Hanna-Maija Pääkkönen
contemporary artist / choreographer / phd
WORKS AS A ChoreographER
2022 Partita / Helsinki
2021 Moving Recollections / Helsinki
2019 Textual Motion at the Box / Gallery Forum Box, Helsinki
2019 Smooth / Theater Sampo, Helsinki
2019 It’s Our Time to Listen / Helsinki, Los Angeles
2019 Intermixtures / Theater Sampo, Helsinki
2018 Boxed Up! / Cultural Center STOA, Helsinki
2018 Womenhood // Humanhood / Cultural Center STOA, Helsinki
2017 New York – Puerto Rico –La Habana / Tulli- ja Pakkahuone
2016 Spring Fling / Astoria-hall, Helsinki
2015 Something Old, Something New / Astoria-hall Helsinki
2015 Pintor / Astoria-hall Helsinki
2010 What Goes Around / Cultural Arena Gloria Helsinki
2009 Dance.fi Rockers at URB / Urban Art Festival, Kiasma, Helsinki
PERFORMANCES
2022 Decent Women / Gallery Pirkko-Liisa Topelius / Helsinki
2021 Decent Women ft Vendetta theater / Gallery Forum Box 2021
2021 Bitchcraft – the Exhibitionist / Helsinki
PROJECTS
2022 Educator in Movement creations methods workshops in collaboration with Pilares of City of Mexico / México
2021-2022 Author and visual designer of “Tanssi – tietokirja nuorelle harrastajalle” book. Written and published with support from Taike.
2021 Project leader at “Dance around the world” portal executed with support from Taike.
2020 Project leader in ‘Made by Us’ Youth Dance Project supported by Finnish Cultural Foundation / Helsinki
2020 Host and producer of “Dance Talk” and “the Reggaeton Podcast” podcast series
2020 Curator of Galeria Virtual de Arte – virtual gallery showcasing the work of young Latin American artists
2015-2017 Producer of early dance charity event “Live Love Dance Helsinki”
WORKS AS A PROFESSIONAL DANCER
2007 Principal Dancer / Fantasia Cubana, Helsinki
2006 Principal Dancer / MediCuba Finland / Helsinki
2002-2007 Dancer at Grupo Salsa de Cuba / Helsinki
2002 Dancer at Danza AfroCubana / Savoy Theater, Helsinki
2000-2001 Dancer at Grupo Afro Salsa Viva / Helsinki
pedagogical experience
2020-2021 Part time dance art teacher at Kruunuhaan yläkoulu, specialized dance education line
2010- 2022 Head of pedagogy at Studio Tambor, Helsinki
2009-2012 Dance teacher, Taidetehtaan tanssikoulu, Porvoo
2002-2018 Dance teacher, Tanssikoulu Salsa de Cuba, Helsinki
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy
2019 Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki
Master of Arts (MA)
2011 Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
2007 Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki
grants & scholarships
2022 City of Helsinki / project grant for performance
2021 City of Helsinki / project grant for performance
2021 Arts Promotion Centre Finland / personal working grant
2020 Finnish Cultural Foundation / personal working grant
2020 Kone Foundation / personal working grant
2013 Finnish Youth Studies Association / travel grant
2012 University of Helsinki’s Chancellor / travel grant
2012 University of Helsinki Research Foundation / personal working grant
2009 University of Helsinki Faculty of Arts Fund / scholarship
ADDITIONAL EDUCATION
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS
2022 Decolonizing Tertiary Dance Education: Time to Act / Stockholm University of the Arts
2022 Decolonizing the Body – A Question of Technique / Stockholm University of the Arts
2020 Breath- Gaze -Space, workshop on Carl Knif’s somatic method / Zodiak Helsinki
2019 Wise Motion Workshops, Helsinki
2019 Master classes: Karel Flores, Amneris Martinez / Miami
2018 Master classes: Eddie Torres, Eddie Torres jr, Gricelle Ponce / Paris
2017 Master classes: Karel Flores, Amneris Martinez, Yamulee Company / Miami
2016 Master classes: Eddie Torres, Fernando Sosa, Franklin Diaz / Miami
2015 Master classes: Fernando Sosa, Karel Flores / London
2008-2014 addiotional training in Puerto Rico, Panama, Cuba, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic
LANGUAGES
Finnish – native
Spanish – excellent working proficiency
English – excellent working proficiency
Swedish – limited working proficiency
French – limited working proficiency
Estonian – elementary proficiency
Portuguese – elementary proficiency
German – elementary proficiency
Hanna-Maija Pääkkönen 