News

Due to new restrictions in the Helsinki area, the Almi Hall season of Third Practice was cancelled. All ticket holders will be contacted via email as soon as possible. The silver lining is that a high-end multi-camera video production will available online globally from 19 March to 6 April! Tickets (from 15€) available from Tiketti. The filming is produced in collaboration with dance film forerunner Thomas Freundlich.

Today, February 18, marks 25 years since Tero Saarinen Company’s first performance, the premiere of Westward Ho! at Dansens Hus in Stockholm. A quarter of a century of dance has taken us to 40 countries and every continent, and made friends for our works from near and far. We feel happy, fortunate and proud of everything we have achieved together. Read TSC's Artistic Director Tero Saarinen and Managing Director Iiris Autio's message on our 25th anniversary!

The first TSC Friends' event of the spring season will be held via Zoom on Tuesday 16 February at 6pm! Join the discussion about the creative process with Tero Saarinen plus Third Practice tenor Topi Lehtipuu and Costume Designer Erika Turunen. Become a member by 14 February, and you'll receive an invitation via email! The discussion will be in Finnish.

A total of 44 working groups applied for TSC Residencies in the first open call. Two groups were chosen, each getting two free weeks at TSC Studio in Helsinki. Mostly Mass, a working group assembled by Dance Artist Sanni Giordani was selected for the March-April period. The group’s focus will be in contact work and developing movement ideas for a new piece, co-produced by Kinetic Orchestra. Raekallio Corp., a working group led by Choreographer Valtteri Raekallio, was selected for the May-June period. Their aim is to finalize a new creation, Three Days. The third available residency period at TSC Studio is reserved for creators focused on the relationship between sound and movement. The open call for the TSC Sound Residency programme, made possible by Genelec, is still open until 2 Feb.

Loopit (2017) by Tero Saarinen returns to the repertoire of Tampere-based Dance Theatre MD this season. The intimate and absurdly humorous choreography is flavoured by the music of The Tiger Lillies and texts from William Shakeaspeare‘s plays. Due to ongoing restrictions, the creation's re-premiere will take place online, via the Keikalla.fi platform on 23 and 29 January. Loopit was originally commissioned from Saarinen for MD's 20th anniversary and produced in collaboration with Tero Saarinen Company. The 2021 shows feature TSC Dancer Oskari Kymäläinen among the cast. Live performances have been postponed from March to September. The shows will take place in Vantaa at Cultural House Martinus on 3 Sep and at MD's Hällä Stage in Tampere on 17–18 Sep.

TERO Technique Online Morning Classes for Professionals are back by popular demand in January – March 2021! The digital classes are taught live via zoom from TSC Studio in Helsinki by David Scarantino. The awareness of limited space in your own home brings a unique opportunity to look closer at the elements within TERO Technique that lead to 360-degree movement: Focus, Fingertips and Rooting. The first online classes for professionals, held in November–December 2020, had participants from 8 countries on different continents.

TSC Studio Sound Residencies provide an opportunity to work on the relationship between sound and movement in a laboratory-like environment.  The working period can, for instance, be aimed at multidisciplinary experimentation, creation of a new work, or developing one’s professional audio expertise. The Sound Residencies are made possible by Genelec, the provider of TSC Studio’s audio equipment. With the programme, TSC and Genelec aim to support sound-art innovation and the development of audio-expertise. Artists chosen to take part in the Sound Residencies are chosen through an international application process. The open call covers weeks 26–27. Read the detailed info and fill in an application on our website! The deadline for applications is 2 Feb.

Along the years we’ve encountered nearly 400,000 people in 40 countries on six continents. Check out our online timeline, which recaps Company highlights all the way from our foundation in 1996 to COVID year 2020.

