2017

Tanssiteatteri Hurjaruuth

choreography: Arja Pettersson
music & sound design: Viljami Lehtonen
videodesigner: Joona Pettersson
dancer: Vilma Tihilä

Flora & Fauna began in 2016 when we were invited to perform at a children’s dance festival in Cameroon. From the start, our goal was to create an immersive performance combining full-floor video mapping with live music. By 2017, we had developed the piece further into a fully scored production featuring interactive sound and video manipulation.

The project explored themes of climate change, the value of nature and biodiversity, and the relationship between technology and the environment. In the final version of the performance, I integrated a Myo armband—a Bluetooth device originally designed for presentation control—which I reprogrammed to work as a gesture-based controller for both Ableton Live and the video software used by our visual designer.

The Myo armband captured acceleration and gyroscope data, allowing the dancer (Vilma) to “paint” with movement—modulating sound and visuals in real time. I performed live on stage using electronic instruments and electric guitar.

Flora & Fauna was performed in Helsinki (2017), Poland and Estonia (Szczecin, Tallinn, 2018), Palestine (Bethlehem, Jenin, Hebron, 2019), and at Porvoo, Vuosaari, and the Tanssin Aika festival in Jyväskylä (2019).