Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Pirita needs your help now!

Big changes coming ahead..

It is official that I'm soon moving to Edinburgh for at least nine months.
I'm now just coming back from a quick trip to there and back. I went to arrange things and went for one audititon.  Have to say that before this trip my mind was not so set on this big change, mut now finding really great place to live and met great new friends. I feel so HAPPY. :)

But of course getting something new you have to give something up. I have sold my home and nearly all my stuff that I could go. Because of course when I leave from Oulu and my super staff will take care of Cross Move Company, the costs will rise alot. Even that I'm working one day from a week for my Company I cant get paid.. And After getting many founding decicions back; Hey We are sorry but this time you didn't get the founding.... I started to think how can I devolope me that even After next 5 years I have the passion to devolope my students and Company and me... So My friend told me about this crowdfounding.

Now I have it and still one month to go. Now I'm asking you all to help me go to Skoland and devolope me so I have in future also something to give.

Read more about this from here: https://mesenaatti.me/en/uusia-tuulia-tuiskulle-skotlannista/
And see the great video https://youtu.be/JPpMsUogZGk

There you can get a t-shirt example. :)

Writing soon.

Sunday, 1 May 2016

Tanssiva lumienkeli / Dancing Snow Angel

Viime kirjoituksestani on jo kauan. Kuukaudet menevät nopeaa, viikot menevät nopeammin ja päivät vain hujahtaa välillä ohi. Aika kuluu ja asiat muuttuu, ja niin kuuluu mennäkin. Välillä vain huomaa, että nyt täytyy ottaa aikalisä ja hetken tauko hakea uusia tuulia, oppia ja kehittää omaa ammattitaitoa.
Yrittäjänä, taiteilijana, työantajana, naisena, opettajana oleminen on monien asioiden tasapainoilua. Mutta kaikki tämä on vain elämää, elämää jota olen itse päättänyt elää koko sydämelläni.

Eräs tapahtuma sai minut pohtimaan omaa yrittäjä-taitelija elämääni ja miksi teen työtäni. Vuoteni alkoi sillä, että molemmta mummoni nukkuivat pois yhden viiikon sisällä ja sain viettää yhden viikonlopun kahtien hautajaisten keskellä. Vähän tämän jälkeen eräs ihana pieni valopilkku tanssikurssillani saapui elämääni hetkeksi ja muutti väsyneenkin päivän iloiseksi. Tyttö, joka säteili ja hänestä näki, kuinka tanssi toi hänelle iloa. Hän tanssi suurella sydämellä! Kun itse nyt olen tällainen avoin ja läsnä ja teen työtä suurella sydämellä, tulee vastaan tapahtumia, mitkä pysäyttävät. Tämä pieni valopilkku sairastui ja nyt hän tanssii pilvien päällä. Suunnaton suru niin tämän pienen kohtalon kuin hänen perheensä vuoksi, toi kuitenkin jotain lohtua päiviin kuullessani, että tämän pienen kohokohta oli se aika viikosta jolloin tanssittiin. Hänen yksi lempitansseistaan oli nimeltään Tanssiva lumienkeli. Tämä pieni ihme oli minun elämässäni vain hetken, mutta en ikinä unohda sitä, mitä hän antoi minulle. Tanssilla on suuri merkitys.

Tapahtuma pysäytti minut hetkeksi täysin ja kyynelten laskiessa poskiani pitkin, vahvistui uskoni työhöni jälleen. Nyt monien yritykseni muutosten, vastoinkäymisten sekä kasvun ja kehityksen keskellä haluankin avata, mitä on elämä yrittäjänä ja mikä sai minut tälle tielle ja mitä on tämä tasapainoilu.

Jos pohtii aivan alkuaikojani tanssin parissa, tanssiminen on vain ollut aina luontevaa ja osa minua. Kuulemma en ole lapsenakaan pysynyt kauaa paikoillani. Kansantanssin puolelta oma tanssihistoriani lähti käyntiin, mutta jo pian se kulkeutuikin jo kaikkiin muihinkin lajeihin. En ole koskaan osannut ajatella elämää ilman tanssia ja liikettä. Ne ovat niin paljon auttaneet minua monissakin tilanteissa jaksamaan, selviytymään ja elämään, ja se ei ole muuttunut miksikään. Mutta valitettavasti se toi mukanaan myös huonoja asioita elämääni kuten syömishäiriöt, koska kooltani en ollut unelmatanssija siinä ympäristössä ja olin aina se takarivin tyttö.

Itselleni heräsi jo nuorena vahva aate ja usko siihen, miten tanssia pitäisi opettaa ja mikä tässä kaikessa on tarkoituksena. Voisin toki avata kaikkia tilanteita, mitä olen kokenut tanssin maailmassa, mutta en halua keskittää kirjoitustani negatiiviseen asiaan vaan siihen, mihin itse uskon ja miksi teen tätä työtä. Tanssinopettajien tehtävänä on kasvattaa vahvoja yksilöitä ja antaa turvallinen oppimisympäristö kaikkinensa oppilaille, ottaa kaikki huomioon ja rohkaista heitä heittäytymään pois omalta mukavuusalueeltaan. Tanssikoulujen vastuulla on, että kaikki opettajat vetäisivät samaa köyttä ja että koulu tekee parasta mahdollista työtä kaikille asiakkaille. Tanssin ammattilaisten olisi tarkoitus mielestäni vetää yhtä köyttä ja kannustaa kaikkia sekä luoda hyvää yhteishenkeä tanssimaailmaan. Ja itse otan nämä vastuut tosissani ja täydellä sydämellä.

