Choreographic, sculptural, and amphibious, The Pier both floats on bodies of water and stands on its wooden legs on the solid ground of human-built environments. Artist Veli Lehtovaara shares their ongoing doctoral research with the public in the form of a choreographic installation. The project cultivates embodied ecological awareness through the poetics of dance and choreographic writing, in relation to specific habitats and their physical circumstances. The Pier is a place for coming together, comprising performative gestures, participatory practices, and conversations with invited guests.

Lehtovaara uses the pier as a structure for choreographic fieldwork and environmentally oriented dance practice when working on bodies of water, lakes and ponds. It affords the sensing and moving bodies immediate access to the different spheres of the environment—water, air, and land. It can also take off from the shore and drift on the water’s surface as a kinesthetic research vessel. Its modular design makes it portable and allows for various configurations and positions in relation to its surroundings. In an architectural setting, the pier works as an inhabitable choreographic installation.

The Pier is the second examined part of Lehtovaara’s doctoral research project Nature Untitled | Ecological Poetics in Dance and Choreographic Writing. The choreographic installation, built upon the documentation of Lehtovaara’s fieldwork during summer 2026, is exhibited from October 30 to November 18 at Uniarts Helsinki’s Academy of Fine Arts. During Moving in November, there are additional public events within the installation space. The events start with a performative introduction and continue either into a thematic conversation with an invited guest, or a shared sensorially oriented practice facilitated by Lehtovaara.

The artistic working group convened by Lehtovaara includes Jani Hietanen (sound), Jani-Matti Salo (lighting), and Pauliina Syrjälä (kantele, Finnish zither).

Veli Lehtovaara is a choreographer, performer, doctoral researcher, and artistic director who lives and works in Helsinki. Lehtovaara’s artistic practice is focused on interstices for choreographic writing, ecological thinking, and diversity of corporealities. Lehtovaara often works in a collaborative manner and brings together elements from different artistic disciplines in his choreographic practice. His creations vary from stage work to film and performance installations. Lehtovaara’s works have toured successfully in Europe and also in North and South America on venues and festivals such as Sadler’s Wells (UK), Festival d’Automne, Festival d’Avignon (FR), NEXT Arts Festival (BE), Springdance Festival (NL), Dança em Foco (BR), Joyce SoHo (US).

Lehtovaara worked in close collaboration with Zodiak – Center for New Dance during 2011–2018, and he was associated artist of Kunstenwerkplaats Pianofabriek (BE) in 2016–2018. Lehtovaara was one of the focus artists of Departures and Arrivals [DNA] network in 2014–2018. Moving in November has presented and co-produced works by Lehtovaara and his collaborators in 2011, 2015, and 2022. In 2021 Lehtovaara founded together with artist Janina Rajakangas and creative producer Ulrika Vilke a production structure Entirely Moved | Kaikki liikkuu. The organization produces the artistic works and processes of Lehtovaara and Rajakangas, and it is funded by the Finnish government and the city of Helsinki. Next to choreographic work, Lehtovaara has worked widely as a performer in the field of dance and experimental theatre. Years 2015–2017 he worked as a dancer with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker / Rosas.

Currently Lehtovaara is conducting doctoral research: Ecological Poetics in Dance and Choreographic Writing at the University of the Arts Helsinki, Theatre Academy, Performing Arts Research Center. Lehtovaara has also worked as a mentor, teacher, assessor, and adviser for the bachelor and master programs in dance art at the Theatre Academy. For years 2024–2026 Lehtovaara was appointed as the artistic director for Jyväskylä Dance Festival – Tanssin Aika. Lehtovaara holds a BA in dance and MA in choreography from the Theatre Academy of University of the Arts Helsinki. He has also graduated from P.A.R.T.S., Brussels and studied in the MA program of Philosophy at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland.