Simo
Heiskanen
AMPLE MOON
Nothing will stop me from eating the moon...
The hungry fish was munching the moon's reflection on the pond.
I eat and eat, but it won't run out.
Damn, how ample it is! Yum yum.
Mumbling in the pond, the fish munched the reflection of the moon.
Nomura Yoshiya
Simo Heiskanen's choreography Ample Moon takes the audience under a moonlit night sky. Heiskanen describes his absurd and humorous work of art like this:
"New Age crackpot Miss Moon's magic tricks bring forth a group of human characters who are freaked out by the moon. On the surface of the moon, there is an uncertainty about the future, and in the deep waters the seahorses drift into a relationship crisis. At sea, Mister Flounder devours the moon's reflection and wonders why it never runs out."
Metti Nordin's scant set design glows in the lights of Pasi Pehkonen. The dancers of Ample Moon are Kaisa Niemi, Jonna Aaltonen, Sakari Saikkonen and Simo Heiskanen. The music was composed by Graham Fitkin and Fred Hersch, among others.
Tuomo
Railo
WELL NOURISHED CAUCASIAN MALE
Well nourished caucasian male is a solo performance by Tuomo Railo. He explores the basis of his dance expression. The simplified stage setting and the piano music focus the spectator's attention on Railo's motion language, its diversity and unexpectedness.
"The feeling of insecurity - fictional or real - was the starting point of my work. In my mind I had the instruction launched by the American dance entertainment format: Dance for your life! I've also examined the theory of Indian dramatic art. Natyasastra, the more than a thousand- year-old textbook of Indian dance, lists nine moods, tastes and juices (rasa) that a performance can arouse in the spectator. In my work, I have explored the bhayanaka-rasa or the horror. The oppressive mood of my work is created by the limited platform I dance on, as well as the piano music which instigates panic. A video is projected behind me and light abstractions are built on it. They are negations of Rorschah's inkblot test."
In addition to the choreography, Railo has
created the sound landscape, wardrobe and the action paintings, which are
shown as video projections. The light design is made by Pasi Pehkonen.
Simo
Heiskanen
KAIJAT
Parrots in Paris – a dance story of an aging parrot couple who are determined to make a comeback in Paris.
Kaijat tells the story of two parrots who have been working as travelling variety artists for years. The programme uses the means of dance, music and mime. The parrot couple cannot perform their act as nimbly as they used to, but to escape boredom, they once again decide to spread their wings and take on an adventurous flight over the desert towards the stages of Paris.
The parrot duo is played by the multitalented Kaisa Niemi and Simo Heiskanen. Heiskanen has also created the choreography and music of the work. The scenography and costumes are by Metti Nordin, lights by Pasi Pehkonen and video projections by Heidi Romo.
Kaijat is suitable for the whole family from the age of four. The premiere is at Espoo cultural centre, Louhi hall, on August 30. The work is a part of Helsinki Festivals children’s program. Duration: 45 minutes.
Tickets 8/12 e, are available at Lippupiste, tel. 0600-900 900 (1,50 e/min.+ local call charge)
www.lippu.fi
Check the calendar
for the schedule!
Simo Heiskanen
SIMO´S
CLEANERY
Solo performance by Simo Heiskanen about a cleaner who has developped his profession to a form of art.
Simo is a throroughly tidy bachelor of cleaning science, who attacks garbage with his tuneful cleaning cart and dances daily some routines of tango with Elviira, the cleaning robot.
A stain on the floor puzzles Simo and makes his instruments go wild. But what happens to Simo when he receives an order from The President of The Republic?
Simo's Cleanery alternates ordinary daily rutines into a journey to the world of imagination. The performance combines a wide range of disciplines: dance, singing, physical theatre and surprising visual effects.
In addition to the performing, Simo Heiskanen has choreographed, composed and designed Simo's Cleanery. The lightning design is by Pasi Pehkonen
The performance is directed to family audiences starting from the age of three. The duration of the performance is 40 minutes.
Premiered the 7th of October 2006 in The Cultural Center of Espoo as a part of the program of The House of Friendship -culture week for children.
