design for a magic show is quite different from my usual art work flow. It's all about creating illusions and entertaining. In close up magic it's critical to see everything and in bigger illusions there are different demands. I am not revealing more since it's magic. Henri blew my mind many times with such simple and beautiful magic. He can make a scarf to disappear, like really disappear in front of my eyes. Where? I have no idea but I don't even want to know. Sometimes it's lovely not to know. Premiere audience was enjoying for sure and I was enjoying seeing so many children living their dream. "How is that even possible?".

Magic and illusions by Henri Kemppainen
Feat. Jussi 69 on drums
On stage Henri Kemppainen, Jussi 69, Jani Järvinen and Salla Kekäläinen
Music by Johnny Lee Michaels
Directors Sami Saikkonen and Sonja Sorvola
Pyro effetcs by Jani Järvinen
All photos by Niki Soukkio

"A beautiful path of human life​. At the premiere, viewers didn’t want to let go of the world."
Kaleva review 19.10.2021

AER is created by circus artist Hanna Moisala, dance artist Pirjo Yli-Maunula, costume designer Pirjo Valinen, sound designer Aake Otsala, light designer Jukka Huitila and set designer Heidi Kesti. AER is a co-production of Flow Productions and Lumo Company.

​All photos: Pekka Mäkinen

Vinterresa (Winter Journey) is a new creation by choreographer Carl Knif for our dancer Madeleine Månsson. The starting point of the piece has been Franz Schubert's song cycle Winterreise based on Wilhelm Müller's poems.
In Vinterresa Madeleine Månsson embarks on a journey through a multi-layered landscape.

More Skånes Dansteater 
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Thar Be Dragons:
Eternal Return is a strange ride.

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Seija Lappalainen Lapin Kansa 10.9.2021

When a work of art was ordered from Jukka Huitila for a multi-purpose building to be built in Ylikylä, Rovaniemi, the artist got acquainted with the empty plot, measured the environment with his eyes and rose to the rampart, which attenuates the noise of Kittiläntie traffic. Shortly thereafter, he received the first drawings from the architectural firm.
- The design language of the ridge began to appeal to me, Huitila says.
This is how the planning of percentage art began for the first time in Rovaniemi. Except that art did not account for a percentage of construction costs.
- I don't even know the first project where this would have been fully realised, Huitila says.
In keeping with the spirit of percent art, he got involved already in the design phase of the building, and was given free rein to place his work inside or outside the building.
The artist wanted the work out so that it wasn’t just the Ilona of the building’s users. He wanted the work to be visible to Kittiläntie, the residents of the area and outdoor enthusiasts.
 
An ambiguous work of light
 
In September 2019, the City of Rovaniemi opened a portfolio search for a work of light art for the Ylikylä multipurpose building. Based on the portfolio, a sketch of the work was ordered from Jukka Huitila, and an order decision was made based on it.

Huitila describes his work as a dissertation that has emerged from the observation of natural events. The artist who moved to Rovaniemi in 2018 has a close relationship with nature and especially river nature.
Vuolas vuo is an ambiguous work that can be reminiscent of a river bed, northern lights, the top of a mountain and a river valley - and like nature, Vuolas vuo is different in daylight, evening twilight and night darkness.
- The work is divided into a day theme and an evening and night theme. Changes tied to sunrise and sunset times closely follow the cycle of the year. In winter, in the camouflage, the evening and night theme is in the main part and the focus changes to the day theme as we go towards summer, the artist describes. The work can be admired from the courtyard of the kindergarten in the Ylikylä multipurpose building; the living work of light art is located on the roof edge of the facade of the building, adapting its shapes.ct in Rovaniemi. Under the name Vuolas vuo, I want to tie it to nature, which I respect and protect.

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​Carl Knif crea­tes an in­no­va­ti­ve and phy­si­cal in­terp­re­ta­tion of Au­gust St­rind­berg’s A Dream Play.
Dei­ty Ag­nes un­der­ta­kes a dream­li­ke jour­ney th­rough the world, en­coun­te­ring the dif­fe­rent si­des of hu­ma­ni­ty. She sees peop­le and their li­ves as they are, full of cont­rasts and suf­fe­ring, but al­so great beau­ty. Will Ag­nes be di­sap­poin­ted with hu­mans, or will she be fil­led with lo­ve? How will she in­terp­ret the mea­ning of li­fe and hu­mans’ ro­le on earth? Knif po­ses ques­tions th­rough st­rong phy­si­cal exp­res­sion and vi­sua­li­ty. Mu­sic al­so plays a key ro­le in the per­for­man­ce.

