Tero Saarinen Company is a dance group founded in 1996 by its director, the Finnish dance artist and choreographer Tero Saarinen. The group's repertoire consists mainly of choreographies by Saarinen. The Company is based in Helsinki, although it mainly performs abroad. The group's rehearsal space and office are in the Alexander Theatre, where it also performs some of its small to midscale works.
Tero Saarinen Company is now considered one of Finland's leading cultural exports. By the end of 2016 the group had performed in 40 countries. Its main activities also include running an international teaching programme and participating in the creation of Saarinen's choreographies for other leading dance companies around the world. The group follows the network-centric organization model, and employs about 80 people each year, eleven of whom have permanent posts.
The company's own works are created as international co-productions, and include many of Saarinen's best known choreographies. Tero Saarinen's rich choreographic style is characterized by multidimensional artistry – expressive dancers, live music, and striking visuals. His distinctive movement language has been described as "organic", an "inventive mixture of grotesqueness and beauty" and "like Butoh with wings".
History
Tero Saarinen, a renowned international soloist, assembled the dance group Company Toothpick in 1995 as an instrument for expressing his own choreographic vision. Saarinen wanted to work on a more permanent basis with inspired artists who shared his values. The group's founding members, alongside Saarinen, were his colleague Henrikki Heikkilä from the Finnish National Ballet, Yuval Pick from Batsheva Dance Company, and Lighting Designer Mikki Kunttu. Company Toothpick was given a humorous name to commemorate the matchstick factory in Pori, where Saarinen was born.
The group's first piece, Westward Ho! premiered in Stockholm's Dansens Hus on 18 February 1996. In 1997 the group was invited to perform the piece at the first Aerowaves platform held at The Place Theatre in London. The performance marked Saarinen's international breakthrough as a choreographer, and the group began receiving invitations from all over Europe.
In 2000 Company Toothpick acquired office space in The Alexander Theatre. In 2001 the group took on its first full-time employee, when its current Managing Director Iiris Autio began working as Saarinen's manager and the group's producer. In 2002 the group changed its name to Tero Saarinen Company, and in 2004 it became eligible for regular state subsidy under the Finnish Theatre and Orchestra Act, and began receiving operational funding from both the Finnish State and the City of Helsinki.
Performances
Operations in Helsinki
The Alexander Theatre in Helsinki has been the company's home since 1999. Tero Saarinen Company has been the Alexander Theatre's official resident company since 2005. In addition to regular performances, the theatre houses the group's office and rehearsal space – the same studio where Tero Saarinen started his professional career in 1982, when the building was still the home of the Finnish National Ballet.
Tero Saarinen Company performs in Helsinki every year. In addition to the Alexander Theatre, venues include The Finnish National Opera and Finnish National Theatre. In addition to performances, the group's activities in Helsinki include teaching and community outreach projects.
Touring
Tero Saarinen Company toured in 40 countries and on six continents during 1996-2016. The group's performances have earned a great deal of positive media response. Tero Saarinen's richly original choreographic style is characterized by his distinctive movement language and multidimensional artistry – expressive dancers, live music, and striking visuals. Saarinen has produced 46 original works altogether, 17 of them for his own group. (April 2018)
The group has performed in venues and at events including: Maison de la danse in Lyon; Théâtre du Châtelet and Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris; the Movimentos festival in Wolfsburg; Tanz im August in Berlin; Kampnagel in Hamburg; The Joyce Theater; New York City Center; and BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music; Howard Gilman Opera House) in New York; Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, Massachusetts; Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles; Southbank Centre in London; Chekhov International Theatre Festival in Moscow; Alexandrinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg; The Ibero-American Theater Festival in Bogota; Festival Internacional de Buenos Aires in Argentina; SIDance in Seoul; Perth International Arts Festival in Perth, Australia; and New Zealand International Arts Festival in Wellington.