Review: Chorus Line 2013
Sonya Lindfors collects the memories of the dancers of Helsinki Dance Company into a glittering piece of gold.
Young-generation choreographer Sonya Lindfors has assembled an impressive group of former and current dancers of Helsinki Dance Company. Sofia Hill, Heidi Naakka and Inka Tiitinenhave been joined by Kaisa Torkkel and Unto Nuora, who currently perform as actors dancing on the big stage of the Helsinki City Theatre.
Lindfors has also managed to attract Ville Sormunen and Harri Kuorelahti , who have moved on from the dance stage to other jobs. They started as dancers in the group in 1990.
They are wonderful – Helsinki City Theatre dancers, Helsinki Dance Company. They know how to dance, move, sing and perform. The group is polished together. Within it, the dancers dare to be open, throw themselves into it and laugh at themselves. The gold sequined costumes designed by Sanna Levo sparkle with the dancers.
On the basis of feelings
Lindfors brings up the feelings of dancers of different ages about their work, performing and being a member of the Helsinki Dance Company. Scenes from past works will be seen on stage. Everything old has been dismantled, deconstructed and the best bits have been put to use.
Even though there is plenty of speed and moods change, the performance warms up at first as an insider’s thing. The dancers ponder aloud what the work of a dancer is like. Chorus Line 2013 is not the first work in which dancers tell about their own personal history or everyday life. Some work for an outside viewer, some don’t.
The audience, consisting mainly of young performance professionals, absorbs every thought. The dancers of the City Theatre have a lot of movement behind them. They perform stylish and gorgeous, laugh freely at the situation, enjoy the movement to the fullest and entertain the audience.
Favourite works from his own career or the history of the group
The dancers reminisce about and list their favourite works from their city theatre careers. For names thrown from the hip, I would like to see meat around the bones. Who remembers what Carolyn Carlson’s September was like? However, the mention says more than the name of the dance piece. The work had its premiere almost 21 years ago. The impressive work carries over the decades – at least in the bodies and minds of its dancers.
Kuorelahti conquers
The performance really gets going after the intermission, but at the beginning we see a fine solo by Harri Kuorelahti . Kuorelahti, who has increased her standard of living after her active dancing period, does not look like a skilled dancer at first glance. At first, the audience laughs, but falls silent at the wonderfully moving soloist’s virtuosity.
Kaisa Torkkel is the star of Chorus Line 2013 . The nestor of the group has the right grip. Self-irony is not very easy for female performers, but Torkkeli has age, experience and the ability to laugh at herself and others together with the audience. During the intermission, Torkkel takes the audience into the performance in the foyer, entertaining them with stories and songs.
Kvarnström also involved
In addition to the dancers’ memories, there is also an old atmosphere in the movement of the work. In terms of dance, the dancers have summarised the best memories of the works performed by the group in the finest dance scene. Kenneth Kvarnström’s handprint is particularly visible, but the scene is spiced up with the movements of a few other choreographers who have also visited the group.
Sonya Lindfors’ specialty is the different forms of street dance, which are skilfully repeated by professional contemporary dancers. Together, they have mixed everything up – contemporary dance is spiced up with anything.