Rankanen-Elo-Saarinen

The premiere talents of Finnish contemporary dance join forces on the Finnish National Opera's Main Stage in a triple bill of dance. The names of the choreographers are synonymous with bold creativity and electrifying new experiences. These works by Jorma Elo and Tero Saarinen will be seen at Finnish National Ballet first time. Work by Mammu Rankanen was introduced in the Almi Hall last season.

Mammu Rankanen is a choreographer, dancer and lecturer in contemporary dance at the Theatre Academy. She has been creating choreographies for Finnish contemporary dance companies since 1993. In Rooted to Sky, she continues her earlier explorations of the Japanese concept of space and time, focusing on the cycle of nature. The sound world was designed by Rankanen's long-time friend and collaborator Harri Ahponen.

 Jorma Elo has created choreographies for the American Ballet Theatre, the Nederlands Dans Theater, the Royal Danish Ballet and the Boston Ballet; the latter engaged him as permanent choreographer in 2005. In Double Evil, premiered by the San Francisco Ballet in 2008, Elo combines the movement languages of classical ballet and modern dance with effortless ease. The work is designed for four women and four men and uses music by Vladimir Martynov and Philip Glass.

Tero Saarinen has created an international career as a choreographer after founding his own dance company, the Tero Saarinen Company, in 1996. He has also worked for example with the Nederlands Dans Theater and the Batsheva Dance Company in Israel. Mariage is set to Les Noces by Igor Stravinsky. Live music is an important element in the work: choir and four vocal soloists are on stage, and Saarinen involves them in the stage action too. Premiered in Nancy, France in 2007, Mariage focuses on sorrow and sacrifice, which are also the original themes of Stravinsky's 'rustic wedding'.

(Tero Saarinen, Mariage: photo Ville de Nancy / Lorrain's opera and ballet)
(Jorma Elo, Double Evil: photo Erik Tomasson, dancers: Sarah Van Patten, Rory Hohenstein)