Main programme

The week-long festival features a solid line-up of top performances from abroad and Finland. The main programme is put together by festivals artistic director.


© Marko Mäkinen
Dance Theatre Hurjaruuth – The Seasons – garden gnomes’ travel photos

Intended for the whole family, the show combines dance and circus around a classic theme: the cycle of life.

© Roosa Oksaharju
Ballet School of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet

The whole family is welcome to enjoy ballet at the performance of the Ballet Academy of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, where young and talented dancers from all over Finland will charm on stage.

© Mélanie Lhôte
Compagnie Hervé Koubi – Sol Invictus

Sol Invictus is a radiant work by French-Algerian choreographer Hervé Koubi, and his declaration of love to dance.

© Carsten Beier
Miller de Nobili PACK

Five dancers push their bodies and bonds to the limit, shifting between playful, violent, and vulnerable moments.

Gala

The Gala is a classic event of the festival, filled with the joy of dance. During the evening, you will experience a wide range of dance styles by brilliant dancers. 

© Alexander Miller
Miller de Nobili There was still time

Humankind always felt the need to invent stories to fill the void of nothingness, to make sense of the absurdity of our existence. There Was Still Time takes inspiration from Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot to explore its possible reiterations in the context of modern society.

© Natascha Rydvald
Danish Dance Theatre – LEANING TREE

LEANING TREE combines dance with newly composed symphonic music created by one of the Danish music scene’s new strong compositional voices.

© Lars Opstad
Elle Sofe Company Vástádus eana / The Answer is Land

The Norwegian Elle Sofe Company brings to Kuopio the powerful piece Vástádus eana / The Answer is Land, which focuses on the community and kinship between people with nature and with the earth we all share.

© Veera Tavila
Reijo Kela – The Silent People

In honor of the milestone year, 250 figures will be set up near the Syvänniemi manor, and moving parts of the artwork will also be displayed in Kuopio’s city center.