Together with the artists, we are proud to once again present Focus on the Local Landscape – a rich program that meanders with a large variety of works through the ten days of Moving in November.
In the face of current funding cuts to the arts in Finland and under the threat of further reductions, it feels crucial to shed light once again on this vivid and inspiring local scene. Focus on the Local Landscape responds to this urgency, embedding the local artistic voices within an international contemporary dance festival. By combining local and international perspectives fostering exchange and inspiration, the program shows the richness of the Finnish performing arts but also builds a bridge for collaboration and visibility in a wider context.
Focus on the Local Landscape is both a collaborative artistic program and the continuation of a conversation, addressing the local culture-political situation that is increasingly complicated and hostile for the arts scene. With this program, we embrace artistic proposals from the local performing arts scene that came towards us by chance.*
We are excited to introduce these artists and share a small glimpse into the vibrant local scene they represent. This is just a taste of what the local scene has to offer.
Focus on the Local Landscape opens with three compelling works: in DOWN BEAT by Mean Time Between Failures, full of pessimistic ambivalence and following the beat, two performers chew gum and invite the audience to join them in this everyday act.
Conversation with Ants evening is a collaborative project led by choreographer Sanna Kekäläinen. The concept of the work centres on the idea of visiting. Local performers will visit the work and continue the performance event with their own presentations. Local guest in Helsinki is Heli Keskikallio.
And there is also Liisa Pentti +Co’s performance Mabel Revival, a joyous and shameless mixture of dance, performance, and DIY cabaret. A solo, revisited, that first premiered in 2008.
The impatiently awaited Quattro Stagioni is a four-part theatrical pizza baked by dance artist Elina Pirinen, theatre artist Tom Rejström and dance artist Jenni-Elina von Bagh. It brings together vivacious and refined flavours, the troubling swings of the seasons – and way much more! Join us for this crusty world premiere!
With Exercise on empathy [a score for performing a human], Alina Sakko continues her endeavour, begun last year, to recall two works from Moving in November 2022 without having witnessed them. Posing the pertinent question: is it possible to remember a performance without having experienced it?
Sketch evenings, initiated by Emmi Max Pennanen & Sonjis Laine, creates dialogue and exchange around performance concepts, thoughts and ideas that are still in the making. It’s a beautiful space of encounter and conversation and opens up a window into the practices and researches of the local artistic scene. Sign up here, to witness or share.
Karolina Kucia’s We’s and Us’s, is a training session in parasitic tactics and monstrous strategies for the formation of collectivity. Join us on Kiasma Theatre’s stage for this unique proposal! The session includes a series of instructive mini-performances, score-led collective exercises, interacting with performing objects, and the screening of the film We Bites Us.
During the festival you can also partake in two workshops, organised in collaboration with Tanssille ry: Rébecca Chaillon & Sandra Calderan’s Performing Intimacy and MANUAL with Adam Kinner & Christopher Willes.
Last but not least, we are pleased that Audience Club, a concept by Anna Kozonina, goes already in its second round. What better can there be, than to visit the festival with others and discuss the seen performances together? Note that the last day to sign up for the Audience Club is today, Sunday 12th October! Sign up through this link.
Thinking of conversations and encounters – through our Soup Talks series you will have the opportunity to engage in a Soup Talk Panel hosted by Simo Kellokumpu, in conversation with master students in dance from Helsinki, Oslo and Vilnius. We are also excited to present, for the first time in collaboration with Eskus, Soup Talk: Focus on the Local Landscape. A unique chance to meet and converse with the presenting artists around a bowl of soup. The conversation is hosted by Anna Kozonina and the Audience Club.
Welcome to Focus on the Local Landscape a collaboration between Anna Kozonina, Alina Sakko & Reality Research Center, Elina Pirinen & Tom Rejström & Jenni-Elina von Bagh, Karolina Kucia, Liisa Pentti +Co, Mean Time Between Failures: Dash Che & Suvi Tuominen & Oula Rytkönen, Sanna Kekäläinen & Kari Hukkila & Heli Keskikallio, Sketch evenings: Emmi Max Pennanen & Sonjis Laine, Tanssille ry, Eskus, Kiasma Theatre, Stoa, Teak, Theatre Museum, TSC studio, Viirus, and Moving in November.
Welcome to Focus on the Local Landscape, welcome to Moving in November!
Kerstin Schroth & the Moving in November team.
*If you would like to read more about Focus on the Local Landscape, follow this link.