Outi
Heiskanen
- Tuomo Railo - Carita Holmström
Extended Family
- The art of Outi Heiskanen on stage
GLIMS
& GLOMS Dance Company's premiere for the year 2006, Extended Family, brings
the world of artist Outi Heiskanen on stage. The familiar characters, animals
and creatures from Heiskanen's images come alive in this silent theatrical
performance, the developments of which were created by choreographer Tuomo
Railo.
"I have always been fascinated by artists who recreate the world. Depending on their imagination, they redesign everything and do it so perfectly that the spectator immediately feels comfortable watching their art. The main character of Heiskanen's art is - as often in the best of narrative art - a community, an extended family."
The
members of the extended family are, among others, the ancestors, a girl, a
boy, an ape, a wolf man, a sheep, a bear and a horse. The stage performance
grows into a family chronicle, in which the different phases and events of
life, like childhood, youth, falling in love, marriage and parenthood are
paralleled to the changing of the seasons. The thread running through the
work is the love story of the girl of the family and a foster son.
The story of the extended family is told by means of motion theatre, dance, song and music. The work features the dance group of GLIMS & GLOMS with seven members: Jonna Aaltonen, Simo Heiskanen, Saku Koistinen, Kaisa Niemi, Tuomo Railo, Riikka Räsänen and Sakari Saikkonen. The music was composed by Carita Holmström, who also appears in the role of a singer. An orchestra of two plays with Holmström: Sara Puljula, double bass and Sami Koskela, percussion.
The
challenging visualisation of the work was created by set designer Metti Nordin,
costume designer Marja Uusitalo and lighting designer Pasi Pehkonen. The images
of Heiskanen are realised on stage with masks, costumes and hand puppets.
They create a powerful stage illusion that resembles the original images.
The staging is dominated by a mountain in the shape of a bear's head, and
a tent is pitched at its foot. The lighting design creates the rippling surfaces
of Heiskanen's images and checkered floors.
The
premiere of the work takes place at the Almi Hall of Finnish National Opera
August 31. 2006. The performance is then this set on stage at the Louhi Hall
of Espoo Cultural center from 5. September 2006. The duration of the performance
is approximately 1 hour and it is suitable for audiences of all ages. GLIMS
& GLOMS produces Extended Family dance performance in cooperation with
Zodiak - The Center for New Dance. The performances that take place at the
Almi Hall are a part of the program of Helsinki Festival.
Eduard Uspenski - Riku Niemi - Simo Heiskanen
The Little Warranty People
Simo Heiskanen's choreography The Little Warranty People is based on the children's book by the same name by Eduard Uspenski, published in 1975.
The little warranty people live inside different machines: cars, airplanes, clocks, fridges. Their task is to maintain the machines while their warranty is valid, after which they return to the factory. Big people know nothing of these folks.
The
warranty people get into trouble with a sausage-craving mouse army, who have
established themselves at the summer residence of the warranty people's host
family. The mice declare war because that is they way things have always been
done. They hold the oldest warranty person, clock master Esaias Hesekielinpoika
Könni hostage. Könni's companions try to mislead the mice with cheese
and sausage, but fail to avoid scuffle.
A
mutual threat, the host family's little girl Tanja, makes the troublemakers
pull together. Tanja thinks she catches a glimpse of the warranty people and
tries in every way prove they exist. Maija the Cuckoo plays a role in the
performance. Her hoarse voice has never been suitable for cuckooing.
The
story of the warranty people is told by dancing and singing, flinging into
the motion comics of humorous situations. The imaginative potential and the
visual challenges create a performance that appeal to both children and adults.
Uspenski's symbolic, mischievous social satire, directed at the Soviet Union's
materialism, is there as well, updated to our time and environment.
The music of The Little Warranty People was
composed by the multiply skilled musician Riku Niemi and staged by Simon Le
Roux, who specializes in motorized staging. The adventure is costumed by Sari
Suominen and the lighting is designed by Pasi Pehkonen. The dancers are Kaisa
Niemi, Hermanni Rask, Sakari Saikkonen, Riku Immonen, Tuomo Railo and Simo
Heiskanen.
Leena Krohn - Carita Holmström - Tuomo Railo
NÄKKI - The Spirit of Water
- a dance story from water's edge
A
story in dance for the whole family about how Näkki appears for the villagers
on Midsummer night and starts to dance…
"We who live on dry land call our home
planet the Earth. However, it is the blue of the oceans that dominates the
surface of the globe. On the earth, life swarms with its thousands of shades,
but under the waters, there is more folk and living space."
The
latest premiere of Glims & Gloms Dance Company, Näkki - The Spirit
of Water, is based on a fairy tale by the same name written by Leena Krohn.
The premiere was at the Kuopio Dance Festival, June 19, 2004.
The performance is intended for the whole family, from the age of five upwards.
In September and October 2004 G&G performs
Näkki in the Louhi Hall at the Cultural Centre of Espoo.
The story is based on ancient Nordic mythology. During Midsummers night, Näkki rises from the water to dance in the middle of the celebrating people.
"He was a phenomenal talent, the prince of dance. He led his partner as on the top of a roller, like the tide leads the impatient sails to the wide seas."
Näkki
influences the villagers' lives in many ways, most of all a girl called Liina,
who follows him to the water kingdom, and a musician called Tommi Toistaitoinen,
who becomes a famous virtuoso after hearing Näkki play. Näkki's
music frightens the villagers and awakens the waters.
"Fins like fans kept beating
the water and an agile creature with a dog's muzzle and a perch's tail climbed
on the sandy waterfront."
The
main character of the story is, however, Liina's little brother Aukusti, who
looks for Liina from Midsummer Day onwards, in vain. Not before midwinter,
Aukusti finds out where Liina is, when he runs into Näkki, who is resting
on the edge of a hole in the ice. He has come to warn Aukusti about a crack
in the ice on Liina's request.
-I have not met you before, but I have heard many stories about you, says Näkki and swings nimbly on the edge of the ice.
-Stories? Aukusti was amazed. - Who told you about me?
-It is Liina who tells stories and I listen,
for the delight of winter evenings
Aukusti
meets Näkki again in the spring when it's time for the breakup of the
ice. This time it is Aukusti's turn to help Näkki, who has been caught
by the villagers and has turned into water on dry land. Aukusti helps him
return into his own element.
"Splashing and splattering
are heard, the scoop sinks again and again into the blue pond and empties
its contents into the cowl that was borrowed from the laundy at the waterfront.
Hurry up, Aukusti, before the day dawns and dries the blue pond!"
Glims
& Gloms performs Näkki's story with speech, dancing and singing.
The elements of Krohn's story - fantasy, folk tradition, the seasons and sorrow
- are accounted in a warm, comforting, even mischievous way. Small-scale ways
open space for imagination. The visualization of the work creates the magic
of Midsummer night, the severeness of winter as well as the many forms of
underwater life. The performance is intended for the whole family from the
age of 5. We recommend that parents accompany children under 9 years of age,
as children need the support of adults watching and handling this performance.
The choreography of the performance is created
by Tuomo Railo, who also acts as the narrator on stage. The other performers
are Simo Heiskanen, Pia Keskinen, Tuomas Lahti, Riikka
Räsänen and Hermanni Rask. The music for the performance
- the sung poetry, the accordion music, sounds of nature - are composed by
Carita Holmström. The scenography is by Metti Nordin, the
costumes are taken care of by Sari Suominen and the lighting design
is by Pasi Pehkonen.
Simo
Heiskanen
NECTAR
Glims & Gloms Dance Company's production from 2003, NECTAR, had its premiere in the Louhi Hall at the Cultural Centre of Espoo in September. The choreography is by Simo Heiskanen. His previous work was the choreography of the popular musical Kick at Helsinki Swedish Theatre.
"The choreography of Simo Heiskanen is, however, thoroughly splendid. The movement material is versatile and contributes for its part to the storytelling in a sovereign way by the means of dynamic modern dance as well as riverdance, ballroom dancing, or the step patterns of music videos, just to mention a few."