Despite Covid-19, Tampereen Työväen Teatteri's rock musical rendition of Hamlet has been a significant audience success, and will continue in the theatre's repertoire! However, due to latest restrictions, the performances from Spring season have been postponed till Autumn. Hamlet received rave reviews following its premiere, including several 5/5 stars by key Finnish newspapers. Directed by Otso Kautto and starring Saska Pulkkinen, TSC's Tero Saarinen and Satu Halttunen's role in the creation was to work with the actors' movement identity, based on TERO technique.

TSC's works are again being featured on Mezzo TV. The global culture channel will show recordings of Morphed and Borrowed Light from 1 to 25 December, 2020. Both works, filmed at Chaillot in Paris and directed by Louise Narboni, were first broadcast on the channel in 2018 and last seen there this March. Mezzo broadcasts its content, focused on classical music and dance, in 60 countries to 28 million subscribers.

Tero Saarinen and Kimmo Pohjonen's Breath returns to TSC's repertoire for the Tero Saarinen Company's 25th anniversary. It will first be presented on 24 March 2021 at Oulu Theatre in collaboration with JoJo - Oulu Dance Centre and Oulu Music Festival. Tickets (Ticketmaster and Oulu Theatre) are on sale from 24 November, 2020.

Tero Saarinen’s Kullervo, the Kalevala-themed co-production with the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, has received a remarkable online audience this year. The piece has been viewed by a total of 32,000 people – 18,000 in Finland and 14,000 abroad – from April to October via Yle Areena and Stage24. Kullervo was also available on Arte and the #HomeWithEU campaign in the US. The audience numbers for the latter two are yet to be confirmed, so the amount of online viewers for 2020 will most likely still grow significantly.

We are opening up TSC Studio to artistic residencies! The aim of TSC Residencies is to support the working conditions of freelance artists, the development of the Finnish dance field and to serve as a platform for multi-disciplinary experiments. TSC residencies are open to all artists who work with and in between different performing art forms and have an interest in physical expression. The open call covers two working periods for spring 2021: 22 Mar – 4 Apr and 31 May – 13 June. Read the detailed info and fill in an application on our website! The deadline for applications is 10 Dec.

Rooted with Wings (Lumikinos Production 2018), a dance documentary about Tero Saarinen by filmmaker Thomas Freundlich, has been included in 11 Official Festival Selections around the world since its premiere in 2018. Last week it was presented at Arlington International Film Festival in the US. Today, 18 November, the film is a part of Stingray Festival 4K Channel's special programming. Available in 12 countries, the channel delivers only high quality 4K picture with Dolby Digital audio and has a vast art programme from opera to contemporary dance and ballet. Finnish audiences can watch the film at Yle Areena.

TSC's Nordic co-production Transit premiered in the beginning of October, and has since received fantastic feedback from critics and audiences alike. The performances at Malmö Opera have been welcomed with standing ovations nearly every night! Transit will become part of TSC’s own touring repertoire in 2021.  You can experience Skåne Dansteater’s version at Malmö Opera - or from your own home, as the last shows are livestreamed 23 October to 1 November! The tickets for the online events will be available until 2 hours before each show starts.

Tero Saarinen Company will perform with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra again next week. Rebond, a choreography by Tero Saarinen, is part of The Lover, a concert series led by chief conductor Susanna Mälkki. TSC dancer Oskari Kymäläinen and HPO's percussion section leader Xavi Castelló Aràndiga perform the duet of two art forms, set to the hypnotic Rebonds B by composer Iannis Xenakis. The choreography is based on the polyphonic nature of the musical piece: "The composition is rhythmically very interesting and requires a virtuoso player. To me, it sounds like at times there were more musicians than one playing. In my choreography, I wanted to capture the same sort of intensity and diversity with the movement, and, simultaneously, build a bridge between these two forces - music and dance." - Saarinen explains.

Our morning classes for professional dancers go online for the first time in November-December. The new digital classes are taught live via zoom from TSC Studio in Helsinki by David Scarantino. The classes focus on awakening the body and the senses. The awareness of limited space in your own home brings a unique opportunity to look closer at the elements within TERO Technique that lead to 360-degree movement: Focus, Fingertips and Rooting.

