Review: (re)use

The Kvarnström mill is a functional mix of old and new



Kenneth Kvarnström’s farewell piece for the Helsinki Dance Company ( re)use , as the name suggests, had a lot of familiarity, but also a new look.
Although visuality has always been an important and significant part of Kvarnström’s works and

Even this time, it was downright toyed, the absolute center and starting point of the performance was movement. And not just any movement, but an articulate and technique-demanding physical dance movement that flowed strong and sensitive, with big curves and small nuances all the way to the fingertips of the body.

The theme of the performance was recycling, which meant the use of scenes or movement materials from previous works, but recombined and in costumes taken from completely different contexts. When the whole was mixed with a completely new material, the result was a kaleidoscope with a tantalizing mixture of familiarity and strangeness.
It must be said, however, that watching the performance does not require a modicum of knowledge of Kvarnström’s earlier works. It is a work that proceeds with its own logic, assembled from scenes that are separate from each other, and works as it is.

Spectators on the move too

(re)use is also the final part of a trilogy that explores Kvarnström’s viewing experience. In the first work, YOUMAKEME, different choreography was made for different versions of the same piece of music. In the second part, (play) dance was combined with live classical music and in addition to the dancers, the musicians also moved choreographically. Now, in addition to the dancers, the spectators were also moving.

The entire space of Studio Elsa was staged as a kind of gallery with exhibits, and the audience was allowed to sit and move around in different parts of the hall. The dance also constantly changed direction and a couple of times the whole space was divided in half with curtains, so the viewers in different parts saw a slightly different interpretation of the same scene. Within certain limits, everyone’s viewing experience was a little different, but that’s how it always is, more or less.

However, the free space and the dancers sometimes coming very close created a more relaxed atmosphere in the performance. You were allowed to move, but you didn’t have to, and you could focus your attention on the environment instead of dancing if you wanted to.

I don’t think there was much need for it. That’s how intensely and finely the five dancers of the group were. They were both strictly focused and naturally present in the situation at the same time. A real dream team that knew what it was doing and did it wonderfully.

The performance, which includes playfulness, an absurd fairy tale character scene, a touching duet of Destruction Song and much more, ends quite strikingly. First , Terhi Vaimala, Kai Lähdesmäki and Janne Marja-aho brag in black fur pants in the rain of ashes, and then Sofia Karlsson and Kenneth Bruun Carlson , dyed black and white, go on a rampage with meat knives to the accompaniment of Diamanda Galas ‘ ear-piercing scream. Impressive, but hopefully not the overall impression that should remain of the performance and Kvarnström’s time as the leader of the group. Rather, the memory should be a visually playful performance, the common thread of which is a brilliantly danced soft movement.