Ima Iduozee’s novelty is a celebration of HDC’s multidisciplinary performance work
Helsinki Dance Company’s spring premiere will be choreographed and directed by Ima Iduozee, one of the hottest names in the Finnish dance scene. The new dance Bonfire: The Wandering Bands of Storytelling Sapiens is a tribute to the 45-year-old, multidisciplinary dance group of the Helsinki City Theatre. The work will premiere on 27 February at Studio Pasila.
“The title of the work, Bonfire, refers to the eternal fire, where we gather to share stories, be ecstatic, sing songs about love, dance dances about ecstasy and cast spells about tomorrow. The performance is a celebration of the multidisciplinary performance of the City Theatre dance group. It operates in the middle ground between dance, physical theatre and visual performing arts. Helsinki Dance Company has played a significant role in the history of Finnish dance. The performance is a tribute to this long and eventful legacy of HDC,” says choreographer Ima Iduozee.
On stage will be HDC’s wonderful dancers Sofia Hilli, Jyrki Kasper, Heidi Naakka, Mikko Paloniemi, Justus Pienmunne and Inka Tiitinen.
The costume design of the performance is by Laura Väinölä and the lighting and video design by Erno Aaltonen. Väinölä and Aaltonen have designed the set design together, which makes versatile use of live video and projections. The sound designer is Ville Kabrell, and the camouflage and hairstyles are designed by Milja Mensonen.
Ima Iduozee is one of the most interesting Finnish choreographers and dance artists. His debut, the solo work This is the Title (2012), which was acclaimed by audiences and critics, has toured 15 countries in Europe, North America and Asia. In 2015, the work was selected for the European Aerowaves programme, which offers one of the most significant opportunities for contemporary dance to make an international breakthrough. In the same year, he was awarded the Critics’ Spurs Award by the Finnish Critics’ Association. The virtuoso and versatile Iduozee has danced in Tero Saarinen’s Morphed (2014) and Sonya Lindfors’ NOIR? (2013) and Noble Savage (2016). Iduozee’s choreographies have been seen at the Stockholm City Theatre (Purple Nights 2015), the Finnish National Theatre (Juliet & Romeo 2018), the opening of the Amos Rex Museum, as well as in music videos and live gigs by several Finnish and foreign artists (Jenni Vartiainen, Alma, Jesper Jenset, etc.). At the Helsinki City Theatre, she has performed in the musical Lainahöyhen (2011) and choreographed the solo work Perfect Day (2014) for Kaisa Torkkeli.
Bonfire: The Wandering Bands of Storytelling Sapiens performances on Friday 1 March and Friday 29 March at 7 pm have an age limit of K-18, and alcoholic beverages are allowed in the auditorium.
Bonfire: The Wandering Bands Of Storytelling Sapiens premiere 27.2.2019 at 7 p.m. at the Helsinki City Theatre’s studio in Pasila (Ratamestarinkatu 5)
Tickets: 31 € (incl. pm)Helsinki City Theatre ticket office, First Line 2, Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Eläintarhantie 5 Sat 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and one hour before the performance and Lippupiste Mon-Sat 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge)
Press photos can be found in the image bank and press releases in the newsroom.
Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests: Helsinki City Theatre, Kaisa Pelkonen, Communications Officer , kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki