Last weeks have been a bit of a struggle in terms of adjusting into a new rhythm of getting up really early. The summer wasn’t pure holiday but mornings were mellow –not only for me but for he whole family. My daughter started school two weeks ago and as she goes to the Steiner school in Kuopio, her days start every day at 7.55 am. And that’s quite early in my opinion. Anyway, I’ve found myself quite disorientated and almost dysfunctional at times as days seem to be suddenly filled with appointments of bringing or picking up someone from somewhere.
And in the midst of that, I’ve tried to keep up with my running as my first half marathon is coming up soon, on the 5th of September. Today I did my last long run (16 kilometres) before the half marathon and the upcoming weeks will be a bit lighter and easier with the training. That’s great as some of the long runs have been kind of ‘fighting my mind’ although I think I’ve been able to overcome many psychological obstacles lately in terms of my running. Now there’s a lot to think about in terms of pace and gels / energy drinks during the half marathon especially as I easily get problems with my stomach during running. And of course there’s the question, what to wear?
The Functional Team, where I’ve done my functional training and which has been coaching my training for the past year or so, has moved to a new beautiful space with three studios and KINESIS circuit training possibilities. I’ve tried out KINESIS twice now and I think it’s something I’ll be doing a lot during the autumn. It just feels great and efficient but at the same time fluid and soft. I’ll have my third workshop session tomorrow and then I should be ready for individual KINESIS training. I’m really looking forward to that!
I’ve started rehearsing on my upcoming work and I’m really excited about the collaboration with Marcia Farquhar. More about that a bit later. Last week I had a photo shooting session of the BODY/HAIR performance and I hope I’m able to post a few images next week.
Now I need to get some rest. I feel the long run in my legs and there’s no mercy in the morning when my daughter’s school starts!
Johanna
I’ve realized how stressful the spring was and now that I’m easing into the summer and a bit of a holiday, I start to feel all the workload in my body. I even haven’t had the time to sit down in peace to write my blog and there are numerous things that I haven’t managed to complete the way I would have liked or needed to. I have some issues with my lower back and neck which need a bit of focus, time and energy.
My performances during the Kuopio Dance Festival as part of Paikallisliike 09 event went well but left me with a lot of questions. I was very happy that some collegues, people from the Finnish Dance Information Centre and at least one international writer were present at the performances but I don’t understand why the Kuopio Dance Festival cannot collaborate with the regional dance centre more thoroughly. Many dance professionals say that the Paikallisliike programme is much more exciting than the actual Kuopio Dance Festival programme but still there are a lot of writers that were in Kuopio who did not bother to see the full Paikallisliike programme because they don’t consider the program seriously. Jussi Tossavainen from Helsingin Sanomat and Eeva Kauppinen from the Finnish theatre magazine and Kaleva newspaper -among others- were here but did not attend the full Paikallisliike programme (they also didn’t bother to attend the launch of the ANTI Festival 2009 programme). I saw Eeva in one of the performances, which consisted of two worst works I’ve seen for a while. I don’t know, but I think she was there because one of the works was a premiere by Rimpparemmi, a folk dance group from the same region where she lives. Jussi Tossavainen I only saw in the Veljmies supermarket gambling and didn’t feel like saying hello to him. I don’t know - I just don’t understand why writers across Finland and Europe come all this way but instead of seeing as much as they can, they gamble, take salsa classes or otherwise just relax as supposed so showing interest to contemporary dance artists’ works? This really depresses me. Well, an exception was Ann-Marie Wrange from the Swedish Dans Tidningen who came to see several nights of the Paikallisliike event and who also attended both of my works. That was really lovely and I enjoyed her presence in BODY/HAIR a lot.
There’s a lot I would like to blog about but I will have to continue tomorrow. Today I went to functional training and cycled back and forth and feel pretty exhausted now. I’ve promised to my trainer that I will run a half marathon in September so I’m in the middle of my running programme. I’ll write more about that soon.
Johanna
Last week I went to Helsinki to participate in the reception of Finnish Cultural Foundation which generously gave a grant for ANTI Festival for the self-financing part of A Space For Live Art, EU funded project. This week I’ve tried to take some time off from the ANTI Festival. Lately it has absorbed far too much of my energy and caused me the kind of stress I need to get rid of. I don’t know if I’ve succeeded very well this week but at least this has been an effort to get my mind off ANTI for a while.
So this week I’ve been enjoying being at home, seeing friends, exercising and running. Nothing special but the kind of stuff one should find time to do when working as well.
Actually, I’m very excited about my upcoming performances and projects during the spring. I’ll let you know about them soon. I’ll also participate in two running events this year – something I’ve never done before. I’ll run 10K in May and a half marathon in September. This week I’ve done some exercising on a cross trainer, functional training, running and walking. I’ll do a long run tomorrow and then get a massage. On Sunday I’ll do some functional training as well. So this looks like a pretty good week in terms of exercising. And my body feels great!
