Productions

Choreography Laura Cemin, Bianca Hisse
Performers and co-creators Keithy Kuuspu, Lea Blau, Angel Casal, Rodrigo Chavero, Shion Yokoo-Ruttas
Sound and live performances Vera Vice
Light design Sofia Ivarsson
Costume design Kairi Mändla
Coproduction Black Box Theater, Kiasma Theater, Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava (STL)
Supported by Davvi - Senter for scenekunst, Frame Finland, Kulturrådet, HIAP - Helsinki International Artist Programme, Narva Art Residency, Nordic Culture Point, Norsk-Finsk kulturfond, Norske Billedkunstnere, PAHN Norway, Office for Contemporary Art Norway, Tvibitstigen, Estonian Cultural Endowment
Original cast Bianca Hisse, Kazue Ikeda, Keithy Kuuspu, Mariê Mazer, Nassim Meki

How the Land Lies is a dance performance for 5 bodies and 3 LED scrolling signs, choreographed and directed by Bianca Hisse (Brazil/Norway) and Laura Cemin (Italy/Finland) in collaboration with the Estonian choreographer Keithy Kuuspu and dancers with immigrant background based in Estonia.

The LED-signs, usually encountered in public spaces as low-key advertisement signs, become means to explore the impact of language on mobility. Navigating between tourism slogans and visa questionnaires the dancers, who themselves carry experiences of migration and displacement between countries, interact with the text scrolling on the LED panels. As the words move on the screens, they are equally moved by the bodies. Borders slowly blur: who can stay and who must leave? Who is seen and who remains hidden? What is allowed and what is forbidden?

Although the performance will be shown in several countries, the performance will be adapted to each individual context through the participation of local dancers. The dramaturgy will be changed and new choreography developed in close contact with them, taking into account their repertoire of movements, and their personal stories. The text that runs over the LED screens will be partly taken from documents by the Estonian authorities and tourism industry.

In the shows in Tallinn dancers are participating who are based in Estonia albeit originally from other countries and who have stories to share how they ended up here. Lea Blau is an artist from Croatia, graduated the first CPPM master course, currently lives and works in Estonia. Angel Casal is Argentinian who participated in the European Voluntary Service programme in 2011-2012 in Estonia and has lived here ever since. Rodrigo Chavero is Argentinian choreographer who moved to Estonia in 2021. Shion Yokoo-Ruttas was born in Japan, arrived to Estonia as an exchange student in 2016 to Viljandi Culture Academy choreography department, graduated it later.