Category Archives: Dance

Notes on the first run through of soft skin / harsh life

It was 45 minutes long. That’s ok. A bit long though, but ok. Can tighten up. There’s a lot of text, too much?

It feels as if I’m talking all the time. While moving, then reading using the microphone, then moving and talking again, then reading with the microphone again. I like the repetition though, what comes up when you repeat, when you look at this moving and talking, sensual body with stretching skin, then just standing and talking to the microphone (Good guide for skincare, why not try these out). Putting on the high heels (guess they should be higher?), bringing the cosmetic in. Now I’ve just laid it all on the floor, I like that it’s a mess, all these expensive luxurious treasures.

Questions:
1. Should the promises text be spoken out while moving?
2. Should the cosmetics be used more directly?: “This is my two years of moisturizing and rejuvenation. This is what I have been promised. That’s what I want, yes, that’s what we all need and want and desire…Heaven.”

(I guess I could also bring the cosmetics I’m using now, not only the empty ones? Could I ?)

Ehkä voisin laittaa esille useampia rasvoja, kuin paletille ja sitten valita niistä mitä laitan mihinkin?

I have this movement section in which I’m posing. I’m imagining it at the moment in relation to the video but this is very unclear as the video is not finished. But there’s one section where I lay on the ground on my belly on the video and I’m imagining doing the same in the performance. How is it to watch an image of a body and to watch the real body, the one holding in the thick red liquids and jams? The bleeding body?

I like the last section with a bench. I don’t understand it though, not yet, but it’s also a connection to the group piece, and my intention is to kind of slide from the solo to the group piece. There’s something about when I’m lying on the bench wearing a skirt and high heels that reminds me of Marilyn Monroe. That hasn’t been my conscious intention but I don’t mind it.

I have to bring a video camera tomorrow.

Something about the mundane, everyday appearance and the sensual moving body, a big body, which is not so often seen.

I feel I’m getting somewhere. I’m definitely going to abandon some of the text I’ve used. I have also been in touch with a costume designer and we’ll meet in Helsinki after I come back from Norway. I’ve spoken to a new graphic designer and send him some material and I hope we could work in the new project together. Let’s se what he says. I don’t know if it’s going to be about the money.

J

Kootut askeleet: Johanna Tuukkanen

Keskiviikkona 7.11. klo 20.40, uusinta to 8.11. klo 16.40.

Kootut Askeleet on 15-osainen ohjelmasarja, joka esittelee suomalaisia eturivin nykytanssikoreografeja. Taiteilijahaastatteluissa pääosassa ovat tekijät ja teokset.

Sarjan jokaisessa jaksossa tutustutaan yhteen koreografiin, joka kertoo teoksensa taiteellisista lähtökohdista, valmistusprosessista sekä työskentelystä tanssijoiden ja muiden tanssiteoksen luomiseen osallistuvien taiteellisten yhteistyökumppaneiden kanssa.

Tässä jaksossa esitellään vuonna 1973 syntynyt tanssija, koreografi ja live-art -taiteilija Johanna Tuukkanen. Hänellä on BA -tutkinto Arnhemissa sijaitsevasta College for Arts, European Dance Development Centre -koulusta. Hän on toiminut ANTI – Contemporary Art Festivalin toisena taiteellisena johtajana vuodesta 2002 ja hänelle myönnettiin taiteen valtionpalkinto vuonna 2006.

Johanna Tuukkanen tunnetaan teoksistaan Lumoava horisontti (1999), Metamorphosis Perfervidus Osa 2: Body Freight (2001), Seinän takana (2004) sekä teossarjastaan Fyysillistaiteellisia tekoja 1-5.

In studio today

instudio5_11_07.jpg

Worked hard, moved a lot, wrote a lot, felt sick at some point, enjoyed the space and peacefulness of having a long period alone in studio, did some crazy things and of course just as I was cleaning up my mess in underwear only, someone walked in to get a video projector. I thought it was funny but she was probably scared.
Really tired now, have to write my column as well.

