Author: Isabel González

Memory Garden

Posted on by Isabel González

“I invite you to close your eyes and remember out loud, a garden from your childhood. It can be any garden. Your neighbor’s garden, your grandparent’s garden, a garden you passed by every day on your way to school, your family’s garden, even the one potted plant in your childhood home can be considered a garden. I ask you to record yourself on your phone or any other device in a quiet space. With your eyes closed, take five minutes to describe that garden in whatever ways you remember. Start your timer (5 minutes), press record, state your first name, close your eyes and remember a garden out loud. When the timer ends, please press stop on the recorder. Love, Jared”

Jared Gradinger together with Moving in November festival is collecting recordings of people’s childhood garden memories. The recordings will be part of a long-time project by Gradinger, partly presented in the Moving in November festival 2022. The preferable language is English, but you may also use your native language. You can send your recording to this email  By doing so, you are agreeing to allow the use of your recording in its public presentation and potential sharings.

Jared Gradinger

Jared Gradinger is a choreographer, artist, performer, and gardener born in the USA and based in Berlin since 2002. He is an interdisciplinary artist working in the fields of performance, dance, social art, and Nature.

The world we share – Traces from November May 16 – 27

Posted on by Isabel González

Projecting ourselves to the first signs of spring, we would like to invite you to Traces from November, taking place between May 16 to 27.

During two weeks in May Moving in November explores the world around us. A world we share in close proximity with other species. Inviting you to intimate encounters with plant beings and other animals on eye height. How do we look and experience our near surrounding? How do we interact, perceive and observe non-human living beings? Questions, that will be posed and deepened during these two weeks.

Invited artists Angela Schubot & Jared Gradinger, Matilda Aaltonen & Veli Lehtovaara approach these topics through performances and sharing their artistic research in workshops. Through their lenses and artistic practices, we leave the classical theater frame and move outside, as well as into different areas of Helsinki.

YEW: outside by Angela Schubot & Jared Gradinger takes place in the urban nature of Central Park Helsinki. An outdoor performance of intensive encounters with them and their plant partners.

The same piece has been turned into a version for children, ages three to five. With YEW: kids the two artists together with Moving in November move to Pihlajamäki–Pihlajisto inviting the youngest from the kindergartens in that area to meet the nature surrounding them.

In line with these two performances, Angela Schubot & Jared Gradinger offer a planting-dance workshop, sharing their co-creative artistic practices in how to communicate with nature consciousness. This Gardening workshop situated at Tokoinranta is an invitation to dance a garden into existence. On the last day, the workshop is open for anyone to come by and follow.

Matilda Aaltonen together with Veli Lehtovaara will explore our relation to other living begins in two dance workshops. My multispecies neighbors open for everybody and I and Other Animals addressing dance professionals are situated in Pihlajamäki–Pihlajisto area.

Matilda Aaltonen & Veli Lehtovaara also invite to a dance-oriented study Performing Animalities – A Praxis, a performance moving across notions of human and animal and bringing them closer to each other.

This is only a beginning. Moving in November will continue exploring these topics during this fall, through Herbarium a long-term art and science project creating regenerative encounters between nature and the culture, developed by Angela Schubot & Jared Gradinger together with collegues. Herbarium’s focus lies in mutual learning from the inherent intelligence of nature and in drawing on local and ‘lost’ knowledges. Herbarium is a three-year process in three different countries: the Colombian rainforest, the Finnish wetland, forest and Helsinki city, as well as Berlin and its urban nature. The Helsinki version will be presented this fall.

But for now, we warmly invite you to have a close look at the Traces from November program and to make your reservations!

Looking much forward to see you in May!
Kerstin Schroth & Moving in November team

I and Other Animals -workshop for professionals

Posted on by Isabel González

How can dance create a way to experience interspecies connections and co-existences?

In this workshop, one studies their own animality as well as relation to other animals through dance practice and corporeality. The workshop is based on artistic practices developed by Matilda Aaltonen and Veli Lehtovaara within Can animals be expressed? –research project (2020-2022). During the workshop, one focuses on senses, perception, and score-based movement tasks, as well as on coexistence and co-performing with other animals. Working will take place in a studio and outside. Movement tasks include some contact and touch-based work.

