OuDance Festival

In the documentary multi-arts work by Porttiteatteri and Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin, the performers’ personal experiences take the stage in an intricate and unapologetic manner. Throbbing all around this we find modern flamenco that in this work is synonymous with being eye-to-eye with life.

Porttiteatteri is a community theatre for prisoners who are nearing their release or who recently got out, and the performers’ personal experiences follow them to the stage. The Spanish top musicians from Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin, guitarist Juan Antonio Suárez Cano and singer Victor Carrasco carry the tale together with violinist Sanna Salmenkallio and musician-composer Roni Martin. Choreography is by Kaari Martin, dramaturgy by Atro Kahiluoto, and the text is by Tuija Minkkinen together with the performers.

– In community theatre, those who in their previous lives have only been seen through their narrow roles will be given voice. It is possible to take the stage with the same people we have faced under extreme circumstances in a previous life – but this time as members of the same community, as real persons stripped of the hierarchy of the streets. As a name, La Familia refers to exactly this. On the other hand, flamenco is itself tremendously family-oriented, says Porttiteatteri manager Tuija Minkkinen who has directed the work.

On the stage: Portitteatteri members as well as Juan Antonio Suárez Cano, Victor Carrasco, Sanna Salmenkallio, Roni Martin | Artistic management of Porttiteatteri: Tuija Minkkinen, Sanna Salmenkallio | Music composition: Roni Martin, Trad. | Flamenco guitar parts: Juan Antonio Suárez Cano | Texts: Porttiteatteri, Trad. | Writing guidance: Tuija Minkkinen | Performance dramaturgy: Atro Kahiluoto | Choreography: Kaari Martin | Lighting design: Jukka Huitila | Mixing: Eppu Helle | Photos: Nauska and Minna Hatinen | Production: Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin, Porttiteatteri | Thank you for: The Finnish National Theatre / Heli Hynynen, City of Helsinki, Finnish Cultural Foundation, Ministry of Education and Culture, TelePart, Sami and Saana, Porttiteatteri’s social counselor Roosa Ikonen | Production of the visit: JoJo – Oulu Dance Centre | Duration: 1 h 10 min | Age recommendation: 12 +, includes swearing | The performance is strongly based on the Finnish text.