The per­for­man­ce is pro­du­ced in col­la­bo­ra­tion bet­ween the Swe­dish Theat­re in Hel­sin­ki, Riks­tea­tern in Swe­den, and Carl Knif Com­pa­ny.

"The performance, co-produced by Svenska Teatern, the Swedish Riksteatern and the Carl Knif Company, is reminiscent of the style of German silent films or Russian formalists from a hundred years ago for its visualization."
HS review **** 9.9.2021

"Lives up to expectations
Carl Knif impressed a few years ago on the same stage with his dance theater production of Kafka's short novel The Transformation, and it quickly becomes clear that A Dream Play will not be a disappointment. In fact, the show is excellent, both entertaining and intellectual, visually rich and innovative."
HBL review 9.9.2021

​Di­rec­tion and cho­reog­rap­hy: Carl Knif
Per­for­mers: Mår­ten An­ders­son, Per Bu­rell, Pat­rick Hen­rik­sen, Ok­sa­na Lom­mi, Pek­ka Lou­hio, Den­nis Ny­lund
Cos­tu­me de­sig­ner: Ka­ro­lii­na Koi­so-Kant­ti­la
Sound de­sig­ner/Com­po­ser: Jan­ne Hast
Light de­sig­ner: Juk­ka Hui­ti­la
​Sce­nog­rap­her: Erik Sal­ve­sen
Ma­ke-up and hair: Tiit­ta Stoor
Pho­tog­rap­her: Cata Portin
Pro­duc­tion: Carl Knif Com­pa­ny, Svens­ka Tea­tern, Riks­tea­tern

INEHMOT
A performance for the whole family that combines dance and object theater
The work INEHMOT, created jointly by dance artist Titta Court and puppet theater artist Jose Salo, has been inspired by the Finno-Ugric holder doll tradition and Guatemalan care dolls.
The worries and worries entrusted to the puppets, and at the same time the simple and modest implementation of the puppets, create an interesting contrast. Belief in the dolls ’ability to help and eliminate problems is strong. The difficulties that appear on the stage in the form of different characters are solved by listening and sympathizing.
Anssi Laiho's sound design and Jukka Huitila's lights support the delicate structure of the performance and create new worlds in front of the viewer. Jaana Isokangas is responsible for the costume.
The performance is speechless.

"With the help of a couple of rags, the driftwood is shaped into both a majestic deer and a flying lizard. The menacing bullfighter and the way-looking threads are reminiscent of the Minotauros stories."
​LK review 30.8.2021

Concept, performers and scenography: Titta Court and Jose Salo
Sound design: Anssi Laiho
Lighting design: Jukka Huitila
Costume: Jaana Isokangas
Photos: Katri Kuu
Production: Rasa Collective, Teatteri Liikutus and Piste Collective​

369º
Choreography and concept Petri Kekoni
Dancers Tanja Illukka, Maria Autio, Petri Kekoni, Anna Stenberg, Eero Vesterinen
Music and sound design Antti Nykyri
Lighting design Jukka Huitila
Costume Design Monika Hartl
Production Anne Peippo / Petri Kekoni Company

Uraanilamppu premiere 1.6.2021
Tickets and more 

Working group:
Artistic planning and implementation: Valtteri Raekallio 
Author: Harry Salmenniemi 
Reader: Antti Holma
Dancers: Auri Ahola, Anni Koskinen, Natasha Lommi, Pekka Louhio, Oskari Turpeinen, Eero Vesterinen
Techincal producer: Lauri Lundahl 
Set designer: Aino Koski
Set contructors: Jyri Sucksdorff ja Tuomas Siltala
Assisting set designer: Virpi Nieminen
Lighting designer: Jukka Huitila
Sound desginer: Aki Päivärinne
Costume designer: Kaisu Hölttä
Assisting chroreographer: Jarkko Mandelin 
Direction and script writing of the videos: Valtteri Raekallio
Filming and editing of the videos: Thomas Freundlich / Lumikinos Productions Oy
Production assistants: Riikka Lakea, Sofia Suomalainen, Sanja Kulomaa / Pragma Helsinki
Production assistant, assisting performer: Sofia Ruija
Traineer: Jenni Honkamaa, Julia Mäkelä, Laura Kärkäs, Vilma Mankonen / Riveria, Outokumpu, dance education