Outi Lahtinen, Turun Sanomat, March 3, 2003
"Simo Heiskanen's choreography in its fluent combination of tone and movement, created in itself the rhythm, kinetic nerve, which moved the storytelling forward, even in some scenically less inspiring moments."
Mats Liljeroos, Hufvudstadsbladet, March 1, 2003
Together
with Heiskanen, NECTAR is performed by the dancers Pia Keskinen, Tuomo Railo,
Hermanni Rask and Riikka Räsänen. The costumes are created by Sari
Suominen and the lighting design is by Pasi Pehkonen.
NECTAR tells a story of people surfing local-area networks. They are sunk
in an electrical trance and they keep fumbling for their dreams. Reality and
an imaginary world have changed places. The people's everyday activities are
mechanical and distorted so that they have become unrecognizable in their
lack of spirit. They play a common game, each with their own rules. Under
the surface, smothered instinctive passions rule, and they emerge from time
to time, primitive. Dreams are the people's real life, a lifeline which gives
breathing space. The movement arises from the keyboard of a typewriter. Minimal
repetition progresses into awkwardly communicating meetings between people,
from situation comedy to dance.
"The office ballet in grey
nuances is strict stuff. A carnival defeats a programmed life!"
Auli Räsänen, Helsingin Sanomat, September 12, 2003
"It is fascinating to see how many familiar business realities, like management by results, personal goals, competition, rewarding, hierarchy, financial statement, among others, can be produced by a correctly scaled stage activity, by situation comedy and certain passwords scattered here and there."
Jan-Peter Kaiku, Hufvudstadsbladet, September 5, 2003
Tuomo Railo
MACCHIATO
A SILENT FARCE ABOUT THE PASSION FOR ARGENTINIAN TANGO
Macchiato is a dance theatre performance directed at adults. It combines Argentinian tango and G&G's humour into bubbling, romantic and even comic situations.
The music of Macchiato is played by masters
of Argentinian tango, Cuarteto Perello!
A
small group of passionate tango enthusiasts is gathered on a cruise. It is
a beautiful summer evening, the boat is rocking on the waves of the The Gulf
of Finland. An Argentinian tango orchestra is playing in the boat's dance
restaurant. Tango accompanies three couples and as the night goes on, the
events gradually become comical with drunkenness, quarrelling and sentimentality.
Macchiato is the story of little people's right to big emotions.
The performance's female dancers are Virpi Juntti, Pia Keskinen and Riikka Räsänen, and the roles of the macho men are interpreted by Simo Heiskanen, Tuomo Railo and Hermanni Rask.
The
music is played by the Finnish top ensemble Cuarteto Perello, who are Henrik
Perello, violin, Petri Ikkelä, bandoneon, Tarja Nyberg,
double bass, and Kari Hänninen, piano. The music of the work includes
evergreens of the Argentinian tango and Tango Nuevo, e.g. Astor Piazzolla's
compositions as well as tangos by Finnish composers arranged by Petri Ikkelä.
The elegant set design, which has marine elements, was created by Metti Nordin and the costumes, which have impressions of Italian neo-realism from the 1940's, is by Sari Suominen.
"Compellingness
has become the trade mark of Glims & Gloms."
Jan-Peter Kaiku, Hufvudstadsbladet
"When Railo focuses his
creation on choreography, amusing dizzying tangos or ringing dispute tangos
are born. The dancers of the company know the steps of Argentinian tango very
well, including quick inter steps."
Auli Räsänen,
Helsingin Sanomat
"Macchiato
is a performace in which the clichés of both tango and macho culture
make a treacherously lively and light surface on a serious matter, the longing
for intimacy. Like a good farce, this work entertains and amuses, but also
has a serious tone."
