Education
Complementary studies (Acting for film), New York Film Academy 2018
Master of Arts (Choreography), Theatre Academy of Helsinki 2010
Bachelor of Arts (Dance department), Theatre Academy of Helsinki 2007
2015-2016
A stage work for a group “ALICES – A Study of Nonsense”, lightly based on the story of”Alice in Wonderland” was a collective movement research journey on stage forthree performers, light, video and a musician. Performance and its process was build on the proposal of a somatic potential of different identities emerging in the performers through this journey. It was the first piece where I started to carve out my own artistic practice. In the process we used my created somatic performance method ”Somatic Nonsense”. This method was also used in the commission project for NosteK collective ”Sliding on Surfaces, Riding on Horses” later in 2015.
”ALICES — A Study of Nonsense” (2013-2015)
Performers: Janne Marja-Aho, Jenni Nikolajeff & Taavitsainen
Choreography: Taavitsainen
Sound: Aaro Wichmann & Taavitsainen
Live instruments: Wichmann
Video: Jukka Moisio
Light design: Teo Lanerva
Supporters & sponsors: Arts Promotion Center & Taavitsainen
Length: 60 min.
Premier: 2015,Cable Factory Helsinki
”Sliding on Surfaces, Riding on Horses” (2015-2016)
Performers: NosteK – Meeri Altmets, Jaana Kovanen, Minttu Pietilä & Taru Koski
Choreography: Taavitsainen
Sound: Aapeli Hakala & Taavitsainen
Lights: Anton Verho
Length: 60 min.
Premier: 2015 Vapaan Taiteen Tila, Helsinki
Supporters & sponsors: Taiteen edistämiskeskus & TeaK
NosteK -link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSyJJEAxqqw&t=1s
2015-2017
2015 I started research more on sound, composing and songwriting in a form of a solo work. I used pop-artistry as a medium for this research. Project “KATTI MEU” gave me more understanding and depth in the possibilities of music and composing integrating in the performing arts. Process was birthed from the urge to get involved with the music industry through the understanding of somatic and performance related methods. Operating in the music business as an artist wasn’t a piece of cake. Especially as non-binary person and easily socially read as a woman I found a lot of problematic structures and ways of thinking. Never the less the project itself got a lot of different shades and nuances, fruitful collaborations and enlightening connections with its audience.Even though everything was self funded we got all the released music in the radio play in Finland (YleX, Radio Helsinki & Basso media). Project got its grande final in the release concert of an EP, 2017 in Helsinki.
VIDEO WORKS FOR ”KATTI MEU”:
Live performances in the Ateneum Theater Helsinki, Tavastia club, National Theater of Finland, Cable Factory of Helsinki, Weekend-festivals.
Live performances in the Ateneum Theater Helsinki, Tavastia club, National Theater of Finland, Cable Factory of Helsinki, Weekend-festivals.
Live performances in the Ateneum Theater Helsinki, Tavastia club, National Theater of Finland, Cable Factory of Helsinki, Weekend-festivals.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3bE3s3eLbAQwaC8po4kfef?si=8bXW8XWdRwen89au9MH0Xw
2018
2018 I started to research a form of a solo work even more throughly.”FEMALIEN – the Solo Experiment” premiered in the Gallery ForumBox Helsinki, December 2018. The project started in the UNCAPITALS artist residency in Norway autumn 2018 and continued in theASEMATILA artist residency in Helsinki 2018 and before the premier was performed as a demo in the Ateneum Theater in Helsinki as a part of UrbanApa festivals in October 2018.
Performance, concept & sound: Taavitsainen
Live instruments Aapeli Hakala
Videoart: Merle Karp
Premier: 2018 Gallery ForumBox, Helsinki
Supporters & sponsors: UNCAPITALS residency program, ASEMATILA, UrbanApa, City of Helsinki & Taavitsainen
2019-
2019 I continued working with the solo form and started to create a trilogy that I’m currently working with.
Through the 2019 I mainly worked in artist residencies(New York/Sidra Bell, Pittsburgh/Thompson&Knight,Bangalore/Ningappa & Berlin/Beier). In 2020 I started to got funding for the project (The Finnish Cultural Foundation & Arts Promotion Center). In this trilogy I’m searching on the existence of an urge and want in the non-binary body. The trilogy consists on three parts and they all are based on an audiovisual performance form as well as a digital sound form. The trilogy is autobiographical proposal and a tiny revolution to make space for the fluidity of a non-binary existence.
TRILOGY: ”MESSY MEDITATIONS” (2020-2021) | ”I’M THE MONSTER” (2020-2022) | ”X X X” (2021-2023)
Performance, concept, sound: Taavitsainen ”m e u”
Composing & writing: Taavitsainen
Live instruments: Aapeli Hakala
Mixing & mastering: Hakala & Taavitsainen
Videoart: Merle Karp
Sound design in the performances: Fjóla Gautadóttir
Costume design & installations: Kimmo Alakunnas
First premier: ”I’m the Monster” , Kuopion kaupunginteatteri2021
Supporters of the trilogy so far: The Foundation of Wihuri, The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Arts Promotion Center, Sidra Bell Company/New York, Contemporary Museum of Pittsburgh/Anna Thompson & Taylor Knight, Play Practice Residency Bangalore/ Abhilash Ningappa, ADA studios Berlin/Gabi Beier, The City Theater of Kuopio, Minimi/Mikko Makkonen
2019 I also started to work with a new group project. ”FUTUREDANCES”concept was birthed in 2019 mainly in the artist residencies in New York, Pittsburgh and Bangalore. 2020 we started the work with the group mainly using video as a medium of the process. The first part of the project will take form as a dance film. ”THE DREAMERS”dance film will be premiered in autumn 2021. The drafting of the project as well as its script writing process has been funded byThe Foundation of Alfred Kordelin in the autumn of 2020 and Arts Promotion Center in the spring 2021.
”THE DREAMERS” dance film is based on my artistic practice where I integrate subtle somatic intelligence of the body, movement , sound and video with real life capturing, documentary methods.”THE DREAMERS” consists of four different short stories. All of them dealing with unique experiences of a marginal identity existing in this particular time.
”FUTUREDANCES” 2019-2022
Artistic team: Marlon Moilanen (FIN), Jenni Nikolajeff (FIN), Sho Nakasatomi (Japani), Marie Kassapian (Kreikka), Ixa Redpill (US), Nina Ingalsuo (FIN), Fjóla Gautadóttir (Islanti), Kimmo Alakunnas (FIN), Alan Libert (US), Katja-Maria/Kay Taavitsainen
Concept, writing & direction: Taavitsainen
Cinematography: Jukka Moisio & Taavitsainen
Sound: Taavitsainen & Hakala
Visuals: Merle Karp
Supporters so far: The Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Foundation of Alfred Kordelin, Sidra Bell Company/NYC, Pittsburgh/Anna Thompson & Taylor Knight, Play Practice Residency/Ningappa and Arts Promotion Center
Photos:
“ALICES” – Jukka Moisio
“Katti Meu” hanging – Viola Virtamo
“FEMALIEN” – Tuuti Piippo
“I’M THE MONSTER” – Telmo O Branco
“FUTUREDANCES” – Taavitsainen
In the photos of “FUTUREDANCES” performers IXA REDPILL & Sho Nakasatomi 2020
Logo of “m e u” – Miika Saksi
