Armo

In Sonja Jokiniemi's work, the impossibility of normality has always been described as the only human condition. Her new creation, Armo, opens up an associative space where mementos and remembering are braided into a tangible disorder.

Embedded in the reminiscence of Jokiniemi's Karelian roots, reactivated by the recent loss of her father, Armo is a choreography for four remarkable and singular dancers, which deals with remnants as non-verbal narratives residing in the body. 

In the work, cyclical choreographic patterns, shared rituals of repetitions and obsessive individual behaviours are infused with the spiritual leftovers of Jokiniemi’s lost family roots in Lake Ladoga. At the heart of the work is a recognition of the cyclical and non-linear nature of life and death, and of the memories left behind.

For this work, co-produced by Zodiak – Centre for New Dance and presented at Dance House Helsinki, Jokiniemi develops a choreography woven into a regular but imperfect canvas, echoing the artist's transgressive ongoing reflection on women's labour. 

Armo aims to divert the dominant aesthetics of art and normative ways of dealing with knowledge and language in order to liberate subconscious and disobedient forces that can otherwise be classified as deviant, funny or incoherent.

Text from the choreographer

Lost cultural heritage, untold stories, silenced traditions: many contemporary migration identities are made of very fragile remains and vanished tracks. Feelings of belonging are scattered, grieving the unknown is made difficult.

The loss of my father, from Ladogan origin, two years ago, pushed me to explore this relationship to our inherited yet stranger ghosts through the non-verbal sensitive transmission. I always respected my father, who was a craftsman. His parents original surname Loginov was changed to a more finnish sounding surname Jokiniemi. The load of his subdued culture was part of his generous but held presence.

The work is a thank you to my father as well as a more general reflection on grief and roots enriched by the performers own memories, burdens and the incomprehensible beauties of their past.

Credits

Choreography, textile art works and performance: Sonja Jokiniemi

In collaboration with:
Performance  Leila Kourkia, Krassen Krastev, Marlon Moilanen, Tuuli Vahtola
Lighting and space design: Heikki Paasonen
Music Gil Schneider
Karelian decorative boards: Hannu Heino, Juha Kurki, Timo Pernu

Guidance to karelian lament singing tradition: Pirkko Fihlman

Mentoring for Karelian dance traditions: Reetta-Kaisa Iles

Costumes: Working group

Artistic dialogue: Maria Saivosalmi & Harri Kuorelahti
Production: Zodiak – Center for New Dance, Sonja Jokiniemi
Residency support: Kunstenwerkplaats Pianofabriek (Brussels)
Supported by: Arts Promotion Centre Finland, The Finnish Cultural Foundation Mobility grant
PR photos: Eva-Liisa Orupõld
Performance photos: Sinem Kayacan