OPIA

2021

OPIA explores its topic through movement language spiralling into the world behind the gaze, perspective-questioning visual design and captivating soundscape.

Direction and choreography: Johanna Nuutinen

Movement material: Johanna Nuutinen and dancers

Dance: Jenna Broas, Mia Jaatinen

Text: Johanna Nuutinen

Scenography: Joonas Tikkanen

Music and sound design: Tuomas Norvio

Costume design: Erika Turunen

Execution of the costumes: Johanna Vehmas

Dramaturgical support: Jarkko Lehmus

Technical producing: Anssi Ruotanen

Sound technic: Sami Tammela, Juuso Hannukainen

Creative Producer: Lilja Lehmuskallio

Direction and editing of the performance recording: Thomas Freundlich

Camera operators: Thomas Frendlich, Teemu Kyytinen, Mikael Kanerva

Production: Johanna Nuutinen +CO, Zodiak - Uuden Tanssin Keskus

Supporters: Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, Alfred Kordelinin säätiö, Taiteen Edistämiskeskus, Helsingin kaupunki, Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö

Residency support: Tero Saarinen Company, Västlandsmusiken/Teatermaskinen, Dance Base

Online premiere on the 1st of April 2021, Zodiak Stage, Helsinki.

Photos: Kai Kuusisto

Third Practice

2021

Premier 29th of May 2019, Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli, Rassegna di Danza & Festival Monteverdi, Cremona, Italy. Streaming production: Tero Saarinen Company in collaboration with Thomas Freundlich.

Production: Tero Saarinen Company Supported by Jane & Aatos Erkko Foundation (Finland) In collaboration with Fondazione Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli (Italy) With thanks to Rassegna di Danza & Festival Monteverdi (Fondazione Teatro A. Ponchielli, Cremona, Italy), ATER – Associazione Teatrale Emilia Romagna (Italy), Kuopio Dance Festival (Finland), Stoa (Finland), the Finnish National Theatre and TTT-Theatre (Finland)

Choreography & Concept: Tero Saarinen

Music: Claudio Monteverdi

Music direction, Arrangement: Aapo Häkkinen

Lighting design: Eero Auvinen

Projection design: Thomas Freundlich

Costume design: Erika Turunen

Sound design: Marco Melchior

Choreographer’s Assistants: Henrikki Heikkilä, Satu Halttunen

Virtual soloist (soprano): Núria Rial

Soloist (tenor): Topi Lehtipuu

Dancers | Tero Saarinen Company: Jenna Broas, Natasha Lommi, Annika Hyvärinen, David Scarantino, Eero Vesterinen, Pekka Louhio

Musicians | Helsinki Baroque Orchestra: Aapo Häkkinen (harpsichord), Aira Maria Lehtipuu (violin), Anthony Marini (violin), Julien Martin (recorder), Eero Palviainen (theorbo), Mikko Perkola (viola da gamba)

Link to video

Photos: Tero Saarinen Company: Kai Kuusisto

Link to video

Liquid Identity

2020

Video work by the artist duo Broas & Nyberg. The characters Purple and Violet tries to save the planet.

Concept, direction & performance: Broas & Nyberg

Composer: Martin Granö

Lyrics: Fabian Nyberg

VFX: Fabian Nyberg

Supported by: Svenska Kulturfonden, Finnish Cultural Foundation

Photos:Screenshots

Ljuslunga

2020

The light sculpture Ljuslunga (Light Lung) is a gentle depiction of abandonment and the beauty of death. Ljuslunga is a kind of artificial lung that reflects being on the verge of death - a time where the question of the end and its expectation is present. The mechanical repetition of the sculpture creates an expectation of the next breath and at the same time takes the thoughts to the body’s attempt to sustain life in its final moments. Ljuslunga is thematically positioned between life and death. Breathing is the body’s automatic way to regulate life, and is present until the last moments of life. The work is an image of being near the last moments, where breathing goes through different stages. It is light, thin, heavy, fragmented, even, and with sudden changes. The light of the work varies between cold white and saturated yellow. The work invites the experiencer to settle down and calm down, but at the same time it tells the story of stagnation and to have to give up.

Concept: Broas & Nyberg

Design & implementation: Fabian Nyberg

Supporters: Svenska Kulturfonden, The Finnish Cultural Foundation

Photos: Fabian Nyberg

Truths That Never Were

2020

Truths That Never Were by artist duo Broas & Nyberg deals with the concept of a living subject and its ontological, virtual and fleeting truths. The work manifests itself in space through the dialogue between animated video and multidimensional movement. The work captures the viewer in a surrealistic landscape moving on the border between the unreal and the real.

Concept: Broas & Nyberg

Working group: dance artist Jenna Broas, spatial and visual artist Fabian Nyberg, composer Martin Granö

Premiere: virtual premiere 20.3.2020 at 7 pm, TSC Studio, Helsinki

In collaboration with and supported by: Tero Saarinen Company, Svenska Kulturfonden, Finnish Cultural Foundation, Stiftelsen Tre Smeder

Photos:Screenshots from the virtual premiere

ZOE

2019

ZOE is a performance in which dance, thought and meanings open into experimental landscapes for the viewer. The work is based on the concept of Zõe by philosopher Rosi Braidotti, which describes life’s sensation- and emotion-based conections. Zõe is situated in all matter, alive or dead. In ZOE, human, non-human and posthumanistic experience is combined.

Concept and initiator: Sara Gurevitsch

On stage: Jenna Broas, Salla Rytövuori, Sara Gurevitsch and Tom Lönnqvist

Sound design: Tom Lönnqvist

Space and light design: Sofia Palillo

Costume design: Hanne Jurmu

Producer: Riikka Thitz

Co-production: Regional Dance Center of Eastern Finland

Residencies: Kutomo Ehkä-production, O Espaço do Tempo, Z-free Zodiak - Centre for New Dance

Supporters: The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Arts Promotion Centre Finland/The region of North Savo and South Savo tanssiopisto.

Premier on the 3rd of October 2019, Sotku-theatre, Kuopio.

Photos: Pekka Mäkinen

Third Practice

2019

Choreography & Concept: Tero Saarinen

Music: Claudio Monteverdi

Music direction, Arrangement: Aapo Häkkinen

Lighting design: Eero Auvinen

Projection design: Thomas Freundlich

Costume design: Erika Turunen

Sound design: Marco Melchior

Choreographer’s Assistants: Henrikki Heikkilä, Satu Halttunen

Virtual soloist (soprano): Núria Rial

Soloist (tenor): Topi Lehtipuu

Dancers | Tero Saarinen Company: Jenna Broas, Annika Hyvärinen, David Scarantino, Eero Vesterinen, Won Won-Myeong, Pekka Louhio

Musicians | Helsinki Baroque Orchestra: Julien Martin (recorder), Tuomo Suni / Maite Larburu (violin), Aira Maria Lehtipuu (violin), Mikko Perkola (viola da gamba), Eero Palviainen (theorbo), Aapo Häkkinen (harpsichord)

Premier 29th of May 2019, Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli, Rassegna di Danza & Festival Monteverdi, Cremona, Italy.

Link to video

Photos: Tero Saarinen Company: Kai Kuusisto

www.terosaarinen.com

ANON - The Act of Waiting

2018

Choreographer Johanna Nuutinen utilises her customary medium of virtuoso dance to explore the unavoidable senses of surrendering and uncertainty created by waiting. ANON also examines the temporary communities created by the act of waiting and questions the power structures of waiting. Who has the power to keep others waiting and who agrees to wait?

Choreography: Johanna Nuutinen

Performance: Jenna Broas and Oskari Nyyssölä

Sound design: Tuuli Kyttälä

Light, set and visual design: Joonas Tikkanen

Set up: Kaba Assefa

Dramaturgical support: Miranda Laurence

Costume design: Erika Turunen

Costume fitting and sewing: Johanna Vehmas

Premier on the 22nd of November 2018, Teater Viirus, Helsinki.