When I was in Helsinki, I ate some pretty good sushi and got all excited about learning more about it. So I’ve planned a kind of sushi evening at my place with a French cook who lives in Kuopio. He will teach us about the history of sushi, how to make it and in the end we’ll have a feast! I’m really looking forward to it. Now the challenge is to find a date that fits everyone who’s interested. It will be fun.
Johanna
It’s always so hard to write about an unfinished work. What to say, what to leave out, how much to define or contextualize? This time, in a way I feel that the title itself says it all. On the other hand, it would be somehow relevant to state the slight aspect of retrospective, the moment of looking back at the body of work created. Anyway, I’m late will texts concerning the OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE but at least some things are moving on as they should.
I’ve been a couple of days in Helsinki, having meetings concerning the ANTI Festival. Gregg was there and with him and the chair of our board Vilja, we interviewed a few producer candidates. I think we found the one. With Gregg we also went to see Nälkäteatteri’s Odradek performance in the Kiasma theatre. That was really a peculiar experience. I didn’t hate the work but found it really hard to connect to. Today we’ve just been talking a lot about the program, call out and schedules. With the new producer I think we can work out the workload so that we’ll be really able focus on the program and the artists. And that feels good.
Before catching my train back to Kuopio, I had a couple of hours to wonder around in Helsinki. These days that’s a rare occasion. I found it really strange that every time I’m in Helsinki, I seem to spot or somehow bump into well-known people or celebrities. Maybe it feels strange because we don’t really have them in Kuopio or is it just that see things differently when I’m travelling? Well, this time I spotted politician Paavo Arhinmäki, director of the Swedish theatre Johan Storgård, performance artist Irma Optimist and bumped into top stylist Minttu Vesala with whom I went to high school! I think the last time I’ve seen Minttu was something like 15 years ago and it was so nice to see her. She said I look exactly the same –as did she; she’s still as tall and slim as she used to be and she somehow makes me always feel funny about my shortness and rounder body. Anyway, she’s the purchasing agent for Helsinki 10, this designer shop, and as I fell in love with the one and only Minna Parikka bag they had in the store, she gave me a discount of it and I just had to buy it. So that shall be my Christmas present and I shall not buy anything for myself. Ever. Not this year anyway.
But the bag is gorgeous and it looks like I’ve always had it. Good design simply makes me happy.
Johanna
Embarrassingly infrequent blog posts sent on my behalf lately. Sorry.
I have been extremely busy preparing for my new piece, urgently sorting out ANTI Festival’s business as our 5-year long EU project ‘A Space for Live Art’ has finally been accepted by the European Commission and being on the move i.e. in Copenhagen, which was great by the way. I’ve also noticed that I’m really liking updating my Twitter at the moment, not so much the blog itself. Strange. I guess I should also confess that I have another blog in Finnish that I’m updating every day. Why is this? One thing I’ve realized is that I’m a bit careful what to write here because I write this under my own name. In the other blog, I haven’t revealed my identity and therefore can be a bit more honest about certain thoughts and things that are going on in my life. But this is not the main issue, I think. In the other blog, I have gotten a lot of blog friends and received many comments daily and that is kind of inspiring and just nice. Although this blog and site has quite a few visitors, there aren’t that many people commenting. Maybe comments and blog friends are addictive…
Last week a friend turned 30. What a nice party we had, and emotional! I cannot remember when I last cried in a party because people where really opening their hearts and being straightforward. But I also cried because I realized I’m very anxious, sad and worried. Maybe you Finnish artists know why… We also had a great party on Saturday; great food, wine and friends. Lovely.
Next week I’m off to London which I’m so much looking forward to. More about that later. First I have to get rid of this flue that is bothering me and the kids.
Hope to read your comments. Whatever they are!
Johanna
Somehow I cannot stand this constant talk about summer and summer holiday. I know I’m doing it myself too but it feels it’s the only thing one should talk about in the summer. Whether you are on your summer holiday or about to start it, when it’s starting, is it almost over. Not many people realize that some people don’t have any job to have holiday from or that some people have to have many part time jobs that don’t allow a proper holiday or even a sense of it. Anyway, I’m a bit fed with all this talk about summer holiday. Actually, I don’t really know why one should be on holiday in the summer as for me it is much easier to wake up to go to work during the summer when it’s light compared to the Finnish winter. It’s also light around the clock, so even if you work during the day, it’s ok to go and exercise or do some other stuff in the evening whereas in the winter where I live, it’s pitch black before you even get home from work. So isn’t summer the best time to work? And winter, when it’s dark and cold and you feel tired and sleepy, isn’t that the best time to be on holiday, charge your batteries, travel somewhere warm or just stay at home, burn candles, sit by the fire place and sip tea?
So I’m not on holiday. I’m currently working on my new piece, dealing with ANTI Festival stuff, exercising with a personal trainer and dealing with a few other projects and things that need my attention. And it’s all fine.