Leena
Honkanen, Länsiväylä
| Choreography | Tuomo Railo |
| Music | Lasse Pihlajamaa, A.G. Villoldo, Astor Piazzolla, Enmundo Tulli, |
| Mariano Mores, Jukka Siikavire, Leri leskinen, O. & E. Donato | |
| Dancers | Virpi Juntti, Simo Heiskanen, Pia Keskinen, Tuomo Railo, |
| Hermanni Rask, Riikka Räsänen | |
| Musicians | Petri Ikkelä, bandoneon, Kari Hänninen, piano,. |
| Tarja Nyberg, double bass,, Henrik Perelló, violin | |
| Scenography | Metti Nordin |
| Costumes | Sari Suominen. |
| Lighting design | Pasi Pehkonen |
| Photographs | Ilpo Vainionpää |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Premiere | The Cultural Centre of Espoo , Louhi Hall. |
| Production | G&G - Tuomo Railo, City Culture Department Centre - Tiina Kasvi |
Dance
Act of the Year -Award, Kuopio Dance Festival 2002
Espoo
Award for a Cultural Achievement 2001
Tuomo Railo
THE
PIG BALLET
The Pig Ballet is a dance performance for the whole family. It is based on Julia Vuori's comic strip Sika (Pig).The Pig Ballet shows the delightful, melancholy and rich picture… world as a three-dimensional stage interpretation…
"The world of The Pig Ballet is totally
free of cynicism, as is the comic strip. The most important things in the
world are birthdays and friends. That is why this performance works on us
adults too - we who are tired of perpetual sarcasm."
Jussi Tossavainen, Helsingin Sanomat
The
Pig Ballet is a story of Pig's birthday in the summer. In the morning, Pig
wakes up to the singing of a choir of red sparrows. Pig celebrates her birthday
together with her friends Badger, Cow and Penguin. The party is, however,
overshadowed by the fact that Pig's pot plant Ceriman suffers from burn-out.
In spite of vigorous attempts to resuscitate him, Pig does not succeed in
bringing life into Ceriman., and neither do Cow's or Badger's dance performances
stimulate the plant who seems to pine away. Luckily, the inventive Penguin
discovers a suitable form of therapy for Ceriman. Also Pig's childhood friend,
Sorrow the black pig, joins the birthday party. The joy of reunion is, however,
interrupted by two masked robbers, who are after the strongbox…
Julia
Vuori has written the manuscript together with Tuomo Railo, who made
the choreography. The music was composed by Simo Heiskanen. The world
of Vuori was visualized on stage by set designer Metti Nordin, costume
designer Marja Uusitalo and lighting designer Tarja Ervasti.
The work is performed by G&G's five dancers.
Pig's role is danced by Mammu Rankanen/Laura Frösen, Sorrow/Ceriman
is Riikka Räsänen, Penguin is Pia Keskinen/Anne Raudaskoski,
Heiskanen dances the role of Badger and Railo the role of Cow. The choir of
red sparrows is created with mechanical puppets.
The
basis of the visualisation of the story was to stay faithful to Vuori's images.
The characters were created to be as similar with the originals as possible.
In the set design the proportions of Vuori's illustrations have been maintained,
e.g. by making the scene change in a surprising way and by adding lots of
details into Pig's home. The set design was created by Heikki Mähönen
and the costumes by Maarit Ronkainen.
| Manuscript | Julia Vuori ja Tuomo Railo |
| Choreography | Tuomo Railo |
| Music | Simo Heiskanen |
| Dancers | Simo Heiskanen, Pia Keskinen/Anne Raudaskoski, Tuomo |
| Railo, Mammu Rankanen/Laura Frösen, Riikka Räsänen | |
| Scenography | Metti Nordin |
| Costumes | Marja Uuusitalo |
| Light Design | Tarja Ervasti. |
| Photographs | Ilpo Vainionpää. |
| Duration | 50 minutes |
| Premiere | The Cultural Centre of Espoo, Louhi Hall, August 30, 2001 |
| Production | G&G - Tuomo Railo, City Culture Department Centre - ......... Hannele Krohn, Riitta Jokela |
Simo Heiskanen
LOG
LOG is Simo Heiskanen's choreography for four dancers. Even the music and the visualization are created by Heiskanen.
"LOG
is a restless track of motion, bent by gravitation, for four dancers. In the
choreography, precise forms and chaotic situations alternate unexpectedly.
