The Present of the Regional Dance Centres – The Power of Diversity, Collaboration, and Flexibility
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The network of Regional Dance Centres in Finland consists of six unique organisations, each formed and operating in distinct ways. Their areas of focus have developed to respond to the needs and realities of their particular regions and member communities. The six centres are: the Western Finland Regional Dance Centre, operating in Southwest Finland and Satakunta; the Dance Centre of Pirkanmaa, active in Tampere and the surrounding region; the Central Finland Dance Centre, covering the Central Finland province; the Eastern Finland Regional Dance Centre, operating in North and South Savo as well as North Karelia; the Regional Dance Centre of Ostrobothnia, covering the regions of Ostrobothnia, South Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia; and the Northern Finland Regional Dance Centre, composed of JoJo – Oulu Dance Centre and Dance Theatre Routa Company in Kajaani, working across Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu.
Over the past twenty years, the Regional Dance Centre network has evolved and renewed itself several times. Some of the original centres have since restructured their activities and are no longer part of the network, while new centres have joined. These changes have continued up to recent years and will likely continue in the future, as the network and its members adapt to shifting circumstances and local realities. Perhaps this very ability to change, to renew, and to respond to contemporary demands with determined work, resilience and creative ideas is the secret behind the network’s long-lasting collaboration.
Common goals and objectives
At the core of each Regional Dance Centre lies a dual mission: to make dance art accessible to as many and as diverse audiences as possible, and to create employment and working environments where professional dance artists can receive support and opportunities to grow. As a network, the centres work nationally to enhance the visibility and accessibility of dance and participate in advocacy, particularly concerning the social and professional status of freelance artists. In today’s political climate, as cuts to the independent arts sector restrict opportunities, such advocacy has become increasingly crucial.
In 2023, the Regional Dance Centres organised a total of 2,596 public events, reaching 104,693 audience members. The impact of the network, both in terms of audience engagement and employment for professionals, is therefore significant. According to the results of a professional survey conducted by the network (available here), respondents highlighted the importance of concrete support such as access to rehearsal spaces, but also the value of peer support, advice, and a sense of community. Strengthening collegiality is seen as a major factor contributing to freelancers’ well-being, and the centres provide opportunities for such interaction. As noted by Veera Lamberg, Artistic Director of the Eastern Finland Dance Centre, in her reflection on the network’s history (read here), the centres’ role in supporting artists’ everyday work has been invaluable. The true impact of the Regional Dance Centres cannot be measured merely by the number of performances or audience encounters; their significance extends far beyond statistics, deeply influencing the lived experience of both artists and audiences.
Kiertoliike – a forum for professionals
The Regional Dance Centres also play a key role in enabling professional networking, both through their everyday activities and via the annual Kiertoliike professional event. Kiertoliike provides a national platform for dialogue, exchange and collaboration. The responsibility for organising the event rotates among the centres, supported by the whole network. Each edition of Kiertoliike is built around a topical theme.
The 2025 Kiertoliike will take place in Tampere in May, hosted by the Dance Centre of Pirkanmaa. The theme and programme will be announced soon. Feedback from the 2024 event in Turku indicated that Kiertoliike fulfils a vital need within the dance field – offering space for professional dialogue about dance as an art form within society, and for networking and strengthening collegiality.
Operational differences reflecting diverse environments
The structures and funding models guiding each centre’s work vary widely, even within the network. Some operate in a theatre-like model, producing their own performances annually, while others organise open calls for productions or focus on supporting artists’ own projects through financial and practical means.
A particularly distinctive example is the Northern Finland Regional Dance Centre, which combines two institutions – JoJo in Oulu and Dance Theatre Routa Company in Kajaani – whose activities are based on production, guest performance, and festival organisation. Across the network, the centres provide a range of services to dance professionals, including residencies, professional training classes, production and space support. Some act as employers, offering partial production funding, travel grants, or employment through regional dance centre salaries, enabling freelance artists to sustain their own artistic work.
While operational approaches differ, all the centres share the same foundational aims: to enable both the experience of dance art and the professional practice of dance across Finland’s regions. In many cases, these differences have developed organically over the years in response to local needs. The size of the professional community in each area also shapes priorities; smaller centres can often respond more directly to the individual needs of their members, fostering close-knit collaboration between artists and their local context.
Awards, recognition, and social significance
In 2024, the Regional Dance Centres presented their first-ever awards of merit and honour to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of dance and the performing arts sector. These distinctions, granted by the Finnish Theatre Association, recognised long-standing dedication and influence in advancing the independent dance field.
The network’s contribution to the visibility of dance in Finland is substantial. Recognising and celebrating achievements is especially important in a sector that often remains marginalised, both within the arts and in wider society. The awards emphasised perseverance and long-term commitment; the recipients’ work has profoundly influenced the recognition of dance within their regions.
The Regional Dance Centre network itself has also been nominated as a finalist for the Theatre of the Year 2025 award. The jury noted:
“The centres have, over the years, produced a wide range of dance performances not only in traditional venues but also in everyday environments such as care homes, schools and daycare centres. They have also collaborated with child protection services, mental health care, wellbeing regions and companies in various cultural wellbeing projects. New performance spaces and approaches have made it possible to reach new audiences, inspiring the entire performing arts field.”
These arguments highlight the crucial role of the centres in reimagining the experience of dance. Opportunities to encounter dance have become more diverse, as its spaces have expanded into new contexts. Bringing dance and art to where communities are, and making it visible there, is a conscious value choice by the network. Dance truly belongs to everyone.
The Regional Dance Centres also produce numerous projects and services related to cultural wellbeing, grounded in the strong artistic expertise of professional dance artists, and contributing to the wellbeing of society as a whole. In a societal sense, the promotion of wellbeing – for both artists and audiences – lies at the heart of the network’s work. Without their deep knowledge, passion and genuine commitment to Finnish culture and society, countless works of art would not have been realised, and many audiences would have been deprived of the chance to experience the power of professional dance art
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