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| Helsinki Dance Company | |
|---|---|
| Name | Helsinki Dance Company |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Tero Saarinen |
| Location | Helsinki, Finland |
| Genre | Contemporary dance |
| Artistic director | Tero Saarinen |
Helsinki Dance Company Helsinki Dance Company is a contemporary dance ensemble based in Helsinki, Finland, known for a repertoire that draws on contemporary dance, modern dance, and theatrical performance. The company performs at venues such as the Helsinki Music Centre, Savoy Theatre, and Finnish National Opera, and tours internationally to festivals and theatres including the Edinburgh Festival, Ruhrtriennale, and Théâtre de la Ville. Its work is situated within Finnish and European contemporary performing arts networks and engages with choreographers, composers, designers, and cultural institutions.
Founded in 1986, the company emerged amid a period of growth for contemporary dance in Scandinavia and Europe, following precedents set by companies like the Nederlands Dans Theater, Cullberg Ballet, and Batsheva Dance Company. Early influences included choreographers such as Pina Bausch, Merce Cunningham, and Mats Ek, and institutions like the Helsinki City Theatre and Sibelius Academy shaped local training. During the 1990s and 2000s the ensemble collaborated with festivals such as the Avignon Festival, Taipei Arts Festival, and Jacob's Pillow, expanding ties to venues including Sadler's Wells, Vienna State Opera, and Théâtre National de Chaillot. Funding and support came from the Finnish Arts Council, Ministry of Education and Culture, Nordic Culture Point, and private foundations including Kone Foundation and Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.
Under the artistic leadership of choreographers and directors influenced by figures like Tero Saarinen, Akram Khan, Wayne McGregor, and Crystal Pite, the company's repertoire blends theatricality with movement research. Works incorporate music by composers such as Arvo Pärt, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Kaija Saariaho, and John Adams, with scenography by designers connected to institutions like the Royal Danish Theatre and Opera Vlaanderen. Repertoire often juxtaposes solo studies, ensemble narratives, and interdisciplinary projects involving lighting designers from the Mariinsky Theatre and costume designers known from the Paris Opera Ballet. The company's approach aligns with methodologies practiced at the Laban Centre, Juilliard School, and Palucca Hochschule für Tanz.
Premieres by the company have been associated with choreographers and artists who have ties to the Tanztheater Wuppertal, Northern Ballet, and Comédie-Française. Notable productions include dance-theatre pieces premiered at festivals such as Montpellier Danse and Dance Umbrella, and commissions for institutions like the Finnish National Gallery and Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art. Collaborations resulted in site-specific projects staged in venues akin to the Helsinki Cathedral steps, Ateneum courtyard, and the Senate Square, as well as multimedia works shown at the Venice Biennale and Manchester International Festival.
The ensemble has included dancers trained at institutions such as the Royal Ballet School, Vaganova Academy, The Juilliard School, and the Palucca Hochschule. Alumni have continued careers with companies including the Bolshoi Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Ballett am Rhein, or pursued choreography and teaching at the LINES Ballet, Codarts, London Contemporary Dance School, and University of the Arts Helsinki. Guest artists have included performers affiliated with the Martha Graham Center, American Ballet Theatre, and Staatsballett Berlin.
The company has collaborated with orchestras and musical ensembles like the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble InterContemporain, and Kronos Quartet, and worked with directors from theatre companies such as the Royal Court Theatre, National Theatre, and Berliner Ensemble. Partnerships extend to museums and cultural centres such as the Finnish National Gallery, MoMA PS1, Centre Pompidou, and ZKM. Co-productions have been undertaken with broadcasters and festivals including Yle, ARTE, BBC Arts, and the Holland Festival.
Touring history includes performances across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia at venues like the Lincoln Center, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Sydney Opera House, and National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. Festival appearances span the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Salzburg Festival, Festival d'Automne, and Spoleto Festival USA. The company has participated in cultural exchange programs organized by the European Capital of Culture, Nordic Council of Ministers, and UNESCO performing arts initiatives.
Recognition for the company and its artists includes nominations and awards connected to the Benois de la Danse, Laurence Olivier Awards, Golden Mask, Finnish Cultural Foundation prizes, and Europe Theatre Prize-related commendations. Choreographers and dancers have received grants and fellowships from the Arts Council England, Guggenheim Foundation, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, and Nordic Council Music Prize adjudicators have noted the company's contributions to contemporary performance.
Category:Dance companies Category:Culture in Helsinki