The show contains strobe lighting effects
Tero Saarinen’s career path is impressive. Dancer with the Finnish National Ballet, choreographer of some 40 works, he has taught at and worked with some of the world’s leading dance companies, from Batsheva Dance Company to the Lyon Opera Ballet. The artist who captivated audiences with HUNT, his solo on Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, has now created a duo, Breath, with accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen, a dialogue between dance and music in a magnificent visual setting designed by Mikki Kunttu. “Dance is my attempt to understand human nature and its multiple manifestations”, says Saarinen. “I believe in dance that touches, in dance that speaks for itself.” Breath has something of the absurdist humour of Samuel Beckett, who wrote, “Dance first and think afterwards? […] It’s the natural order.” Saarinen appropriates Beckett’s words and expresses them through his characteristically generous physical vocabulary. An inspiring and invigorating Breath from a northern land.
© Tanja Ahola
Dancer-choreographer Tero Saarinen began his career as a dancer at the Finnish National Ballet in 1985. Despite his success as a soloist, he left the Finnish National Ballet in 1992 to seek new influences in contemporary dance in Western Europe and Japan, where he studied traditional Japanese dance and Butoh from 1992 to 1993.
Saarinen has made more than 40 creations during his career. He founded his own group in 1996 as a c...
Read more about Tero Saarinen
© Marita Liulia
Kimmo Pohjonen is known as a revolutionist of accordion music. With his custom made electrified and MIDI-fied instrument, as well as different voices, lights, sounds and other effects, he creates captivating performance experiences. During his career, Pohjonen has toured the world performing at over 600 international festivals and venues such as BAM Next Wave, Sydney Festival, the WOMAD, Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Proms a...
Read more about Kimmo PohjonenTero Saarinen’s works have captivated audiences and critics in 40 countries, including at BAM & The Joyce (New York), Chaillot & Châtelet (Paris), Southbank Centre (London), Movimentos Festival (Germany), New Zealand International Arts Festival, and Saitama Arts Theater (Japan).
The Company’s core activities also include running an international teaching program and collaborating with other prominent dance companies: Ne...
Read more about Tero Saarinen CompanyConcept Tero Saarinen & Kimmo Pohjonen.
Choregraphy and dance Tero Saarinen.
Composition, Arrangement, Music Kimmo Pohjonen.
Lighting and set design Mikki Kunttu.
Costume design Teemu Muurimäki.
Sound Design, Co-Arrangement Tuomas Norvio.
Choreographer’s Assistant Henrikki Heikkilä.
Première 12 avril 2018, Grand Théâtre de Québec.
Production Tero Saarinen Company in collaboration with Tampere Hall, Alexander Theatre (Finland).
With thanks to Residency partner Vaba Lava (Estonia).
Tero Saarinen Company’s operations are supported by Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture and The City of Helsinki.
