Mikko Niemistö, Sanna Blennow, Teo Lanerva, Olli Lautiola, Justus Kantakoski: Astral Projections

The work is inspired by experiences that happen at the outskirts of everyday physical realities, when the material body is sleeping or consuming entertainment.

In the performance space, different dream-bodies and their incarnations communicate together, creating a surreal ritual. The installation-performance merges documented dreams, mysticism and atmospheres from digital entertainment.

The working group consists of choreographers Mikko Niemistö and Sanna Blennow, lighting designer Teo Lanerva, dancer-sound designer Olli Lautiola and fashion designer-performance artist Justus Kantakoski.

Astral Projections is part of a series of works initiated by Mikko Niemistö, exploring dreams and their political relevance in todays 24/7 society.

Mikko Niemistö is a choreographer and performance artist who works in Helsinki and abroad. He has realised both solo works and multi-disciplinary works in different collaborations. Niemistö has completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in Choreography at the New Performative Practices program of School of Dance and Circus, Stockholm in 2017.

Sanna Blennow is a choreographer, performer and educator, always curious to challenge formats and crossbreed artistic expressions. Sanna prefers to work in collaboration, navigating through intuition in a sounding swamp to connect with a beak of ambition and wings of desire. Sanna holds a BA in choreography from The Danish National School of Performing Arts (2011), and an MFA in Critical and Pedagogical Studies from Malmö Art Academy (2019).

Teo Lanerva is a freelance lighting and video designer and Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama) from Helsinki. He works mostly with contemporary performances and different events both in small underground clubs and big festivals. Works designed by Lanerva have been performed in over ten countries.

Olli Lautiola is a freelance dancer, dance teacher, choreographer and sound designer. In 2017 he graduated as Bachelor of Arts in dance in School of Dance and Circus in Stockholm after which he has been working in various productions in Finland and internationally.

Justus Kantakoski is a Finnish fashion and performance artist. Kantakoski works with fashion design, arts and crafts and contemporary art as well as in the field of performance arts.