Supported by The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, city of Helsinki, South East Dance, Zodiak - Center for New Dance and Seoul Dance Center.

Photos: Johanna Nuutinen

Posthuman days

2018

What is a post-human human subject? What does it mean to let go of anthropocentrism? The world is breaking before our very eyes, but what is this inevitable state of change?

Posthuman days by choreographer Jenni-Elina von Bagh and her workgroup is an ambitious and impossible attempt to bring a topical philosophical notion of ‘post-human’ into the stage context. Posthuman days explores questions relating to a breaking of categories such as subject/object, nature/culture, human/non-human and life/death. It assumes a form of embodied, choreographed question articulated by five young female dancers.

Posthuman days does not want to convey or represent anything. It wants to open an artistic platform for dissident thought. It admits to being awkward, emotional and melancholy while remaining superficial.

As a performance, Posthuman days is a network-based hybrid. It proves that the notion of post-human is already here.

Choreography:Jenni-Elina von Bagh & the performers

Performance: Jenna Broas, Karoliina Kauhanen, Anni Koskinen, Outi Markkula and Pinja Poropudas

Sound design: Tom Lönnqvist

Light design: Ina Niemelä

Costume design: Ingvill Fossheim

Set and video design: Fabian Nyberg

Dramaturge: Otto Sandqvist

Production: Zodiak - Center for New Dance, Jenni-Elina von Bagh

Premier on the 18th of October 2018, Zodiak Stage, Helsinki.

Photos: Katri Naukkarinen

Something, or an amount, poured

2018

The solo installation is composed by organic movement, flow, cyclic structure and the cellular body. A meditative performance merges from layered images in space.

The installation was performed part of UrbanApa’s platform for young artist in Zodiak C4. UrbanApa’s platform for young artist is initialised by Sonya Lindfors and it brings seven artist together to share their work and to collaborate. These artists are Jenna Broas, Sanni Giordani, Minna Karttunen, Taru Miettinen, Kaisa Nieminen, Pinja Poropudas and Vanessa Virta.

Performance and video design: Jenna Broas

Sharing on the 26th of May 2018, Zodiak C4, Helsinki.

Photos: Minna Karttunen and screenshots from the film

Dry storm

2018

The work arises from fragmented changes in the body, created by embodied reflections from the environment. It rattles through the materialization of dryness, into hybrid bodies that in their multi directionality loosely connects anywhere and everywhere. Building structures of feeling and waiting, wondering in the in-betweeness.

Performances to be beings.

Choreography: Sara Gurevitsch

Performance: Jenna Broas, Geoffrey Erista, Tuuli Heinonen, Ella Koikkalainen, Katriina Tavi and Salla Rytövuori

Sound design: Tom Lönnqvist

Light design: Sofia Palillo

Costume design: Hanne Jurmu

Set design: Sara Gurevitsch, Hanne Jurmu, Tom Lönnqvist and Sofia Palillo

Premier on the 7th of February 2018, Kallio Stage, Helsinki.

Photos: Sanni Siira

Different but same in this structure of a structure

2017

Choreography and performance: Jenna Broas and Pinja Poropudas

Sound: Tom Lönnqvist

Video editing: Jenna Broas

The work is composed by two dancers and a projector. Together they form the three performers of the piece. A composition of three scores are bringing these three performers together, creating their own realities within the same shared space. Each score acts as an independent part that opens and frames its own explorative world. Set up parallel to each other, the scores open up new dimensions, creating new perspectives for viewing and exploring – to see and to be seen. What do these scores suggest when they are in relation to each other? What associations do we make?

Performed in Ateneum, Helsinki, UrbanApa festival 2017.

Kosto I-IX

2017

is a recitative fantasy directed by choreographer Elina Pirinen. It sings forth visions of revenge in linguistically, visually and corporeally subtle and direct ways. The singing on stage is surrounded by nine bodies incorporating rest and festivo. The tableau vivant, in turn illuminated and extinguished, brings forth the beautiful inner tumult of humanity.

