Three choreographers. Three dance pieces. Eleven days to create each one.
Made in 11 Days is a concept created by the AB Dance Company ensemble to play with choreography and the practice of contemporary dance. It was primarily conceived for experimenting with new ideas, as some sort of laboratory where everything is possible.
The theme of mini performances choreographed by AB Dance Company dancers Côme Calmelet-Pyykkö, Linda Holmström and Arttu Halmetoja is It’s All Relative. Three dance pieces will be created in 11 days, culminating into one compact night of performance, the core of which is founded on curiosity and fresh ideas.
This year, the pieces encompassing the whole Made in 11 Days concept will be created by following these five rules:
1. The choreographer will have 11 days to create the piece from concept to the final stage version, including visual design.
2. Each performance must have a running time of at least 11 minutes.
3. The lighting designer has a total of 11 days to work with all three pieces.
4. The sound engineer has a total of 11 days to work with all three pieces.
5. The Artistic Director has a total of 11 days to supervise the work of the choreographers and dancers and to offer them help and guidance as needed.
In addition, the choreographers will keep a blog using videos, photos and/or text. These blogs will be published on the AB Dance Company website so that the audience can follow and comment on the creative process of the artists.
Creative Processes in 2025
The artistic processes behind the Made in 11 Days works of 2025 differed significantly from one another, offering three distinct approaches to choreography.
Linda Holmström created her piece entirely independently. After her 11-day working period, she sent written instructions to the dancers for generating movement material, as well as guidelines to the lighting and sound designers for their contributions. Linda was not present during rehearsals or during the development of the visual and sonic elements − she saw her piece for the first time only when it was finished..
Côme Calmelet-Pyykkö also worked mostly outside the theatre. He met with the sound designer-composer during the planning phase of his choreography, and the structure of the music was largely in place by the time rehearsals began. Côme worked with the dancers over two days; the rest of the time, they worked on the piece independently based on the instructions he had provided.
Arttu Halmetoja, in contrast, followed a more traditional working method. He created his piece in close collaboration with the dancers and was present in daily rehearsals. His work emerged through continuous interaction with the group.
Pieces
Linda Holmstöm:
CAN I RELATE?
Last year I was working with the ”self” − each dancer focusing on themselves, their own physical being, their own mental being. This year I wanted to continue with that, but now a step further: ”self with others”.
My vision/idea behind the piece:
How to preserve yourself while sharing life with others.
Or How to co-operate with your sibling.
Or How to not lose yourself while melting into the bubble of love.
Or How to be there for a friend without losing yourself.
Or I have nothing to say and I am saying it.
Or Or…
It can be something completely different for you.
CHOREOGRAPHY Linda Holmström | DANCE Arttu Halmetoja and Suvi Nieminen | PLAN B Elina Raiskinmäki | LIGHT DESIGN Magnús Sigurðarson | SOUND DESIGN Valtteri Alanen | PHOTOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC DESIGN Jussi Virkkumaa | PRODUCTION AB Dance Company
Côme Calmelet-Pyykkö:
HERE COMES THE DOT DOT DOT.
I wanted to begin my new piece by picking up where I left off with my 2024 Made in 11 Days work. I wanted to see how my perception of the world and life had changed. I realized I no longer agreed with the ending of that earlier piece, and I wanted to reshape it in a way that could evolve toward my current thoughts. That became the new starting point for this year’s work.
The title of my piece is “Here comes the Dot dot dot.” The dots represent what is being explored in the new work. The conclusion that emerged was that by simply pushing through, you can only take yourself so far. At a certain point, you can no longer continue in the same way.
So the work is about what else you can do — and how else you can continue to evolve.
CHOREOGRAPHY Côme Calmelet-Pyykkö | DANCE Arttu Halmetoja, Suvi Nieminen and Elina Raiskinmäki | LIGHT DESIGN Magnús Sigurðarson | SOUND DESIGN Valtteri Alanen | PHOTOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC DESIGN Jussi Virkkumaa | PRODUCTION AB Dance Company
Arttu Halmetoja:
TEDDY BEARS AND THE PROMISED LAND
What happens when a new Teddy Bear moves into another Teddy’s land? Is coexistence possible at all and was it even an option in the first place?
CHOREOGRAPHY Arttu Halmetoja | DANCE ASuvi Nieminen and Elina Raiskinmäki | LIGHT DESIGN Magnús Sigurðarson | SOUND DESIGN Valtteri Alanen | PHOTOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC DESIGN Jussi Virkkumaa | PRODUCTION AB Dance Company
Content warnings: violence, death, oppression, genozide
Premiere: 9 May 2025 | AB Dance Company, Turku
Running Time: Around 2 hrs
Age Recommendation: 12 and up
Performances
Fri, 9 May at 19.00 PREMIER
Sat, 10 May at 17.00
Thu, 15 May at 19.00
Fri, 16 May at 19.00
Sat, 17 May at 17.00 After the performances, the audience will have the opportunity to stay and talk with the working group.
Thu, 29 May at 19.00
Fri, 30 May at 19.00
Sat, 31 May at 17.00
Tickets
25 € single ticket
23 € pensioners
15 € students, children (under 18 years), unemployed persons, and persons in civil service or in the army.
12 € members of Teme, Finnish Actors Union and Taku, persons having the Theatre Card of The Association of Finnish Theatres, dance and theatre students (vocational) and persons with press card
Group reservations and services
Pia Puustelli
Sales and Marketing Planner
pia.puustelli@aurinkobaletti.fi
050 470 1620