The mental images of the work are stumps of film that are edited out, a tavern
piano, a mechanical forest and free fall."
Simo Heiskanen, choreographer
"The
occasional minimalism of the piano music supports the piece, which reminds
one of an artist's strict white lines on black fabric. The passing moments
of dance turn into couples dancing. The most memorable part was the beautiful
duet of Pia Keskinen and Hermanni Rask."
Pirjo Raiskio, Turun Sanomat
| Choreography, music and visualization | Simo Heiskanen |
| Dancers | Kristiina Backman, Pia Keskinen, |
| Mammu Rankanen, Hermanni Rask | |
| Light design | Janne Teivainen |
| Photos | Ilpo Vainionpää |
| Duration | 25 minutes |
| Premiere | The Cultural Centre of Espoo,
Louhi Hall, September 1, 2000 |
| Production | G&G, Espoo City Culture Department Centre, Zodiak |
Tuomo Railo
THE
CHERRY TREE
The Cherry Tree is a work for five dancer.
The work is based on the music of György Liget and the choreography was
made by Tuomo Railo. The Cherry Tree was visualized by the artist Heidi Romo.
"It is clear that Railo knows sovereignly
the carriage of movement and the scale of emotions of dance, down to pathetics."
Jukka O. Miettinen, Helsingin Sanomat
"This
work includes nothing unnecessary. Railo has excellent taste and instinct
when it comes to choosing his music. The Cherry Tree is a freely breathing,
even a meditative experience."
Pirjo Raiskio, Turun Sanomat
| Choreography | Tuomo Railo |
| Music | György Ligeti |
| Visualization | Heidi Romo |
| Dancers | Kristiina Backman, Simo Heiskanen, Pia Keskinen, |
| Mammu Rankanen, Hermanni Rask.. | |
| Light design | Janne Teivainen |
| Photographs | Ilpo Vainionpää |
| Duration | 40 minutes |
| Premiere | The Cultural Centre of Espoo, Louhi Hall, September 1, 2000 |
| Production | G&G, Espoo City Culture Department Centre, Zodiak |
Simo Heiskanen ja Tuomo Railo
JAVA
- confusing people
"The performance criticizes technology,
but in a very sweet and hilarious way. The work does really prove that new
technology is fun."
Auli Räsänen, Helsingin Sanomat
"The
whole stage of Kiasma Theatre is like an instrument. In addition to the soundscape
that Heiskanen has created on tape, even the floor and the walls of the hall
ring; they react to speech and movement in real time. The result is amusing
and playful, lightly cacophonic."
Anni
Valtonen, Aamulehti
"With
their new production JAVA in the Kiasma Theatre, the duo known for their versatile
and easily accessible performances, Simo Heiskanen and Tuomo Railo make a
fantastic comeback. As a whole, JAVA is a true scenic adventure and an exuberant
flow which one does not easily forget… The relationship between man and
machine find in JAVA a new and unconditionally up-to-date depth in a purely
fascinating form."
Jan-Peter Kaiku, Hufvudstadsbladet
"The work which is generous in its selection
of tricks, is written by Railo, and the music was made by Heiskanen. They
share an enthusiasm for computers, which makes it the most futuristic experiment
in Finnish dance so far… If a genre called topical dance exists, this
is it."
Annukka Ruuskanen,
Kaleva
"Is
the whole thing just technology? Oh, no. The duo has always had something
thought-inspiring to say and that is the case now as well… The joyfully
proceeding JAVA is spurred by the dancers' playing with floor sensors. The
live image, video clips and the frolic of those on the stage is splendidly
timed… JAVA is intelligently put together, uses technology magnificently
and is a joyful whole."
Pirjo Raiskio, Turun Sanomat
| Choreography, dance and visualization | Simo Heiskanen, Tuomo Railo |
| Music | Simo Heiskanen. |
| Video | Sari Tervaniemi |
| Light design | Pasi Pehkonen. |
| Photographs | Pirje Mykkänen, Ilpo Vainionpää |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Premiere | Kiasma Theatre, Helsinki, November 10, 1999 |
| Production | G&G, Kiasma Theatre, Zodiak |