Gravity is a 50-minute long, high-paced, physically stunning performance danced by eight highly skilled dancers. The piece follows the continuum of choreographer Jarkko Mandelin's extremely physical and movement-focused dance works. 

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“Gravity functions as a sign of the times. Multi-layered and fast-paced, a web weaved from many different movement techniques and cultures of physicality. The speed and emphasis on movement not only research and visualise gravity but also time, both literally and more generally by commenting on it through its mere existence.” - choreographer Jarkko Mandelin

 

The dancers fly in the air, catch, lift and carry each other, seamlessly blending acrobatic partnering into the fabric of the piece in Kinetic Orchestra’s distinctive style. Forceful manipulation of pace and rhythm, twitching movement and stills and crashes that quickly bring accelerated movement sequences to a halt further create the sense and feeling of Gravity. This is echoed in the simple yet effective scenography by William Iles and Janne Hast’s relentless sound design. 

 

Gravity creates an immersive atmosphere of something pulling us in and simultaneously looming over us. The dramaturgical structure follows an urgent loop of overlapping scenes, each less than two minutes long. While doing so, the work grasps something fundamental about the time we live in and its unrelenting pace.

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The piece was produced in collaboration with Helsinki City Theatre's Dance Company HDC.

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 Performances (2023): 

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Oulu Theatre 14.9.2023 

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Helsinki City Theatre 20.9.-16.10.2023 

 

Baltoppen Live (DK) 25.-27.10.2023 

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Duration: 50 minutes

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Working group:

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Choreography: Jarkko Mandelin & the working group

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Dancers: Sanni Giordani, Jyrki Kasper, Anni Koskinen, Kalle Lähde, Heidi Naakka, Mikko Paloniemi, Justus Pienmunne, ja Oskari Turpeinen

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Dancers on tour: Sanni Giordani, Anni Koskinen, Kalle Lähde, Suvi Nieminen, Hugo Sellam, Manuela Hierl, Minna Karttunen, Oskari Turpeinen

 

Scenography: William Iles

 

Sound Design: Janne Hast

 

Costume Design: Elina Kolehmainen
 

Choreographer's assistant: Suvi Nieminen

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Production: Helsinki Dance Company and Helsinki City Theatre

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Tour production: Kinetic Orchestra

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Photos: Petra Tiihonen

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Past performances:

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Premiere: Helsinki City Theatre 11.11.2021 19:00

Performances:

Helsinki City Theatre 11.11. - 15.12.2021

Dance House Helsinki opening ceremony 2.2.2022 (broadcast) 

Helsinki City Theatre 5.-17.2.2022 (Cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions)

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Reviews:

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"Gravity is like the wind, and the sun, and fresh rain, for the soul starving for dance.", Merja Koskiniemi (HS 14.11.2021)021) 

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"I feel an urge to say that if one is going to see only one dance performance this fall, then this 50-min is a must." , Annikki Alku (Demokraatti, 12.11.2021) 

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“Jarkko Mandelin’s choreography is a combination of bubbling energy and skin-piercing sensitivity”, Matti Saarela (blog: Kielipuolen päiväkirja, 12.11.2021)