Johanna

Friday, at last

Tiring week behind me. Finished the first rehearsal period with mixed feelings; in many ways I’m very happy with the work we did but at the same time today I felt a kind of hesitation in the rehearsal which made me feel strange. Well, it’s all familiar but still left me thinking about it.
I was setting up my office and went through some papers in my archive. I found a piece of paper with John Cage’s rules and hints and Rule8 really suits my mood:

“Do not try to create and analyze at the same time. They are different processes.”

When I got home I felt really tired. Our plumber was working with Pekka setting up the washing machine and for a moment I felt really happy that things are actually moving on. They didn’t finish the job as some parts were missing (as usual) but I have hope that tomorrow I’ll be able to wash clothes and sheets. A kind of handy possibility in a family of two children…

The new website is up now, thanks to Mladen! At the moment the site is available only in English but we are working on the Finnish version as well. Some information of my works is not up yet but I’m working on it. But if you have any questions in the mean time, don’t hesitate to ask me or Maija, my producer.

And let me know what you think about it!

Johanna

This week

I’ve been working with Anniina, Mirva and Sanna on my group piece since I came back from Norway. It’s so exciting. Today we watched Naisenkaari, a documentary film by Kiti Luostarinen, which still, after ten years, felt so relevant and accurate that I was amazed. I was also very touched and moved by it. I have a lot of possibilities in my head where to lead the piece but I’m not yet certain which is the right one. So I prefer to keep it all very open and fluid. The dancers might find it a bit frustrating but I just feel I need the open ends to see what the work starts to require.
I’m thinking a lot about the soundscape, the clothes, the shoes, the microphones, the audience interaction… I’ll see if I manage to take some photos tomorrow. I need to video record a run through anyway tomorrow.
I’ve been working with Mladen on the website layout and hopefully the new design will be up shortly. So bear with me.

Johanna

A day in Helsinki

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.

Kootut askeleet -dokumenttisarja esittelee suomalaista tanssia

YLE Teemalla alkaa elokuun lopussa uunituore 15-osainen ohjelmasarja Kootut askeleet, joka esittelee suomalaisia eturivin nykytanssikoreografeja – ja kertoo tarinoita ihmisistä, jotka ovat valinneet ammatikseen tanssin. Sarjan kussakin jaksossa tutustutaan yhteen koreografiin sekä hänen ajatuksiinsa tanssista ja taiteesta työnä.

Koreografit valottavat teostensa taiteellisia lähtökohtia, valmistusprosessia sekä työskentelyä tanssijoiden ja muiden yhteistyökumppaneiden kanssa. He avaavat katsojille myös sitä, mistä tanssiteosten ideat syntyvät ja miten teoksen liikekieli rakentuu. Sarjassa nähdään myös otteita esitystaltioinneista.

Kootut askeleet näyttää taiteilijamuotokuvien kautta myös suomalaisen nykytanssin monimuotoisuuden. Sarjassa osansa saavat niin 70-luvulla uransa aloittaneet kuin vasta muutaman vuoden koreografeina työskennelleet taiteilijat.

Sarjan on ohjannut Raimo Uunila ja sen ovat yhteistyössä tuottaneet YLE Teema ja Grape Productions Oy. Tuotanto on suunniteltu yhteistyössä Tanssin Tiedotuskeskuksen kanssa.

