Elina Pirinen: Mortal Tropical Dances

The sensual core of Mortal Tropical Dances focuses on the ceremonies of hunger for life driving our inner tectonic plates, and their individually changing forms. The production brings the daring and wise heat of the human subconscious to the stage. Mortal Tropical Dances connects intensively with the audience by dancing, playing, singing and praying out energy, sex, hope, madness, deep joy, suffering, humour, imagination, warmth and comfort.

Ville Kabrell has through-composed all of the massive layered live music for the production. The performers in the production include an international ensemble of seven dancers, eleven musicians from various genres of music, and a charming surprise performer from the animal world.

Early music vocal ensemble Lumen Valo will be seen and heard on stage with various doom guitars, carillons and percussion instruments, machines, strings, growls, mantras and prayers written for the production. Ville Kabrell and Lumen Valo will be joined by drummer Tatu Rönkkö and guitarist Pyry Nikkilä.

The dancers performing Mortal Tropical Dances are Karolina Ginman (FI), Una Björg (IS) & Felix Urbina (MX) from Iceland Dance Company, Simone Benini (IT), Adrian Barzak (PL) & Caroline Eckly (FR) from Carte Blanche Norway and Elina Pirinen (FI).

The production’s artistic working group also includes dramaturg Heidi Väätänen, light and stage designer Mikko Hynninen and costume designer Jouko Korkeasaari.

With her productions, Elina Pirinen wants to create counterforces to the world as we know it, long dominated by a fearful and depressing atmosphere. The more alive, broader, wilder and fearless the stage canvas is, the easier it is for us all to reflect our whole lives on it and open new doors to maintain the meaningfulness of life.

The work is part of Dance House Helsinki’s SPARK project. Supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, SPARKS is an artistic development project which is carried out in 2020–2023. The project will produce three premieres for both the Erkko Hall and Pannuhall.

Tickets 42–25 €
Duration 1 h 30 min, no intermission.
Age recommendation +16 years.

WORKING GROUP

Choreographer, poetry
Elina Pirinen

Composer
Ville Kabrell

Dancers
Una Björg & Felix Urbina (Iceland Dance Company), Karolina Ginman, Simone Benini, Adrian Barzak & Caroline Eckly (Carte Blanche Norway), Elina Pirinen

Musicians

Lumen valo
early music vocal ensemble

Tatu Rönkkö
drummer

Pyry Nikkilä
guitarist

Ville Kabrell
synthesizer

Lighting and space design
Mikko Hynninen

Dramaturge
Heidi Väätänen

Costume design
Jouko Korkeasaari

Sound engineer
Antti Kainulainen

Producer
Maija Eränen

Collaboration
Icelandic Dance Company

Supported by
Finnish Cultural Foundation

Co-production
Dance House Helsinki, Zodiak, Carte Blanche

For more information and ticketing details, visit Dance House Helsinki's website.