Dancing Moominvalley
Dancing Moominvalley which had it’s premiere in Spring 2010 is a dance production based on Tove Jansson’s book The Tales from the Moominvalley that opens the well known themes of her books: invisibility, otherness and difference.
The basis of the visual world of the piece are the original illustrations of Tove Jansson in the collection of The Moominvalley of the Tampere Art Museum. The world of the illustrations and the tales of Jansson are now interpreted on stage by the means of dance theatre.
The piece is choreographed by Dance Theatre MD’s choreographer Samuli Roininen and the music is composed by Heikki Mäenpää. Dance, music and visual elements such as projections intertwine to interpret the holistic and fascinating world created in Jansson’s tales.
As the starting point of the choreographic process is the thesis of PhD Sirke Happonen Fillyjonk at the window – The picture, Word and Movement in Tove Jansson’s Moomin Books . The thesis asks how does Jansson create movement in her illustrations and how she characterizes the characters’ typical way to move in her texts. These are the questions the Dance Theatre MD’s Dancing Moominvalley production tries to answer.
Visually spectacular, fully composed contemporary dance piece for the whole family has a new approach to the moomins but the themes are familiar to all of us who have read the books.
A part of the project ”Dancing Moominvalley Shanghai Expo" is featured
in the Finnish cultural program at EXPO 2010
cultural export plan and will be presented at EXPO 2010 on August 9th, 10th and 11th.
In co-operation with Harjula Productions Ltd, Epson and the Moominvalley of the Tampere Art Museum. Copyrights The Finnish Dramatists’ Union, ©Moomin Characters™
Performances on autumn season in the calender.
You can follow the journey in a blog.
Short moments in Dancing Moominvalley in You Tube.
A peak into the piece in You Tube.
Members of the artistic team:
Script, composing and sound design Heikki Mäenpää
Script, direction and choreography Samuli Roininen
Costume design and visual realization Carmela Wager
Projection and visual realization Sanna Malkavaara
Lighting design Sari Mayer
Stage manager Matias Palo
Set realization Matias Palo, Riina Kuusisto (intern)
Costume realization Osk Työhuone Hengari
Wigs and hats Anni Hiro
Orchestra Heikki Mäenpää & Muumilaakso Orchestra (Finland), in co-operation with Ringing Bells Rondo Club (Japan)
Logo design Ville-Veikko Heinonen
Research, consultant and lecturer Elina Bonelius, Sirke Happonen
Special Advisor Panu Raninen
Photos Ari Ijäs
Production Dance Theatre MD: Jenni Pehkonen and Kaisa Vuorinen, executive producer Heikki Mäenpää
PR and marketing Katri Kekäläinen
Poster and brochure Adfab Advertising Agency
In co-operation EPSON, Moomin Characters Ltd, the Moominvalley of the Tampere Art Museum, Harjula Production Ltd and Muumien ystävät -yhdistys Myy ry.
Performers Anu Castren/Anniina Kumpuniemi, Suvi Eloranta, Mikko Heino, Sara Kovamäki, Samuli Roininen
Premiere April 8th 2010
Duration 50 min