Performance @STL

‘For this newly commissioned production at Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava we’re joined by Viljandi Culture Academy dance theory lecturer Kai Valtna and dance technique teacher Raido Mägi, who are partnered in dialogue with their student Anumai Raska. The piece focuses on the sense of uselessness and victimhood, projecting it on both performers’ and audience’s bodies, while, at the same time, drawing parallels with exclusion and identity crisis in Estonian society.’

Ruslan Stepanov and Artjom Astrov have previously collaborated in a dance production ‘Невесомость’ (Kanuti Gildi SAAL, January 2018) and a showing of a work-in- progress at Hiiumaa Tantsufestival (August 2018).

Ruslan Stepanov is an Estonian choreographer, who has worked as a dancer and choreographer at Theatre Vanemuine in Tartu. He was a member of the Wee Dance Company at Gerhart­Hauptmann­Theater in Görlitz, Germany, and is now
a freelance dance artist in Estonia.

Artjom Astrov has been actively involved in the fields of contemporary performance since 2016, mainly in the role of a sound artist. His educational and musical roots stem back to art rock, free jazz and improv. At the present moment he is also producing electronic music as Benzokai and is the founder of the Serious Serious music label.

Raido Mägi has performed internationally in Ukraine, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Austria, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Russia. He has shared his experiences at the Drama School of Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, in Tallinn University, Nice-Sophia Antipolis University, Helsinki Theatre and Dance Academy etc. He has shared the stage with Charles Linehan, Xavier Le Roy, Susanne Berggren, Amaia Urra, Juan Domínguez, Tino Sehgal, Mart Kangro, Merle Saarva, Taavi Kerikmäe, Krõõt Juurak and with many others.

Kai Valtna has studied cultural pedagogy at Tallinn University and historical dance at Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. She is currently working in University of Tartu Viljandi Cultural Academy performing arts department as a dance theory and history lecturer as well as the head of the Choreography department programme.

Anumai Raska is a dance student in the Viljandi Culture Academy. She has danced more than eight years and her main interest is mind versus bodymemory – how to recognize it and how to use it. In long term Anumai enjoys her studies and the adventures in the danceworld.

Oliver Kulpsoo has graduated Viljandi Cultural Academy on light design. He has worked in NUKU theatre, Von Krahl Theatre and STL as a light designer and technician. From 2017 he is a freelance artist and creates light installations among light designs. With the performances he has been part in he has travelled to France, Germany, Finland Latvia, Norway, Scotland, Ukraine, Turkey, Lithuania, Austria, Netherlands, Poland, Palestine and China.