Mistakes explores the manifestation of missteps and preferences on the stage. In it, five dynamic and highly skilled dancers share the stage with three experimental and groovy musicians resulting in electrifying encounters. It plays with the aesthetics of excessiveness, overflow, and physical fatigue and asks whether mistakes are something to be corrected or just an inevitable part of the psychedelic flow of life.

https://www.kineticorchestra.fi

More info and tickets:
https://jojo.fi/en/kinetic-orchestra-mistakes-en/

Uraanilamppu is a visionary performance mixing dance and text. It is based on the beloved and nourishing short stories by the philosopher and therapist Harry Salmenniemi. The performance devised by choreographer, activist and thinker Valtteri Raekallio hands its spectators keys to everyday living, life management and reaching one's goals.

Photo: Valtteri Raekallio

​More info

Magic show Taikarumpu by Henri Kemppainen feat Jussi 69

More info

The rapid is a three-dimensional spatial experience. It takes over the gallery Mustanapa.

​"I'm wading rapids, swimming in rapids and dropped them in a kayak. In the rapids, the senses become more sensitive.”

​Gallery Napa site
Gallery Mustanapa location

​More detailed info from the KOSKI page

Space. What is space? Tiloja / Avaruuksia (Fin) is based on Georges Perec's book of the Espéces dʻespaces (1974). The dance piece is a humorous and imaginative dissertation on space in all its immediate manifestations. In the work, Perec’s texts meets poetic and subtle dance. Sometimes the text acts as a rhythm and element that determines movement, sometimes the expression brings the viewer into poetic landscapes of memories and dreams. There is movement, speech, video projection and a world of sound.

​​Choreography: Carl Knif
Performers: Atte Herd, Helmi Järvensivu, Joni Kuokkanen and Marjo Selin
Sound design and music: Antti Lindholm
Costumes: Mirkka Nyrhinen
Scenography: Jukka Huitila 

Production: Rimpparemmi dance theater @Wiljami Rovaniemi - > Tickets
Photos: Antti Kurola
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Performances:
2.10.2020 19:00 PREMIERE 
3.10.2020 18:00
7.10.2020 12:00 and 19:00
16.10.2020 12:00 and 19:00
24.10.2020 18:00
30.10.2020 19:00
7.11.2020 18:00
20.11.2020 19:00
5.12.2020 13:00 and 18:00

​A sensing, experiencing, and present dancer acts as the interpreter of feelings for the countless people who have experienced cancer at close range in the Your Cancer in Me performance. 

The choreographer has experienced cancer among his friends and family four times, and approaches the topic openly through his experiences. The solo dance performance by Ismo Dance Company processes cancer on an emotional level and is an artistic interpretation of the feelings caused by cancer. 

Your Cancer in Me approaches the topic from the perspective of the spouse of a cancer patient. Despite the difficult topic, the performance brings hope to anyone who has experienced a form of cancer. 

The strong bodily features of dance allow the viewers to relate to the experiences, share their sorrow, and process their complicated feelings. 

​Choreography, concept ja direction: Ismo-Pekka Heikinheimo 
Dance: Tanja Illukka 
Composition and performance of music: Jouko Kyhälä 
Light design: Jukka Huitila 
Costume design: Sami Korhonen 
Set design: Simon le Roux 
Photos: Sakari Viika 

Performances:
tue 22.9. 19:00 premiere
wed 23.9. 19:00 
thu 24.9. 19:00 
fri 25.9. 19:00 
sat 26.9. 19:00 
sun 27.9. 19:00 
tue 29.9. 19:00 

Tickets: lippu.fi 

Flow family on fire! Only 15 shows to go, so If you want to experience 2000m2 of immersive art be fast and buy tickets. 
Full details and trailer by FLOW PRODUCTIONS/ director Pirjo Yli-Maunula.