Premier on January 19th, 2017 at Theatre Academy of the Uniarts Helsinki.

Choreography: Elina Pirinen

Performance: Krista Arppo, Jenna Broas, Karoliina Kauhanen, Anni Koskinen, Anna Kupari, Outi Markkula, Pinja Poropudas, Lotta Suomi ja Katriina Tavi

Visual concept: Elina Pirinen ja Heidi Väätänen

Dramaturgy: Heidi Väätänen

Direction in writing process: Niko Hallikainen

Consultation and execution of lighting design: Nadja Räikkä

Sound technician: Lauri Malin

Photos: Katri Naukkarinen

Tila tilassa - Kalasatama

2016

Concept and performance: Jenna Broas and Karoliina Kauhanen

Photos: Jenna Broas and Karoliina Kauhanen

Kalasatama, Helsinki

MESH

2016

Choreography: Tero Saarinen

Music collage (Martti Pokela, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Pekka Jalkanen, Petri Sirviö/trad.)

Lighting and set design Iwashina Takeaki

Costume design: Izumi Miyamura

Choreographer’s Assistants: Satu Halttunen, Henrikki Heikkilä, Sini Länsivuori

Dancers: Auri Ahola, Satu Halttunen, Mitsutake Kasai, Natasha Lommi, Pekka Louhio, Oskari Nyyssölä, David Scarantino, Eero Vesterinen, Jenna Broas, Anni Koskinen, Pinja Poropudas, Jane Sievänen, Erika Vilander, Malla Ylöniemi, Marcus Björkbom, Tiia Lehtinen, Julianna Luhtala, Eliisa Nenonen, Konsta Roos ja Nelli Sinilaakso.

First premiered on the 2nd of February 2014, Saitama Arts Theater, Tokyo, Japan by 20 Japanese dancers. Production Saitama Dance Association and Saitama Theater.

Finnish premier at the Kuopio Dance Festival 15th of June 2016.

Photos: Tero Saarinen Company : MESH Sami Kulju (1-2/7) and Sakari Viika (3-7/7)

Link to video

Papers and pens

2016

Choreography: Jenni-Elina von Bagh

Performance: Jenna Broas, Karoliina Kauhanen, Anni Koskinen, Outi Markkula ja Pinja Poropudas

Photos: Hanne Salonen/Eduskunta (29.11.2017)

In the performance for five dancers Papers and pens reflects the question of change and the fracturing of the categories. The body and the speech are closely connected to each other continuously forming new relationships and meanings. The inspiration for the work are the theories and texts by an Italian feminist philosopher Rosi Braidott.

Premiered at the Theatre Academy, Helsinki 13th of April 2016.

As if the fish is the frame

2015

Concept: Joanna Kalm

Performance and choreography: Jenna Broas, Bridget Lappin, Eleni Papaioannou, Gabi Serani and Joanna Kalm

Premiere: 25th June 2015 at Robin Howard Dance Theatre, London

“I believe in myself enough to say that I could have choreographed a good dance piece, one that the audience would actually like and enjoy. But where would be the fun in that for me, for the dance artists I am working with, for the audience? Where would be the excitement? The risk? I am not interested in the safe, in the ‘this works well’, in producing conditionally new work. I want to make unconditionally new work. But how? (Don’t know) It is a search. Not for what has already been established in our contemporary dance fashion, but for what lies further down the road of ‘this does not work’. I think I am going to fail. Fortunately I have people who are willing to fail with me. And this makes me happy.” - Joanna Kalm

Photo: Kasia Witek

Moving Cities

2015

Photographic project by Jevan Chowdhury.

Moving Cities captures international dancers in real settings. Dance, cars, trains, planes.

Cities are mesmerising. Moving Cities celebrates this.

Photos: Jevan Chowdhury

Dancers: Jenna Broas, Madeleine Jonsson and Mari Ishida

15th of June 2015, London.

