Historically, Pihlajamäki has served as a testing ground for warlords, smugglers, and visionary architects. This area has seen trenches dug, liquor hidden, and fortifications built, until families eventually settled into the newly constructed concrete blocks. But set all that aside. Lower your gaze to about knee height, and you will find where the true drama unfolds. 

Skvallret (The Gossip) offers a choreographed city tour from the perspective of a dog, following soft paw prints through Pihlajamäki’s history. By focusing on seemingly insignificant details like trash heaps and pee spots, it shifts attention from the grand to the intimate. After all, most things in the world are lickable if you give them a chance. 

First developed for Sundsvall, Sweden, in 2020, Moving in November invited Stina Nyberg to create a Helsinki version of Skvallret (The Gossip) specifically for the festival and the area of Pihlajamäki. 

The walk is performed by Stina Nyberg and dogs from a local agility club. It takes approximately 50 minutes and dogs are welcome to join. 

Stina Nyberg is a Swedish dancer and choreographer who uses choreography to explore new passions, from doom and electricity to mindreading and ecology. Her recent works include The Dawn Chorus (Norrdans 2022), Sweet (2022), and Chest (2024). Stina’s work has been performed at festivals such as Tanz im August Berlin, Block Universe, and the Iceland Dance Festival. She has created commissioned pieces for Cullberg, Norrdans, and Riksteatern. She also collaborates on feminist dance history with Samlingen and on symposiums about collective thinking with urban planner Sofia Wiberg. From 2024, Stina will be part of Rose Choreographic School.