Matilda Aaltonen

Matilda Aaltonen is a Helsinki-based dancer and choreographer, who graduated with a Master of Dance Performance in spring 2020 from Uniarts Helsinki’s Theatre Academy. At the moment, Aaltonen’s work revolves around studying the relation between humans and other animals. She is part of the multidisciplinary collective Voiko? which studies the challenges of conceptualizing animals in science and arts. She also works on a research project, combining arts and science, called Speaking on behalf of the biospheric voiceless, led by philosopher Elisa Aaltola. Works of Aaltonen have been seen in the programming of Reality Research Center and Zodiak.

Veli Lehtovaara

Veli Lehtovaara is a choreographer and performer working internationally in the fields of dance and experimental theater. He has lived and worked in Brussels for the years 2008 to 2018. Works of Lehtovaara have been seen on central stages and festivals around Europe, North and South America. During the latest years, he has focused his work on the interfaces of choreography, ecological thinking, and diversity of the body. Lehtovaara teaches as well as conducts his artistic doctoral thesis at Helsinki Theater Academy.

Gardening-workshop

Posted on by Isabel González

How can we initiate things with love and then simply let them be? 

Continuing work of decentralizing the human in performative and regenerative situations, Angela Schubot and Jared Gradinger will offer a planting-dance workshop where they will share their co-creative artistic practices in how to communicate with nature consciousness. This workshop is an invitation to dance a garden into existence. With bodies, seeds, bulbs, songs, whispers and worms participants will arrive to a place of deep connectivity and listening. Over the course of four days, participants will co-create a self-sustainable regenerative garden around Villa Eläintarha. On the last day of the workshop, an audience of humans and non-humans will be invited into a durational performative planting ritual. This workshop is an invitation to anyone with the desire to connect to nature in an embodied way. The entire workshop will take place outside and the language used is English.

Schubot/Gradinger

Angela Schubot is a dancer, artist, choreographer, researcher and bodyworker-healer based in Berlin with roots in Peru and Canada. Jared Gradinger is a choreographer, artist, performer and gardener born in the USA and based in Berlin since 2002. Schubot and Gradinger first worked together in 2002 under the direction of Constanza Macras. Already then, they discovered a strong connection and common interest in purely physical yet very dynamic movement languages. They started to combine physical practices with philosophical and even esoteric discourse. The topic for their collaboration was the debordering of the body and starting point was the search for an unconditional togetherness to escape from one’s own identity. From 2009 until 2013, they have created 4 full-length works: What they are instead of (2009), Is maybe (2012), Dying together and I hope you die soon (2013) and All my holes are theirs (2013).

As a duo Schubot/Gradinger’s desire to acknowledge and interact with non-human beings and open up their unconditional togetherness to the non-human realm and brought into a deep immersion with plants and nature. Since 2017, they have been ‘co-creating’ performances with Nature. These works are a sensitive plea for the dissolution of the human-nature dichotomy and an attempt of a hierarchy-free co-existence through real encounters and radical experimentation.

YEW: kids

Posted on by Isabel González

Out of a desire to recognize and interact with non-human beings, Angela Schubot and Jared Gradinger forged a deep relationship with nature and its immanent intelligence. In YEW: kids, adapting their duet YEW: outside, they, in collaboration with the nature, offer children ages three and up, intensive encounters with plant nature. The work of performance duo Schubot/Gradinger revolves around unconditional co-existence and dissolution of the self, characterized by an extreme physical movement language and unique artistic handwriting.