Tero Saarinen's latest large-scale creation Transit will premiere on 3 October in Sweden. Strict Covid-19 regulations apply to the premiere season at Malmö Opera. The orchestra will play live, but in a separate space and the audience will hear them via the PA. There are only 50 tickets available per night at the 1500-seat venue. Transit is a Nordic co-production. The creation will be available in TSC’s own touring repertoire from 2021. Performed by the entire ensemble of Skånes Dansteater at the premiere, the choreography is set to contemporary composer Sebastian Fagerlund's trilogy Stonework (2015), Drifts (2016–17) and Water Atlas (2018). The music is combined with spatial sound design by Tuomas Norvio. The set design centres on an animated film installation by visual artist duo IC-98, in constant dialog with the lighting design is by Minna Tiikkainen and costumes by Teemu Muurimäki. David Scarantino is the Choreographer's Assistant. Conductor for Malmö Opera Orchestra is David Björkman. 

The first book about Tero Saarinen will be out this week, published by Siltala in Finland. The first edition is in Finnish but negotiations for international versions are underway. Esteemed dance journalist Hannele Jyrkkä followed Saarinen for a whole year, accompanying the choreographer throughout the creative process of Third Practice. Observations and discussions took place in rehearsal studios, backstages and Saarinen's kitchen. The reader is taken on a trip that sheds light on Saarinen from many different perspectives, from his childhood all the way to his overall philosophy, through which all of us could perhaps learn to live a little bit more boldly. The book (in Finnish only) is now available from the Siltala webshop. It will be in bookshops all over Finland and as an e-book later in the fall. 

Tampereen Työväen Teatteri's rock musical rendition of Hamlet received several rave reviews following its premiere last week. TSC's role in director Otso Kautto's eclectic team of artists was to work with the actors' movement identity, based on the butoh-inspired TERO technique. According to critics, Tero Saarinen and Satu Halttunen's work "helped breathe life into the characters" and "Makes it especially thrilling to watch how Hamlet - eternally struggling with words - uses movement as a way of expressing the deepest corners of his mind".

Tero Saarinen Company's iconic production Borrowed Light was invited to the Jacob's Pillow Virtual Festival in August. Inspired by the legacy of the Shakers, the production is a collaboration with early music ensemble The Boston Camerata. Praised by audiences and critics alike, the production was originally presented at the esteemed festival twice - first in 2006 and second time in summer 2012. This year's Virtual Festival featured a video from the 2012 engagement as well as a recently recorded artists talk. Despite a 3 day limit and mandatory sign-up, the digital content reached a total of over 3000 views with audiences from several continents.

Tero Saarinen Company continues its fruitful collaboration with the Helsinki Philharmonic and chief conductor Susanna Mälkki. The fall season's program includes two sets of concerts with a duet by a TSC dancer and HPO musician. Together, performed from September 8 to 11, features Voice (music Tore Takemitsu), a dialogue between flutist Jenny Villanen and TSC's Natasha Lommi (choreography and dance). The Lover, scheduled from 27 to 29 October, includes Rebond, a choreography by Tero Saarinen. Set to Rebonds B by Iannis Xenakis, the duet is performed by TSC dancer Oskari Kymäläinen and HPO's percussion section leader Xavi Castelló Aràndiga.

Tampereen Työväen Teatteri's new rock musical rendition of Hamlet will premiere on 3 September. As part of director Otso Kautto's artistic team, filled with a number of big Finnish names, Tero Saarinen and Satu Halttunen have helped the actors find a new identity via their physical existence. "The aim has not been to do choreography as such, but more to help the actors channel their character via physical form. Their movement will manifest a mindset that stems from all the contradiction and violence that Hamlet sows around him.", describes Saarinen. 

David Scarantino will guide an intro to TERO Technique for all on Helsinki Day 2020. The class is livestreamed from the brand-new TSC Studio to TSC’s Facebook-page and www.helsinkikanava.fi from 11:00 am to 11:45 am. Anyone can participate – you don’t need a dance background! Take a break before lunch and join in to listen, experience and discuss! In addition to a healthy mind and body, the goal is to broaden your dance viewing experience in the future – hear about what performers think about on stage and try out how movements you see on stage feel in Your body?

Tero Saarinen Company's turnover in 2019 was 1,4 million euros. It had activities in 9 countries on 2 continents. Saarinen's creations had 17 300 live spectators. Audience outreach and training events reached 2000 participants. TSC's permanent staff of 10 was complemented with 70 freelancers and service providers. In addition to artistic work, the year's highlights included the renovation and move to TSC Studio and new offices at the Cable Factory. The Annual Report is only available in Finnish.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, performances of Third Practice, a collaboration of Tero Saarinen Company and Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet’s Almi Hall are being rescheduled to 2–6 March, 2021. The work starring twelve dancers and the tenor Topi Lehtipuu, plus virtual soprano Núria Rial, was inteded to have its Helsinki premiere season on 10–17 June, 2020.

We are doing everything in our power to help slow the spread of the pandemic. In line with Finnish Government guidelines, we have switched to remote working and all TSC Studio activities are suspended. We are closely following official guidance.

Tero Saarinen's riveting take on Sibelius and The Kalevala is now online at Stage24.fi. It is also available for Arte subscribers, Yle Areena viewers in Finland, and, part of the official selection of Finnish culture, available via the European Union delegation in the USA #HomeWithEU campaign. The creation is based on an early masterpiece by iconic Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and a timeless story featured in the Finnish national epic, The Kalevala. In his contemporary take on the tale of a young man who seduces his sister, kills his enemies, and falls on his own sword, director-choreographer Tero Saarinen fuses dance with opera and live music. Commissioned by the Finnish National Opera, Kullervo features nearly 100 performers on stage. The FNO and Tero Saarinen Company co-production originally premiered in 2015.

Tero Saarinen Company’s new premises at the cultural hub of the Cable Factory in Helsinki, Finland are designed to serve dance comprehensively. Each detail of the Company’s own rehearsal space TSC Studio has been chosen to provide the best possible working conditions for dance and dance artists. On top of TSC’s own rehearsals and training activities, the Studio is opened up for artistic residencies and it is rented out for eg. rehearsal use and workshops.

Developed in the first ever residency at Tero Saarinen Company, dance artist Jenna Broas, spatial designer and artist Fabian Nyberg and composer-musician Martin Granö's creation fusing animated video with dance, Truths That Never Were, will be streamed live from TSC Studio on Friday 20 March at 19:00 (GMT +2) due to the coronavirus pandemic. All shows have been postponed and we are looking at alternative dates.

Tero Saarinen is working on a new creation, Transit, set to premiere on 3 October, 2020 in Sweden. The creation for 19 dancers is set to the music of contemporary composer Sebastian Fagerlund, to be combined with the sound design of Tuomas Norvio. Thematically Saarinen is exploring the alarming loss of biodiversity. The set design centres on an animated film installation by internationally recognised visual artist duo IC-98, Patrik Söderlund and Visa Suonpää. Lighting design is by Minna Tiikkainen and costume design by Teemu Muurimäki. David Scarantino is the Choreographer's Assistant. Transit is produced as a Nordic co-production and will be premiered by Skånes Dansteater in Sweden. The creation will be available in TSC’s own touring repertoire from 2021.

Tero Saarinen Company's popular morning classes for professionals will continue in 2020. David Scarantino will teach TERO-technique in Taiwan on 12 - 21 January, as part of the Ehrstrand Dance Collective Winter Workshop at Seed Dance Company. At our brand new TSC Studio in Helsinki, regular TERO Morning Classes for professionals will run from Feburuary 17 to March 27. Online registration open now!

