Helsinki Dance Company celebrates its fifties – the top choreographer’s sharp and intense Special Night catches the eye

Helsinki Dance Company’s main work of the 50th anniversary year, Special Night, will premiere on the big stage on 8 March. The internationally award-winning top choreographer Anton Lachky has been invited to choreograph the work. There are only five performances of this unique dance piece. 

Special Night is a surreal gala evening that celebrates dance and the 50th anniversary of Helsinki Dance Company. The work features choreographer Anton Lachky’s explosively energetic and original movement language. The performance deals with the shackles of the mind and the freedom that everyone can experience when they let go. It speaks of the power of imagination and dreams. All this is seen in a surreal form, so that the audience can see and experience the journey together with the dancers.

“The work got its name from how special it is to both Helsinki Dance Company and me. I visited the Helsinki City Theatre for the first time as a choreographer 15 years ago with my wife, right after our wedding. It was really special for us at the time, and returning here is a great honor for me. HDC’s 50th anniversary makes this even more special. As a choreographer, the most important thing for me is what movement makes us feel. This work is an emotional journey and a real roller coaster for the brain. The goal is a dance piece that you can’t take your eyes off of,” says choreographer Anton Lachky .

Founded in 1973, Helsinki Dance Company has over the years performed on all stages of the Helsinki City Theatre and toured in Finland and abroad. The group has worked with several renowned foreign and domestic artists and has had a significant impact on the development of contemporary dance in Finland.

“I admire Anton’s tireless passion for working on movement, polishing details and tuning choreographic intensities. Special Night is also a tribute to dance and the dancers, whose wonderful and relentless work has resulted in us celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary vigorously,” says Antti Lahti , the director of the dance group.

Special Night features six dancers from HDC: Heidi Naakka, Misa Lommi, Mikko Paloniemi, Jyrki Kasper, Pekka Louhio and Justus Pienmunne, as well as five guest dancers: Lewis Cooke, Ioulia Zacharaki, Elina Lindfors, Aksinja Lommi and Krista-Julia Arppo.

The costumes are designed by Maria Rosenqvist and the camouflage by Jutta Kainulainen. The sound design is by Jaakko Virmavirta, the scenography by William Iles and the Notch design by Toni Haaranen.

Anton Lachky is a choreographer based in Belgium and he represents the absolute top of European contemporary dance. Lachký’s unique choreographic handprint has been awarded with several international recognitions and her works are actively touring around the world. Lachký last visited the Helsinki City Theatre in 2008, when he created the work Softandhard for Helsinki Dance Company.

Readthe interview with Anton Lachk ý on the theatre’s website: Surreal Gala Evening

Helsinki Dance Company organizes open rehearsals on the big stage on Tuesday 28 February at 15.30-16.30, where you can follow Anton Lachky’s and the dancers’ preparations for the premiere of the work. Read more and register: Helsinki Dance Company’s open rehearsals: Special Night

Special Night has also been invited to the main programme of the Kuopio Dance Festival , where it will be performed on Monday 19 June.

Special Night premieres on 8.3.2023 and performances until 18.3. on the big stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5). Tickets: student ticket €25 (Mon-Thu), pensioner ticket €47 (Mon-Thu), basic ticket €50 #specialnight @hktfi

Helsinki City Theatre ticket sales and customer service by phone (09) 3940 22 Mon–Fri 9 am–5 pm. Ticket offices First line 2, Mon-Fri 12 noon–5 pm, Eläintarhantie 5, Sat (on performance days) 11 am–6 pm and always one hour before the performance and Lippu.fi, Mon–Sat 9 am–9 pm, Sun 10 am–6 pm, tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge) www.hkt.fi

Press photos can be found in the image bank and press releases in the newsroom. The photo in the press release shows the dancers of the work. Photo by Petra Tiihonen.

Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests:
Kaisa Pelkonen, Communications Manager, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja, 00530 Helsinki