Schubot/Gradinger

Angela Schubot is a dancer, artist, choreographer, researcher and bodyworker-healer based in Berlin with roots in Peru and Canada. Jared Gradinger is a choreographer, artist, performer and gardener born in the USA and based in Berlin since 2002. Schubot and Gradinger first worked together in 2002 under the direction of Constanza Macras. Already then, they discovered a strong connection and common interest in purely physical yet very dynamic movement languages. They started to combine physical practices with philosophical and even esoteric discourse. The topic for their collaboration was the debordering of the body and starting point was the search for an unconditional togetherness to escape from one’s own identity. From 2009 until 2013, they have created 4 full-length works: What they are instead of (2009), Is maybe (2012), Dying together and I hope you die soon (2013) and All my holes are theirs (2013).

As a duo Schubot/Gradinger’s desire to acknowledge and interact with non-human beings and open up their unconditional togetherness to the non-human realm and brought into a deep immersion with plants and nature. Since 2017, they have been ‘co-creating’ performances with Nature. These works are a sensitive plea for the dissolution of the human-nature dichotomy and an attempt of a hierarchy-free co-existence through real encounters and radical experimentation.

YEW: outside

Posted on by Isabel González

*The performance will take place around the Laakso/Meilahti side of the park. We will start around the crossing of Urheilukatu and Lääkärinkatu as marked on the map attached. By public transport, the easiest is to come by Tullinpuomi/Töölön tulli stop. If you have trouble finding us, please call Isabel at +358 40 762 7377. During the performance, we will move around the park. At times, the routes can be rough and/or wet. The duration of the performance is a little over two hours. Please keep this in mind when dressing for the occasion. No personal belongings can be left at the starting point, so please leave additional belongings at home. It is recommended to bring your own water bottle. *

The desire to acknowledge and interact with plant consciousness brought Angela Schubot and Jared Gradinger into a deep immersion with Nature and its inherent intelligence. The starting point for this work was intense encounters with plants and trees, such as the Yew, giving the title to the work. In January 2018, Schubot and Gradinger premiered YEW in a theatre space in Berlin. This was an experimental evening in collaboration with nine plant beings, attempting to co-create a soilless garden of body and sound where before there was none. Now in Central Park Helsinki during the Finnish spring, Schubot and Gradinger will plant their work into a new setting, forming new roots for their work YEW: outside. YEW: outside seeks to dissolve the Nature Human dichotomy and translates this coexistence into a new artistic language and movement. This is achieved through a real “co-creation”, i.e., neither to suppress nor to exaggerate plant nature, but to arrive in an act of a co-creative coexistence. This outdoor performance of intimate encounters invites an audience to join Schubot/Gradinger and their plant partners to experience and be together in this unique place of urban nature.

Schubot/Gradinger

Angela Schubot is a dancer, artist, choreographer, researcher and bodyworker-healer based in Berlin with roots in Peru and Canada. Jared Gradinger is a choreographer, artist, performer and gardener born in the USA and based in Berlin since 2002. Schubot and Gradinger first worked together in 2002 under the direction of Constanza Macras. Already then, they discovered a strong connection and common interest in purely physical yet very dynamic movement languages. They started to combine physical practices with philosophical and even esoteric discourse. The topic for their collaboration was the debordering of the body and starting point was the search for an unconditional togetherness to escape from one’s own identity. From 2009 until 2013, they have created 4 full-length works: What they are instead of (2009), Is maybe (2012), Dying together and I hope you die soon (2013) and All my holes are theirs (2013).

As a duo Schubot/Gradinger’s desire to acknowledge and interact with non-human beings and open up their unconditional togetherness to the non-human realm and brought into a deep immersion with plants and nature. Since 2017, they have been “co-creating” performances with Nature. These works are a sensitive plea for the dissolution of the human-nature dichotomy and an attempt of a hierarchy-free co-existence through real encounters and radical experimentation.

Performing Animalities – A Praxis

Posted on by Isabel González

Performing Animalities – A Praxis is a dance-oriented study, open rehearsal, and a performance, which moves across notions of human and animal, bringing them closer to each other. It is a bodily event composed of touch, movement, sounds and words of two performers – an invitation to interspecies dialogue. What will take place, when one ceases to define “human” as something that separates us from other animals? When instead we turn to animality as a fundamental part of being and recognize our belonging in the animal kingdom – one species in a spectrum of many. How can other kinds of animalities emerge from and inhabit the performing body?