The Illuminations

2015

Photography and concept: Clara Giaminardi

Styling: Shaheen Peer

London

Projected

2015

Choreography and design: Anders Duckworth

Music: Chris Edwards

Lighting: Seth Williams

Performance: Jenna Broas and Eleni Papaioannou

Photos: Lee Carter and Anders Duckworth

Two characters have emerged from the world of celluloid. Seeing their projected memories realised unearths questions of what is 2D or 3D, fantasy or reality.

A collaboration between Anders Duckworth and sound artist Chris Edwards, Projected draws inspiration from our brief relationship with the celluloid image and our ability to understand a string of still images as a real universe.

Premiered at the Robin Howard Theatre, London 8th of January 2015.

#urbanflowevent (rivercities)

2014

Director: Carolyn Deby

Collaborating Artists:Alexandra Baybutt, Jenna Broas, Mark Carberry, Jia-Yu Corti, AnnaCarin Isaksson, Florencia Martina and Erwin Semler

Student dancers: Katy Ayling, Antonin Chediny, Laura Lorenzi and Letitia Wilkinson

Violinist: Susanna Ferrar

Stamford Hill Over 50’s Folk Dancers: Alice Hitchin, with dancers from University of the 3rd Age

Rowers: Ashley Ringshaw and Lea Rowing Club

Production Management: Louise de Villiers

Crew: Adam Holton, Keith Lim, Dávid Somló, Veronika Szabó

Funded by Arts Council England, Canal & River Trust, and Thames21.

Photo: Carolyn Deby

flo

2014

(Short film 3’40)

Commission work by Carolyn Deby sirenscrossing as part of #urbanflowevent (rivercities). The film is in response to rivercities research along the River Lea, considering the flows of urban and wild. #urbanflowevent (rivercities) is a pilot project investigating through performance, words/images, and social media, the human connection to intersecting systems of flow in East London along the River Lea – considering networks of human waste/sewage, water supply, body water at cellular and body systems levels, and everyday human movements.

Film and editing: Jenna Broas

Performance: Florencia Martina

Supported by Arts Council England, Canal & River Trust, and Thames21, with Save Lea Marshes

Photos: Jenna Broas

Northern dimension - Pohjoinen ulottuvuus

2014

(Short film 5’19)

Directed, edited and performance: Jenna Broas

Text: Laura Kaikkonen and Matti Tauru edited by Jenna Broas

Filming: Anne Broas-Aula

Part of a research project on the relation of the Nordic landscape, culture and art.

2014

Dance Film Festival UK

2015

Finnish Dance Shorts in Brooklyn, NY

Athens Video Dance Project

Photos: Screenshots from the film

Arctic

2014

Inspired by the film Lovers of the Arctic Circle, this group choreography focuses on a contemporary interpretation of Inuit traditions. It is a group searching for love and trying to survive in the most extreme conditions. Love, death, destiny, nature, and coincidence are intertwined in a deeply touching work.

Premiered: March 2014 Robin Howard Theatre, London.

Direction and choreography: Jose Agudo

Composer: Vinz "the Artist"

Performance: Antonio Branco, Jenna Broas, Olivia Brown, Simea Cavelti, Anders Duckworth, Valerie Ebuwa, Iris Huang, Paige Jackson, Erika Masu, Katie Neal, Ryan Pickering, Iro Vas

Lighting: Michael Mannion

Costume: Sara Rigden

Photos: Danilo Moroni

Shadower

2013

(Short film 5’14)

Director: Samuel Parnell

Choreographer: Jenna Broas in collaboration with the dancers

Cinematographer: Damien Gray Editors: Damien Gray and Samuel Parnell

Dancers: Ben Jones, Emilie De Roo, Ryan Yamauchi and Lexi Hughes

Sound score: Chris Edwards

Special thanks to Gabriela Tropia, Chris Elliot, Kevan Gray, Nagore Rementeria and Dan Sullivan.

Photos: Screenshots from the film