Gala

Kuopio Dance Festival Gala brings together top contemporary dance artists and the most intriguing works of the year!

The Gala features several short pieces by leading Finnish contemporary dance artists and some of the country’s most acclaimed choreographers, joined by international stars.

The event will be hosted by Sami Sykkö, a charming and multi-talented figure, known as a journalist, performer, host, fashion expert and a professor, among others.

Performers:

Spiraali (Spiral) is a sensual duet about an intimate relationship. The piece critically examines the modern conception of humanity through the language of contemporary dance. In this new staging, Spiraali will be performed for the first time with live music by Sampo Lassila and Ville Hukkinen.

Choreography: Tommi Kitti
Dancers: Natasha Lommi, Eero Vesterinen
Lighting Design: Janne Teivainen
Music: Sampo Lassila, Ville Hukkinen

The dance production Kreutzer Sonata is a modern version of Leo Tolstoy’s novel from 1889. The music is Ludwig van Beethoven’s Kreutzer sonata, on the basis of which Leo Tolstoy was inspired to write his novel. Later, Leoš Janáček was again impressed by the novel, which he turned into a composition to be heard in the performance.

Kreutzer Sonata deals with love, jealousy, passion and life. How far are you willing to go for love and what can come of it? Modern interpretation explores and deals with relationships between people through dance. The work features both classical ballet and contemporary dance.

Organizer: Atte Kilpinen
Dancers: Atte Kilpinen, Heidi Salminen and Johan Pakkanen
Production: JoJo – Oulu Dance Centre
In Co-operation: Ballet Finland

Hallucination is an original choreography by two young talents, Arsi Niskanen and Kia Leppänen. The piece was featured last year at the festival in Dance Schools On Stage, and this year the Gala audience will have the opportunity to experience the duo’s impressive artistry.

Hallucination is a hypnotic work that captivates and leaves a lasting impression. The strong connection between the dancers brings sensitivity and depth to the piece, leaving the audience with a lingering atmosphere.

The work premiered at a Koskela Dance performance in December 2024. Arsi Niskanen (b. 2007) and Kia Leppänen (b. 2009) are dancers from Äänekoski who train with determination and have achieved success at national events with their own choreographies.

Choregraphy and dance: Arsi Niskanen ja Kia Leppänen
Music: CLANN – Dark Angel (säv. Chloé Picard & Sebastian McKinnon)

DaDa Fam reimagines the domestic universe through a surreal and visually striking lens. Blending elements of Dadaism and Surrealism, the work transforms everyday family dynamics into a poetic and unpredictable landscape where logic dissolves and imagination takes control. Moments of intimacy, tension, and irony unfold through a highly physical and theatrical movement language, creating a world that is both absurd and deeply human.

For this festival, a reconstructed version for five dancers will be presented, featuring a curated selection of the strongest choreographic highlights from the original full-length work created for Staatstheater Augsburg. Without scenic elements, the focus shifts entirely to the dance: dynamic duets, trios, and ensemble sections alternate with rhythmic precision, compositional clarity, and powerful physical drive.

“The movement language is equally rich in references, ranging from skipping steps to acrobatic elements. It is all thoroughly Dada , meaning does not need to be rational, especially when it is choreographed with such virtuosity, energy, and precise timing.”
– Birgit Muller-Bardorff , Augsburger Allgemeine

Production: Mateo Mirdita in collaboration with the Staatstheater Augsburg
Choreography: Mateo Mirdita
Dancers: Giulia Zorzete Finardi, Martina Piacentino, Asja Marabotti, Vito Damiano
Volpicella, Alfonso Lopez Gonzalez
Music arrangement: David Nigro
Costume: Tomona Seike

Armature is a journey into a shared state of being between two people – a space where one becomes the other’s body, spine, and soil. The work grows from constant transformation and the exploration of unfamiliar forms, sprouting towards the unexpected and the new. In the creative process, Tero Saarinen has also drawn on his experiences as a student of butoh legend Kazuo Ohno.

Tero Saarinen has had a distinguished international career as both a dancer and a choreographer. He has created more than 40 works for Tero Saarinen Company and other prominent dance companies.

As a choreographer, Saarinen is known for his unique movement language, ’an inventive mixture of grotesqueness and beauty’ that plays with balance, and off-balance. Saarinen teaches Tero Technique, which fuses elements from his backgrounds in ballet, contemporary dance, and a wide range of Asian traditions.

He has received numerous acknowledgements of his work as an artist, both in Finland and abroad.

Choreography: Tero Saarinen
Lightning design: Mikku Kunttu
Costumes: Samu-Jussi Koski
Music: Matmos – Rag for William St. Burrough
Dancers: Mikko Lampinen, David Scarantino
Assistant choreographers: Satu Halttunen, Henrikki Heikkilä
Production: Tero Saarinen Company

One of the leading figures in Finnish contemporary dance, Sofia Ruija, will present the world premiere of her work Formula, velvet whispers at the Gala. Ruija, who is originally from Kuopio, has choreographed the piece and will also perform the solo herself.

Formula is a combination of a luxurious, soft, and intimate sensation, often used to describe fragrances. It combines the dynamic, rich texture of contemporary dance and jazz with the quiet, delicate nature of a whisper, evoking feelings of sensuality, elegance, and soft-spoken allure.

Choreography & dance: Sofia Ruija