Tero Saarinen Company has toured extensively after moving to its new space at the Cable Factory in June. This season’s 18 performances of choreographer Saarinen’s works reached 14 000 spectators in Bruges, Brussels, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Seoul, St. Petersburg, Stuttgart, and Yokohama. The three critically acclaimed creations presented this fall, Breath, Zimmermann Trio and Vortex, differ much in style and form but all feature live music in a pivotal role.

Tero Saarinen Company has begun collaboration with Shaksfin Asia. Hannes Nimpuno and Jack Lin will represent TSC in Asia and Oceania. Established in 2000, Shaksfin is one of the leading producers of performing arts in the territory and perhaps best known for their work with music. Current dance roster includes Sasha Waltz & Guests, Hofesh Shechter Company and now, Tero Saarinen Company.

Tero Saarinen’s Vortex, commissioned by the National Dance Company of Korea in 2014 will once again re-enter the renowned company’s repertoire. Vortex will first have a run in South Korea, this time at the LG Arts Centre on 3-5 October. The NDCK will then tour in Japan with the work: performances at KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theater will take place on 25-27 October.

Tero Saarinen Company will relocate to the Cable Factory: a 200m2 dance studio as well as TSC office and technical storage facilities are under renovation. The new TSC Studio will also be rented out as well as used for residencies and demo performances. The space will be equipped with a Harlequin spring floor, simple lighting pipes and sound system.

Tero Saarinen and accordionist extraordinaire Kimmo Pohjonen will tour in Stuttgart, St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Hong Kong next season. The world-renowned artists’ duet intertwines live music, dance and visuals into wild forms and mythical images, infused by Beckett-inspired absurd humour. Tickets for the pair’s home season at the Alexander Theatre in Helsinki just went on sale. Early bird pricing -20% available until 2 June.

Tero Saarinen Company's turnover in 2018 was 1,1 million euros. It had activities in 7 countries on 3 continents. TSC performances had 21 000 spectators, averaging at 800 per show. Its 100 audience outreach and training events had 4300 participants. TSC's permanent staff of 9 was complemented with 63 freelancers and service providers. The Annual Report is only available in Finnish.

Tero Saarinen Company and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra will perform in Brussels and Bruges with Tero Saarinen's choreography Zimmermann Trio. The tour is part of the Cultural Programme for Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Tero Saarinen Company will relocate to the Cable Factory. A 200 square meter dance studio as well as TSC office and technical storage facilities are under renovation. The opening of the new TSC space is planned for summer 2019.

Third Practice draws from Monteverdi’s radical heritage. Twelve TSC dancers and HeBO musicians are joined on stage by tenor Topi Lehtipuu and the virtual avatar of Catalonian soprano Núria Rial. Work-in-progress open rehearsals in Helsinki at Finnish National Theatre in May. World premiere at Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli, Rassegna di Danza & Festival Monteverdi in Cremona, Italy, on 29 May 2019. Finnish premiere at Kuopio Dance Festival in June.

TSC’s winter intensive 2019 focuses on Tero Saarinen’s choreographic work. Set to take place on week 8 (winter break in Helsinki), the 5-day course gives a comprehensive overview of TERO Technique and the philosophy behind it. This year’s winter intensive’s special emphasis is in the technique’s transformation into choreography.

TSC Artistic Director Tero Saarinen and Managing Director Iiris Autio received high acknowledgements for their work on Finland's Independence Day. The President of the Republic of Finland awarded Saarinen with the Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland and Autio with Knight of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.

TSC's long-time Lighting Designer Mikki Kunttu has been shortlisted for Knight of Illumination USA, ETC Award for Dance, for Tero Saarinen Company's Zimmermann Trio.

TERO Morning Classes throughout October in Helsinki! A new series of TERO Morning Classes, aimed for dance professionals and students in professional training.

Helsinki Festival presents Zimmermann Trio's Finnish premiere on 30–31 August 2018 at The Helsinki Music Centre.