All photos by JP Manninen
Performers in the photos: Kira Riikonen, Hanna Moisala, Emma Langmoen, Angeliki Nikolakaki, Tuukka Jukola,  Janne Saarakkala, Anssi Laiho

Costumes and set by Heidi Kesti
Flower and ice installation by Kati Juvani
Origami fish by Nikke Launonen
Tree by Mervi Juurikka
Lighting and projections by Jukka Huitila

It has been quite hectic times with Corona but there are things happening. I had a last site visit in Oulu this week and the premiere of Hylky will arrive in two and a half weeks. More posts regarding Hylky will follow soon! Home sweet home will be premiered after Hylky at OuDance festival. Its a multimedia performance by Oulu based collective with dancer/choreographer Milla Virtanen, media artist Leevi Lehtinen and sound artist Anssi Laiho. I will do my icing on top of the cake ;). At once in Helsinki by Carl Knif Company will be at the same festival, so its a double booking for me. Speaking of double bookings, Corona canceled Ismo Dance Company´s premiere Your cancer in me that was supposed to be in April. Its new premiere date is 22.9. and the performances will go on until 29th of September. At the very same time I will finish my scenography design in Rovaniemi. The premiere of Rimpparemmi: Tiloja ja Avaruuksia will be in early October. And then there is more...

Art in the time of corona! We will release a series of three video recordings of three Flow Productions' immersive works. 
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First up Flow Productions presents: The Secret Garden. We have released a video recording of TSG (2018) to be watched free online. Due to the nature of immersive performances this video recording is a selection of the performance, even if it is pretty extensive. Viewers of this recording will therefore be in the same situation as the live audience was in their time: not everybody sees everything but it is all dependent on choices. People who have experienced this work live will be taken back to the feelings and sensations they had, and any first-timer will also have plenty to enjoy in this video.

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Our Flow family!

Great reviews ***** and all performances sold out. Premiere 5.3.2020. 

UOTINEN GOES KEKKONEN 
Directing: Atro Kahiluoto - Kaari Martin - Roni Martin
Dramaturgy: Atro Kahiluoto
Choreography: Kaari Martin and Jorma Uotinen 
Composer: Roni Martin
Lighting: Jukka Huitila
Costumes: Erika Turunen
Makeup: Kaisu Hölttä
Producer: Virpi Kurkihovi
Marketing: Minna Korpimies
National museum of Finland: Noora Huumo, Sanna Paakkanen, Saara Pouru, Heidi Roth and Mikko Teräsvirta
Production: Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin
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​All photos: Minna Hatinen

Premiere next week. All performances sold out. For September performances, be fast!
More info (FI)

More performances coming in Helsinki 5.-8.11.2020. 

369°
Performance filmed in november 2019 in Cirko stage, Suvilahti, Helsinki.
Choreography and consept: Petri Kekoni
Sound design and music. Antti Nykyri
Light design: Jukka Huitila
Costume design: Monika Hartl
Dancers: Tanja Illukka, Meeri Lempiäinen, Pekka Louhio, Anna Stenberg, Eero Vesterinen
Original duration: 50 min.
Video: Thomas Freundlich / Lumikinos production Oy
Production and rights: Petri Kekoni Company
More info: kekonico.fi

Tickets:
7th of February at 19.00 TICKETS
9th of February at 19.00 TICKETS

Finland's Minister of Science and Culture Hanna Kosonen has awarded Raekallio Corp. the 2019 Finland Prize (Suomi-palkinto). The Finland Prize is an annual award of 21,625 euros, granted since 1993 to Finnish artists and ensembles in various fields. 

The award is decided by the Minister of Science and Culture, supported by the Suomi Award jury. Upon granting the award, Minister Kosonen commended Raekallio Corp. for the company's immersive, multisensory productions that lead the viewer from the role of passive audience member to active participant. 
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This year's other recipients of the Suomi Award are photographer and director Marja Helander; circus artist and choreographer Ilona Jäntti; conductor Klaus Mäkelä; designer, professor Pirjo Kääriäinen; the poetry collective Helsinki Poetry Connection; the Lainsuojattomat theatre festival; the Ruskeat tytöt media and the Amos Rex art movement.