Johanna
We have been blessed – or cursed- by unusually warm and hot days. The children have had 4 days off and they have fully enjoyed the summer like weather including shorts, sandals, t-shirts and the like. We’ve also had exciting days watching the back yard slowly starting to turn from brown to green and some kind of green perennials pushing from he dirt, growing every day. Last autumn I planted some perennials, don’t really remember what they were. There were some tulips though and they are vigorously growing. It’s kind of amazing. I’ve never had a garden before and I don’t come from a family of gardening enthusiasts so this is all new and strange. But the kids are excited. It’s been almost too hot to work. We’ve done some work on the house though and I worked today setting up a place for the rhododendrons.
Yesterday I felt really irritated and headed to the gym. It felt a bit ridiculous to work out in the gym when the weather was so great but I really needed it. This morning I went for a jog and ended up training for one and half hour. My calves are a bit achy now but otherwise I felt good and energetic. This was the first time I ran to Haapaniemi from our place via the Saaristokatu. And it was quite stunning. The road is not officially open yet but you actually can get all the way to town by it. The views are just beautiful and as the day was sunny, it was very idyllic. Saaristokatu will be such an incredible improvement for us and others who live in the neighbourhood. I’m already now looking forward to cycling and walking to the city centre. It’s also great for walking and jogging.
As I was a kind of super mom today, doing my exercise routine, cooking two delicious meals and being at home with the family, I was feeling guilty of not getting to do some work I wanted and needed to do. Well, I guess I’ll be more focused on that tomorrow but it’s so hard for me to relax when I know I have work waiting that could be doing now. This is silly, I know, but I cannot help it.
Luckily, in rained in the evening and now it seems a storm is approaching. The shower was needed and very welcome. And after it, an enormous rainbow. The image by Pekka.
Last week I found out I didn’t get more production funding for my new group piece so I have to see how I manage to produce the work with the existing funding. Not easy. If at all possible. Will have to see.
Hope you are well,
Johanna
Shoes by Vagabond, Gunilla Pontén skirt, H&M top, underwear by Marks&Spencer.
Me Naiset with my yoga teacher’s ex interviewed. Some sleep in between.
Make up in the toilet of the InterCity train.
Went straight to the press conference.
Checked out some Larsen + Cole & Son wallpaper and Minna Parikka and Vivienne Westwood shoes.
Bought a pair of El Naturalista shoes. Love them.
Spotted Michael Monroe and Lilli Earl.
It’s funny to observe one’s behaviour and thoughts when something is restricted. At the moment I’m not allowed to sit and it’s been interesting to realize when, how and in which situations my mind wants me to sit and how this simple restriction actually changes my patterns of thought and action. And how much it has eased my back pain! Well, of course I’ve also been resting as ordered by my doctor and taking some medicines but still. I actually find it much better to work by my laptop standing rather than sitting in a bad posture by the desk. The kitchen worktop is on a perfect height for me (90cm) when standing. And as my ‘office’ is not yet finished anyway, this suits me very well.
I got a pile of magazines from Maija yesterday and it’s been such a luxury to lie in bed and read. I love magazines. I have to be really careful not become such a magazine junkie again as this addiction is showing it’s nature again… Yes, I still order a couple (only a few!) design magazines but last spring I quit ordering most of them. I’m very proud of this and in general I prefer recycling them so anyone who wants to recycle their magazines with me is most welcome! I talked on the phone with my son the other day and I told him I was lying in bed recovering from my back injury. He then said: “Let me guess, you have a pile of magazines next to the bed!”
In the process of facing the truth of our financial situation, I made an Excel of all our living costs from January 2007 onwards. In this bigger picture, my magazine addiction is not that worrying, really. And the daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat is included in the Excel! But the statistics might look a little better as I quit most of the magazine orders last spring but still, it never was that bad. It’s just my partner who doesn’t have this addiction and who therefore cannot understand the bliss of it either.
Now that we’ve moved out of the centre, I have to face the costs of travelling to work and school. Well, of course this was known beforehand but still, it’s over all quite expensive here in Kuopio. As far as I know, Kuopion Liikenne, which runs the busses of the city, is the most expensive in the whole country. Public transport is definitely not cheap here but more so I hate that on our street most families have more than two cars. For me it’s either my bike or the bus.
The last couple of days have been really hot and since we still don’t have curtains, it’s been unbearably hot in the house, upstairs especially. Impossible to do any hard work in the house! Fortunately, we now have a shower, which helps the life in general, a lot. But there’s a lot of work remaining undone.
I have been working on my next productions a lot and worrying about the future of the ANTI-Festival. Some serious actions need to be done.
Johanna
My back was finally scanned this week and it turned out that my back pain is actually caused by something other than my imagination. But I have to deal with it now and that means some changes in the schedules. But it’s going to be okay.
I’ve called my dancers and notified them about the new schedules. I think we’ll be able to do the piece very well with the delayed schedule. This doesn’t effect my solo work at all but I have a few things to work out like the Stavanger-project with Anne-Marte.
The evenings are turning colder and darker; although it was very warm during the day, today I wondered where did I pack the candles. I think I know.
Johanna