Matilda Aaltonen

Matilda Aaltonen is a Helsinki-based dancer and choreographer, graduated as Master of Dance Performance in spring 2020 from Uniarts Helsinki’s Theatre Academy. At the moment, Aaltonen’s work revolves around studying relation between humans and other animals. She is part of multidisciplinary collective Voiko?, which studies the challenges of conceptualizing animals in science and arts. She also works in a research project, combining arts and science, called Speaking on behalf of the biospheric voiceless, led by philosopher Elisa Aaltola. Works of Aaltonen have been seen in programming of Reality Research Center and Zodiak.

Veli Lehtovaara

Veli Lehtovaara is choreographer and performer working internationally in the fields of dance and experimental theater. He has lived and worked in Brussels for the years 2008–2018. Works of Lehtovaara have been seen on central stages and festivals around Europe, North and South America. During the latest years he has focused his work on the interfaces of choreography, ecological thinking, and diversity of the body. Lehtovaara teaches as well as conducts his artistic doctoral thesis in Helsinki Theater Academy.

Markus Tapio

Markus Tapio is a Helsinki-based sound designer, who works broadly in the fields of contemporary performing arts. Tapio’s work also includes sound works for radio and gallery spaces. Tapio has worked with themes of animality together with Matilda Aaltonen in works such as Lokkijuttu (Reality Research Center, 2021) and Kettu katsoo takaisin – Eläinrepresentaatioista (Yle Radio Gallery, 2021).

My multispecies neighbors -workshop

Posted on by Isabel González

In this workshop, one will dance from their own inner world and experience of the body. Tying stronger the connection between body and mind. By awakening senses, one becomes aware of the present moment and of other living beings around. We will get familiar with Pihlajisto, which is a home for many species. What kind of animals live here? How does it feel to frisk like a magpie or sprint like a rabbit? How to get acquainted with a bumblebee?

This workshop is aimed for anyone from the age of 15, regardless of their background with dance. In the workshop, you will move listening to your own body. Working will take place in a studio and outside, in the Pihlajisto area. Just equip yourself with clothing suitable for moving in- and outside. Language of the workshop is Finnish. The workshop will be hosted by two Helsinki-based dance artists, Matilda Aaltonen and Veli Lehtovaara. They are interested in dance that is formed in relation to nature which is within us and all around us.

Matilda Aaltonen

Matilda Aaltonen is a Helsinki-based dancer and choreographer, graduated as Master of Dance Performance in spring 2020 from Uniarts Helsinki’s Theatre Academy. At the moment, Aaltonen’s work revolves around studying relation between human and other animals and connection between species. She is part of multidisciplinary collective Voiko?, which studies animals’ communication. She also works in a research project, combining arts and science, called Elonkirjon äänettömät ja puhe niiden puolesta, led by philosopher Elisa Aaltola. Works of Aaltonen have been seen in programming of Reality Research Center and Zodiak.

Veli Lehtovaara

Veli Lehtovaara is choreographer and performer working internationally in the fields of dance and experimental theatre. He has lived and worked in Brussels for the years 2008–2018. Works of Lehtovaara have been seen on central stages and festivals around Europe, North and South America. During the latest years he has focused his work on the interfaces of choreography, ecological thinking, and diversity of the body. Lehtovaara works as a lecturer and conducts his artistic doctoral thesis in Theatre School Helsinki.

United in Support for Ukraine!

Posted on by Isabel González

Moving in November stands alongside the people in Ukraine. We express our solidarity and support. We condemn the war Vladimir Putin has started against democratic self-determination and free expression. We also express our solidarity and support with the people in Russia standing against their government and the started war.

As new partner member of the Life Long Burning network, we would like to share our collective letter. Together we urge national and European governments, as well as the local administrations, to set up immediate emergency funds and support measures available so that cultural and other civil society organizations can continue to actively support Ukrainian and Russians colleagues in threat.

 

Letter to EU – Ukraine