Description
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Working group: Maria Lahti, Jarmo Patana, Sanna Tornikoski, Riina Kalmi, Anders Lillhonga, Markku Essel, Minttu Nikula, Kati Raatikainen
Dancing Diamonds is an inclusive dance group based in Kokkola. It was founded by choreographer Kati Raatikainen (Helsinki), originally from Kokkola, together with dancers with intellectual disabilities Maria Lahti (Himanka), Jarmo Patana (Kokkola), and Sanna Tornikoski (Kokkola).
The project Encounters continues the work begun with the piece Quartet (2019), which Raatikainen created in Kokkola with the group’s dancers. Quartet premiered at the Kokkola Winter Dance Festival and has since toured, including performances at Tampere Theatre Festival (2021), Zodiak – Center for New Dance in Helsinki (2021), and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland (2022). After the positive reception and meaningful collaboration, the group wanted to continue their shared journey.
Opportunities for education and employment for dancers with intellectual disabilities are limited. The group’s first collaboration focused on strengthening the dancers’ professional identity, practising working as dancers, and receiving fair pay for their artistic work. In Finland, people with intellectual disabilities are usually employed only in rehabilitative activities. Through the Encounters project, more equal principles and the professional practice of dance by artists with disabilities continue to develop.
The project is based on the idea of mentorship. In addition to the three dancers and choreographer Raatikainen, the working group includes professional dancer Anders Lillhonga from Kokkola, dance artist Riina Kalmi from Isojoki, sound designer Markku Essel (Helsinki), originally from Kokkola, and Kokkola-based visual artist Minttu Nikula.
The performance was created through a mentoring process: What can we learn from one another, and how do we learn together? The choreographic tasks that form the structure of the work have emerged from everyone’s interests and through shared rehearsals. The group’s working method embraces diverse modes of action, interaction, and interpretation, seeking ways to communicate so that every member of the group is heard and mutual understanding can grow.
Dancer Maria Lahti describes how the performance makes her feel: “It brings back memories from my life, from my past and also from my future.” Dancer Sanna Tornikoski describes Encounters as a colourful performance. “Dancing Diamonds is a moving, emotional dance group that learns to dance with the vibrations of emotions, trust in the body, and awakens feelings in people. They grow into a world where dreams come true,” says dancer Jarmo Patana.
The premiere of Encounters took place on 18 November 2023 at the Kokkola Region Adult Education Centre’s hall. After the premiere, the work toured residential units for people with disabilities in Kokkola.
In Vaasa, as part of the 2024 Pohjanmaa tanssii event programme, Encounters will be performed free of charge at the Vaasa City Library’s Drama Hall. The organizers especially welcome group audiences.
Seats can be reserved through the Regional Dance Centre of Ostrobothnia: reija.penttinen@pohjanmaantanssi.fi
Audience members are welcome to experience the performance through their own sensory world. A few hearing protectors are available for sound-sensitive viewers, and personal ones may also be brought. Audience members are free to move during the performance or leave at any time. The performance space is fully accessible.