Kootut askeleet -sarja sisältää henkilökuvadokumentit seuraavista koreografeista (esitysaika koreografin nimen yhteydessä):

Eeva Muilu – Ke 29.8. klo 20.40, uusinta to 30.8. klo 16.40
Reijo Kela – Ke 5.9. klo 20.40, uusinta to 6.9. klo 16.40
Liisa Risu – Ke 12.9. klo 20.40, uusinta to 13.9. klo 16.40
Tommi Kitti – Ke 19.9. klo 20.40, uusinta to 20.9. klo 16.40
Jenni Kivelä – Ke 26.9. klo 20.40, uusinta to 27.9. klo 16.40
Martin Heslop ja Minna Tuovinen – Ke 3.10. klo 20.40, uusinta to 4.10. klo 16.40
Kirsi Monni – Ke 10.10. klo 20.40, uusinta to 11.10. klo 16.40
Leena Gustavson – Ke 17.10. klo 20.40, uusinta to 18.10. klo 16.40
Simo Kellokumpu – Ke 24.10. klo 20.40, uusinta to 25.10 klo 16.40
Sanna Kekäläinen – Ke 31.10. klo 20.40, uusinta to 1.11. klo 16.40
Johanna Tuukkanen – Ke 7.11. klo 20.40, uusinta to 8.11. klo 16.40
Hanna Brotherus – Ke 14.11. klo 20.40, uusinta to 15.11. klo 16.40
Liisa Pentti – Ke 21.11. klo 20.40, uusinta to 22.11. klo 16.40
Vera Nevanlinna – Ke 28.11. klo 20.40, uusinta to 29.11. klo 16.40
Ari Tenhula – Ke 5.12. klo 20.40, uusinta to 6.12. klo 16.40

Lisätietoa Kootut askeleet –sarjasta löytyy osoitteesta
www.yle.fi/teema/dokumentit/kootut_askeleet/

Lisätietoa kaikista koreografeista löytyy Tanssin Tiedotuskeskuksen Tanka-tietokannasta osoitteesta http://www.danceinfo.fi/tanka, sekä seuraavien taiteilijoiden omilta sivuilta:

Martin Heslop ja Minna Tuovinen, http://www.as2wrists.fi/
Sanna Kekäläinen, http://www.kekalainencompany.net/
Simo Kellokumpu, http://www.simokellokumpu.com/
Tommi Kitti, http://www.tommikitti.com/
Jenni Kivelä, http://www.jennikivela.com/
Vera Nevanlinna, http://www.veranevanlinna.com/info.html
Liisa Pentti, http://www.liisapentti.com/
Ari Tenhula, http://koti.welho.com/atenhula/
Johanna Tuukkanen, http://tuukkanen.net/

I love pink and hate intriguers

The first pink flower on our backyard.
pinkflower

firstpinkflower2_07_pos.jpg

My daughter noticed this one the other morning and dashed to see what it was like! Just a beauty, a miracle in the midst of the chaos.

pinkandblueflowers07_pos.jpg

…ordered some mineral make-up that arrived today…

ilovepink07_pos.jpg

kind of therapeutic in the middle of all the difficulties, questions, tasks, pain, work…

Had a conversation about the regional dance centre here and one person who thinks maybe a bit too highly of herself in relation to the dance centre. Who censors conversation, looks at art and dance with a quite narrow mind, who so strongly believes in her own view that cannot accept, acknowledge, respect, value or even listen to other views. Who thinks she’s always right. Who thinks she knows everything. I don’t really care about other people’s castles in the air but when they’re built in the costs of a larger community who this person thinks she has a right speak for without understanding, acknowledging, accepting or valuing the rest of the community, the differing opinions, then I just think it’s ignorant and quite stupid.

Johanna

Anniina Aunola, Mirva Mattila and Sanna Valkeapää

…will be the performers of my new work. I hadn’t imagined the selection process to be this difficult and indeed, I was surprised with all the issues I was faced with during the selection process.
But the group feels already now solid but diverse and I’m very much looking forward to working with all of them from August on.

I’ll be working on the solo project this week when Maija Hirvanen comes over to Kuopio and we’ll do some video shooting. My back is better now but I’m still a bit worried about it. I saw a really good doctor yesterday and it’s so much better but obviously it takes time to get back to normal….what ever that is.

Hope your backs are better than mine…
Johanna