The new dance performance Gravity combines the movement language of acrobatics and martial arts

Gravity, a dance performance by the Helsinki City Theatre’s dance group, Helsinki Dance Company and Kinetic Orchestra, takes the viewer deep into the world of dance by combining various contemporary dance techniques with acrobatics and martial arts. Choreographer Jarkko Mandelin’s novelty will premiere on a small stage on 11 November.

Gravity, a collaboration between Helsinki Dance Company and Kinetic Orchestra, continues the continuum of choreographer Jarkko Mandelin’s extremely physical and movement-focused works with eight dancers. Mandelin is the first choreographer invited by Antti Lahti, who started as the director of the dance company in October 2020, to Helsinki Dance Company.

“Gravity is like a picture of its time. A multi-layered, fast-paced network consisting of many different movement techniques and cultures. Its speed and movement-centeredness not only explore and make visible gravity, but also time, both literally and more generally, commenting on it with its own existence,” says choreographer Jarkko Mandelin.

The dancers in the performance are Sanni Giordani, Jyrki Kasper, Anni Koskinen, Kalle Lähde, Heidi Naakka, Mikko Paloniemi, Justus Pienmunne and Oskari Turpeinen.

“The Gravity dance piece is inspired by modern dance techniques, partner acrobatics, and the functionality of martial arts. The end result strives to be a genuine and self-like, coherent and sovereign dance work, whose soundscape, costumes and set design create associations like movement, but do not actually place the work in any concrete space or time in order to avoid unnecessary or empty layers in the work,” Mandelin says.

The scenography of the performance was designed by William Iles and the costumes by Elina Kolehmainen. The sound design is by Janne Hast.

Jarkko Mandelin is a contemporary dance choreographer with a degree in classical ballet and an internationally active trainer. In ten years, she has created her own recognizable style and is known especially as a developer of contemporary dance, pair technique and floor technique. Mandelin is the founder and artistic director of the Kinetic Orchestra dance group.

On 23 November, the audience of the Gravity performance will have a discussion event and an artist meeting after the performance. The event will be led by the leader of the dance group, Antti Lahti.

Gravity premiere 11.11.2021 on the small stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5)
Student ticket 15,50 € (Mon-Thu), pensioner ticket 28 € (Mon-Thu), basic ticket 31 €
#gravity #kineticorchestra @HelsinkiDanceCo @hktfi
 

Watch the Gravity video here.

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