Candy Star was conceptualized by choreographer Juli Reinartz as a dance workshop with young people aged 9 to 13 years. Their bodies are involved in a constant change – and in a daily practice of copying, sharing and following images. In the workshop, Reinartz and the participants reflected on what the images do to our feelings. What desires lead us to adapt or ignore images? What are our future bodies made of?
The current interest of choreographer Reinartz is how our bodies are treated as an endless material potential, how our life and vitality have become a central focus of today’s economic and social policies. The images of what our bodies are meant to be, feel and be able to fulfill are all-pervasive. During her residency, Reinartz explored practices that allow us to navigate through a visually overloaded environment.
Three projectors displayed sequences of images and videos, making the workshop/performance space an interface to the digital environment. The choreography included solo, duet and group parts that explored modes of relating to the images – adapting, copying, ignoring, watching, merging, camouflaging and hiding. Dance became a way of creating a body in action, of empowerment, claim and surprise.
The workshop culminated in a public performance at the Maunula Church. The choreography and media for the performance were co-created with the participants during an intensive workshop.
The artist was assisted by Kaisa Kukkonen (dance workshop) and Maria Candia (media remix).
Dancers / performers
Sofia Cosgrove
Tanja Parpala
Aino Saarelainen
Alina Santalainen
Klaudia Sinkkonen
Thanks to
Oulunkylä Church
The residency project with Juli Reinartz was produced by m-cult in May/June 2016, in context of the Collaborative Arts Partnership Programme, supported by the Creative Europe programme.