Category Archives: Dance

Sleepy days

I performed with Jaana & Jaap I don’t have anything to wear on Friday in Helsinki. Since then, I’ve been somehow really tired. I don’t know why I’m never able to estimate the amount of work and exhaustion caused by traveling, warming up a performance and working it out in another language, staying in some B&B or cheap hotel and in the end, performing? Yesterday I was determined to go to the gym after grocery shopping. But while I was in the supermarket trying to get my head together about what to buy and cook, I realised I was so tired that it didn’t make sense to force myself to exercise. And this really wasn’t about feeling lazy, just for once understanding that I actually was exhausted. But today I hit the gym, enjoyed my work out and although I feel good, I’m nowhere near recovered.
The performance went well although it was the first time we performed it in English and that caused some mixed feelings. But we got some very positive feedback so I guess we managed ok in the end. It would be just really important to perform the work more in English and of course, just to perform it more in general. We actually will perform in about a week again here in Kuopio, so that’s really good. As the work somehow deals with the pressures of looking good and success as well as the ridiculousness of it all, and as we constantly talk in it about good fats, body balance, styling, the appearance, trying to find something comfortable to wear etc., the work can easily pull you to the world of never feeling satisfied about yourself and the mundane reality of living with the imperfect aging body…
Next week seems really busy, lots of work to do and most of it is exciting. I’m planning to hold an audition for my new performance in the end of May or early June. At the moment I’m waiting to hear about one more grant as the budget of the work of course determines the amount of performers, length of rehearsals etc. in the end. So let’s see what happens with that.
Although my days in Helsinki were extremely busy, I ate with Jaana everyday in Silvoplee. It was just amazing to eat really good reasonably priced vegeterian food everyday. And what a variety of beautiful dishes they have! That, amongst others, is something I miss in Kuopio. But I made today a delicious salad with tofu, avocado and sesame seeds.

Johanna

Thoughts

Things have been kind of hectic lately and I haven’t had the possibility to reflect on anything or write my blog. The beginning of the year is kind of hard to handle for me as I don’t have continuous artist’s grant or jobs and I’m kind of on top of nothing wondering how to pay the bills and balance the situation with the family. Well, I have a couple of things coming up but they are not enough to sustain the situation so it takes sometimes a lot of effort to try stay focused and calm and not to stress to death.
My performances last week in Helsinki went well although in general I found the trip really exhausting and energy consuming. Without the help of two lovely Maijas, I wouldn’t have survived the circumstances. I’m really grateful to them but realize that I cannot always travel around with two personal assistants. So better help and support from the organisers is definitely needed in the future.
On Monday was the first shooting of Suomi express, a weekly TV-programme at the Finnish national television in which I participate every third week. It was quite fun and nice. It came out on the 30th of Jan and you can watch it online at Yle Areena for another week or so here http://areena.yle.fi/toista?id=1053086. You can also search for Suomi express at Yle Areena and you’ll find the programs available. I will be commenting on some current topics with Atik Ismail every third week at least for the spring. It’s funny not to know who watches the program (it’s broadcasted prime time) and many people have said that they saw it. On Friday I went to the gym and think some people recognized me from the program as I felt I was strangely under scrutiny.
I’ve done several grant reports this week, visited tax office and tried to sort out my home office, which is a real chaos. Today I threw away probably a ton of papers and magazines but still it feels like a mess. I installed a new printer today so it’s getting a bit better to work in the office but most things are not in their place yet. I do feel tired of all the unfinished things as they are everywhere you turn. But I found an invitation to take part in a medical research which I had completely forgot. They are making a research on diabetes and as part of that you’ll get information about your blood (like cholesterol etc.), liver and kidneys. I think I’ll take part, at least I get to know something more about my health as I don’t have any regular health service provided which people in proper jobs have.

Johanna

Artist’s Body of Work

There are painters who have worked with the same material, similar colors and one theme throughout their carrier, for 30 years. There are live artists who work with the imagery of burlesque in each of their work and don’t we all know live artists who work with cutting and bleeding in their art, in every work they do.
After the overwhelmingly positive feedback of soft skin / harsh life and Festive work, I’m left thinking how in contemporary dance or in performance someone can see that as a weakness? That an artist has a style, individual take on a certain theme or subject, a personal way of working she or he has developed over the years? And how many writers there are that in their personal way write about similar issues over and over again, and how that is just fine? What is a personal handwriting of a contemporary dance maker or a performer? And why she or he shouldn’t have one? Why should s/he jump from one aesthetic, method or concept into another in each work?
I am definitely proud of the body of work I have created and yes, there are methods of working I have developed and that I will stick to. There are also certain themes of sensuality and femininity that I will be always working with. And this I see as a strength, not a weakness.

Johanna

New clothes

Last week I went to visit Hammi and Maikku of Lustwear to get outfits for the upcoming works. Today we rehearsed wearing them with the three women and they were all really great. The clothes I mean. I’m actually amazed how well they suited the performers and they all looked great in their dresses alone and together. Hooray! I haven’t done a run through of the solo piece wearing the new dresses as yet, but I’ll try to do that on Wednesday or Thursday the latest. I have a couple of possibilities to try out if the long dress turns out to be too difficult. I hope I can wear it as it is totally amazing and so so beautiful. I’ll see.
I have been struggling with the ending of the Festive work for some days now. I thought I had it all figured out last week, but suddenly it just started to get worse and worse and worse. Now I feel a bit like I don’t know what to do as I don’t want to let go of it. But I saw some light in it today again…it wasn’t the best thing I’ve seen but there was something there again. I know I need to give more time to it, trust it. It is there, somewhere, I know.
I should get the brochure from the print tomorrow. Exciting!

Hope you are all well.

Johanna

An image

kolme-w-001-a-low.jpg

…of the photo shoot on Wednesday with my three women. In the image Sanna Valkeapää, Mirva Mattila and Anniina Aunola. Photo by Pekka Mäkinen.

showing

Today was tough but good. For the first time I showed my new work soft skin / harsh life to two people. Ohhh…. it’s always so scary and exciting! I mean terrible. But I survived and actually enjoyed it. It was really good to perform and I was so beautifully encouraged that it gave me new energy and confidence to go on. It’s strange how much I have been moving and somehow it does feel good and right for this work. But there are a lot of questions to be solved in terms of timing, the video and photography. For some reason I’m not worried and I have a good team to rely on. Maija showed some video clips and some of them I really really loved! It’s exciting to see what kind of shape this all finds together.

The day after tomorrow we’ll be shooting press photos for the group work, I’m full on working with the press material and the graphic designer is working on the brochure. And of course, there are several grant applications to send it this week.

Hope you are well.

Johanna