Valtteri Raekallio appointed as the director of the Helsinki City Theatre’s dance group
The Board of Directors of the Helsinki Theatre Foundation has appointed dancer and choreographer Valtteri Raekallio as the director of the Helsinki City Theatre’s dance company, Helsinki Dance Company. The director’s task is to be responsible for the artistic quality of Helsinki Dance Company and the development of its operations, as well as to act as a supervisor for the dancers. The employment contract is fixed-term and valid from 1.8.2024 to 31.7.2027.
A total of 19 applications were received by the deadline, and five of the applicants were invited for an interview. The interviewers were theatre director Kari Arffman, dramaturg Henna Piirto and choreographer, dancer and academician Marjo Kuusela as an external, invited expert.
“I’m really grateful for this opportunity to return to my ‘home theater’ now in this new role. In my opinion, the Helsinki City Theatre and the dance group have done excellent things in recent years. My goal as the leader of the dance company is to continue to develop the company to its full potential as Finland’s leading professional dance company and a key part of the Helsinki City Theatre,” says Valtteri Raekallio, who will start as the director in August 2024.
“In my opinion, the future of the group is to be a versatile artistic ensemble whose staff is able to create contemporary dance works of international standard, work sovereignly and professionally in Broadway musicals and respond comprehensively to all the other artistic challenges of modern city theatre,” Raekallio continues.
“It is a great honour to be part of the group’s more than 50-year history, to be able to work together with the house’s professional staff and to strive to further strengthen the significance of dance in Finnish society,” Raekallio rejoices.
The members of the Dancers’ Staff Association Dancers unanimously support the election of Valtteri Raekallio as the new director of Helsinki Dance Company.
“The dancers are pleased with the choice of leader. Valtteri is an excellent choice to develop the activities of a dance company and ensure its continuity,” says dancer and trustee Heidi Naakka.
Valtteri Raekallio is one of the key Finnish choreographers of his generation. She has become known for her collaborations with Finnish authors, her large-scale immersive works, uncompromising stage works with her own voice, and dance films. Raekallio has worked as a dancer for more than 20 years, performing in about a hundred works in 40 different countries. She was attached to the Helsinki Dance Company from 2006 to 2013.
Helsinki Dance Company is a contemporary dance company founded in 1973 in connection with the Helsinki City Theatre. Helsinki Dance Company has worked with several renowned artists over the years and has also had a significant impact on the professionalization of dance art in Finland. In addition to independent dance productions, dancers have performed extensively in theatre productions from plays to musicals, as well as worked in choreographic tasks. The company is known for its charismatic and expressive dancers, as well as its visually polished and movement-strong works. At the moment, the group produces two premieres a year, one in the autumn season and one in the spring season. The artistic directors of the group have been Jorma Uotinen (1987–90), Carolyn Carlson (1991–92), Marjo Kuusela (1992–96), Kenneth Kvarnström (1996–99 and 2010–13), Ari Tenhula (2000–02), Nigel Charnock (2003–05), Ville Sormunen (2006–09), Jyrki Karttunen (2013–17) and Antti Lahti (2020-2024), who will continue as Group Leader until 31 July.
Helsinki Dance Company’s next premiere is Blood Wedding, a collaboration with Compañia Kaari & Roni Martín, which premieres on 24 January at Studio Pasila.
In the photo: Valtteri Raekallio. Photo: Niclas Mäkelä.
Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests:
Kaisa Pelkonen, Communications Manager, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki