2020

choreography: Mikko Makkonen
music & sound design: Viljami Lehtonen
scenographer: Kristian Palmu
dramaturgist: Eira Virekoski

dance: Geoffrey Erista, Simeoni Juoperi, Pie Kär, Iiro Näkki, Oskari Turpeinen

Actions x Figures begins with a critical analysis and deconstruction of hypermasculinity as its foundation.

Hypermasculinity is a social and cultural construct that emphasizes aggression, power, sexuality, and a restricted range of emotional expression.

This performance seeks to dismantle the forcefulness of hypermasculine iconography, staging a rebellion through the body. It presents symptoms, reflects on them, and strives for a balanced bodily existence. Attributes tied to hypermasculinity are reimagined and reshaped through a multi-voiced assertion.

Actions x Figures is a deeply personal study, drawing inspiration from individual histories, body images, physical qualities, cultural repetitions, interpersonal interactions, and the dynamics of the private and collective body. It explores how these elements are constructed, interpreted, and imbued with meaning.

The performance’s sound design mirrors this exploration, employing glides and gradual transformations to blur binaries and explore the spaces between them.

Notably, the sound design for Actions x Figures was nominated for the  Säde Award for Best Sound Design in Performative Arts in Finland, 2020.