Tero Saarinen Company's Managing Director Iiris Autio was awarded with Helsinki Golden Medal on Helsinki Day 12 June for her extensive work in advocating Finnish contemporary dance internationally.

Breath trailer is now out! Watch the video to get a peek at the new creation by Tero Saarinen and musician Kimmo Pohjonen. The duet receives its world premiere at Grand Théâtre de Québec on 12 April, followed by performances with Danse Danse at Place des Arts' Printemps Nordique festival on 17–21 April.

The Finnish premiere of Zimmermann Trio – commissioned by the LA Phil and premiered in January 2018 – will be at Helsinki Festival. The performances take place on 30–31 August at the Helsinki Music Centre. Tickets on sale now!

Long-awaited open morning classes with Tero Saarinen's movement technique will start running at Alexander Theatre, Helsinki. Aimed for dance professionals and students in professional training, TERO Morning Classes focus on awakening the body and the senses. The classes will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings on 16 April–25 May.

Rooted with Wings by filmmaker Thomas Freundlich, follows Tero Saarinen over a period of five years from 2014 to 2018. It includes exclusive footage from backstage and performances around the world, and opens up the choreographer's artistic process through his own words. The film premiered at Avant Première in Berlin last month and will be shown in Finland at Loikka dance film festival in April.

Commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Tero Saarinen's choreography Zimmermann Trio receives its world premiere at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles on 19 January. At the same time, Tero Saarinen Company also performs in Paris: choreographed to music by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Morphed will be seen at the renowed Théâtre National de Chaillot on 18–20 January.

TSC dancer and teacher David Scarantino taught TERO Technique at Steps on Broadway in New York last week. So much enthusiasm in NYC, great to be back!

At the break of January and February, Tero Saarinen and Sini Länsivuori will hold an eight-day course at Scripps College in California. Directly after, TERO Technique Master Classes in New York will be taught in the guidance of David Scarantino.

Here we go! We have arrived in sunny LA, with first rehearsals of Zimmermann Trio at Walt Disney Concert Hall today. Premiere with LA Phil on Friday 19 Jan!

After its world premiere season in Canada, Tero Saarinen and Kimmo Pohjonen's duet Breath will be seen in Tampere on 12 May, at Turku City Theatre on 22 May, and at Alexander Theatre in Helsinki on 29 May–1 June. Audiences in Helsinki also have the opportunity to see a work-in-progress open rehearsal on 22–24 March.

Follow us gain backstage access, see footage from rehearsals and follow us as we travel around the world!

Exciting venue visit to Grand Théâtre de Québec! Breath world premiere here on 12 April, 2018 followed by a season by Danse Danse at Place des Arts 17–21 April and Finnish premiere on 12 May Tampere-talo #TSConTour #TerosSaarinenCompany

Go behind the scenes of our Morphed tour via video entries to be posted on Instagram and Facebook throughout October. #TSConTour #Morphed #terosaarinencompany

This season, Tero Saarinen Company will perform at many of the world's most prestigious venues in London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles and Montreal.

This spring, Morphed was seen in Croatia and Serbia. Next the creation opens St. Petersburg's Open Look International Dance Festival on 30 June. on 4 August, it will be performed at Civitanova Danza in Italy and on 10 August at Royal Festival Hall in London.

Tero Saarinen Company's Members, Friends and Supporters have the opportunity to spend time with the Company in London on 10–11 August, and see Morphed at the Southbank Centre's amazing Royal Festival Hall.

Choreographer-dancer Tero Saarinen and composer-accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen join forces in a new creation titled Breath. The creation will receive its world premiere on 12 April, 2018 at Grand Théâtre de Québec and at Place des Arts in Montréal, Canada programmed by Danse Danse.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has commissioned a creation from Finnish choreographer Tero Saarinen. Saarinen's take on Bernd Zimmermann's Cello Concerto en forme de pas de trois (1966) will premiere at the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall on January 19, 2018.