Kuopio Dance Festival celebrated the 250-year-old city over nine days
The festival spread to numerous new venues, from the shores of Lake Valkeinen to the historic landscapes of Syvänniemi.
Kuopio Dance Festival concluded on June 14 after nine days of celebrating dance. The festival opened with Reijo Kela’s iconic environmental artwork The Silent People. A striking group of 250 peat-headed figures was built by volunteers at the historic bobbin factory in Syvänniemi, and will remain on display until the arrival of snow. The installation featured a powerful performance by Kela and musician Heikki Laitinen.
Parts of the artwork also appeared in the city center—on the Amfi stage of Kuopio City Theatre and on the steps of the Lumit Arts High School — where audiences witnessed compelling interpretations by Kela, Laitinen, and accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen, alongside 30 peat-headed figures.
Many performances in the main program were sold out. These included both of the Galas, Compagnie Hervé Koubi’s Sol Invictus, Dance Theatre Hurjaruuth’s family piece The Four Seasons, and the performance of Ballet School of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet.
The piece Vástádus eana / The Answer is Land by Norwegian Elle Sofe Company charmed its audience with a unique approach: it began in the lush terrain around Lake Valkeinen and gradually moved, accompanied by joiks, to Kuopio City Theatre.
German group Miller de Nobili brought two very different pieces to Kuopio. There was still time stirred deep emotions and reflection, while PACK enchanted with its vibrant “guy energy.”
Danish company Dansk Danseteater’s Leaning Tree was a visually dazzling work in which choreographer Fernando Melo played with illusion, perspective, and the logic of gravity.
Audiences embraced and encountered dance in many forms
Kenneth Kvarnström, curating his first festival, commented on the event:
“The festival offered a wide range of experiences — both grand and intimate. I received feedback about beautiful moments, viewers’ tears and smiles, and above all, powerful experiences created by imaginative and technically brilliant performances.”
“It’s wonderful how the people of Kuopio dare to dive in and engage with dance in its many forms. Thank you to the audience, thank you Kuopio!” he added.
At the Gala June 13th, the Young Creator of Dance award was presented to Akim Bakhtaoui, one of Finland’s most renowned street dancers.
The day after receiving the award, Bakhtaoui won the Red Bull Dance Your Style 2025 competition, which will take him to Los Angeles to represent Finland in the global finals.
“It’s fantastic to see we made the right choice for the Young Creator of Dance award,” said Kvarnström.
Record-breaking audiences for the free entry program
The Elo Dance Pavilion once again served as a living room for all. From morning till evening, the pavilion hosted dance workshops, artist meetups, discussions, children’s events, and live music — its diverse offerings attracted audiences of all ages.
The Dance Challenge, carnival parade, and disco dance event proved that dance is for everyone — all three drew record crowds.
The Dance Challenge featured captivating short performances to a full house in Maxim , the carnival parade showcased nine teams, and the disco dance event brought hundreds to Kuopio Market Square to dance with Gala host Folke Rundqvist.
“It was a joy to see thousands of people gather once again in Kuopio to enjoy the festival atmosphere and amazing performances. The program was well received, and we took bold steps with new venues. We were also delighted to offer a broad and accessible lineup of free events,” said festival director Salima Peippo.
This year’s festival recorded around 32,000 visits.
Planning for next year’s festival is already well underway: the main guest for 2026 will be GöteborgsOperans Danskompani. More information and dates will be announced later in the fall.
Cover photo: Gala 13.6. © Niko Puumalainen