Vanha aate ja usko siihen, miten asioiden pitäisi mennä, sai minut usein tuntemaan, etten ole oikeassa paikassa. Mietinkin kauan, voisinko olla yrittäjänä ja kokeilla asioita oman näkemykseni mukaan. Suurin pelkoni silloin oli, kuinka pärjään vaikean lukihäiriöni ja keskittymisvaikeuksieni kanssa. Itselläni todettiin vasta lukiossa nämä asiat ja olin elänyt siihen asti ajatellen, että olen tyhmä. Vaikka olin todella ahkera koululainen, numeroni olivat lukuaineista aina huonot. Varsinkin, kun lähes aina kaikessa painotetaan sitä, kuinka hyvä numero kelläkin on. On hyvin surullista, kuinka numerot määrittelevät sen, kuinka hyvä olet. Inhoan itse yli kaiken numeroarviointeja! Mitä ne kertovat kenestäkään!?

Olen aina ollut hyvin rehellinen ja kertonut, että minulla on lukihäiriö ja kirjoitukseni saattaa välillä olla mitä tahansa. Laajennettuani toiminimeni KY muotoon syntyi Cross Move Company. Olin kuolla ensimmäisenä ja vielä toisenakin vuonna, kun minulle kommentoitiin kirjoitusvirheitä Facebookissa, lehtimainoksissa tai muuten vain asiakasviesteissä. Kirjaimellisesti tuntui joka kerta siltä kuin sydämeni olisi pysähtynyt ja häpeä oli ihan kauheaa.

Välillä on hyvinkin turhauttavaa, raskasta, ahdistavaa ja kiusallista, kun huomaa kirjoitusmokat. Joku joskus kysyikin, miksi en vain anna jonkun tarkistaa niitä? No, yksin yrittäjänä olet yksi ja toki aina välillä niitä tarkistettiinkin, mutta pohdin myös paljon, kuoleeko joku nyt jos he näkevät virheeni? Päädyin enemmänkin siihen, että minun pitää hyväksyä oma erilaisuuteni ja oma tapani toimia. Koska koko yritykseni tarkoitus oli tehdä asioita eri tavalla, persoonallisella tavalla ja suurella sydämellä. Ja aina kun on mahdollista ja joku kerkeää, niin sitten tekstit tarkistetaan, mutta eivät ne virheet maata kaada! Olen vain huomannut, kuinka paljon elämä on helpompaa kun ei koko ajan stressaa asioista, ottaa rennommin ja päivän kerrallaan. Toki tämäkin asia tekee minusta erilaisen yrittäjän, mutta ei se tee minusta huonompaa yrittäjää tai opettajaa tai taiteilijaa tai ihmistä.

Päivät ovat pitkiä ja yksin yrittäjänä aloittaa, kaikki täytyy tehdä itse. Vaikka henkilökuntamme onkin kasvanut, pyöritän silti yritystä vielä yksin. Toki jo vähitellen onnistuu asioiden delegointi, mutta silti se ei vain vielä kaikkien asioiden kanssa ole mahdollista. Sillä vaikka teemmekin kasvua niin aina, kun luulee pääsevänsä hyvään tulokseen, tulee verottajalta lisämaksu, vuokran indeksikorotus jne jne jne jne.. Suomi ei tue yrittäjiä millään tavalla, mikä saakin usein pohtimaan, onko tässä mitään järkeä. Yrittäjät pitävät Suomen taloutta edes vähän pystyssä ja mitä yrittäjät saavat tästä? Useat, jotka eivät itse ole yritysmaailmassa, eivät tiedäkään kuinka miljoona maksua onkaan, jotta homma toimii ja pyörii. En itsekään olisi uskonut, jos minulle olisi kerrottu ennen yrittäjäksi tulemista tästä todellisuudesta. Joten arvostukseni kaikkia yrittäjiä kohtaan on suuri!

Oma tausta ja sen kautta vahva oma usko asioihin, vaikea lukihäiriö ja keskittymisvaikeudet, laki ja talouden luomat yrittäjyyden haasteet ja työn tekeminen suurella sydämellä, mikä on lopputulos? Eräs yrittäjäkollegani sen kerran hyvin sanoi; on vähän vaikeampaa ja kuluttavampaa yrittää liian suurella sydämellä. Kyllä se näin on. Toki tässä on viimeisen kuuden vuoden yrittäjätaipaleen aikana opittu asioita kantapään kautta, mutta yhdestä asiasta en ikinä luovu ja se on, että teen työtäni sydämellä. Jos en näin tekisi niin silloin tuollaiset ihanat valopilkut katoavat ja menetän työni tarkoituksen itselleni. Suorittaminen kun ei myöskään kuulu minun sanavarastooni. On ollut ihana kasvaa ja kehittää niin omia taitojani työssäni kuin Cross Move Companyä kouluna. Kaikki asiakaspalaute ja eläminen tässä hetkessä ovat auttaneet kehittämään toimintaa siihen, kuinka asiat toimisivat parhaiten. Ja se onkin osuus mikä ei koskaan lopu.

Mikä saa jatkamaan vuodesta toiseen vaikka vuoret ovat välillä olleet kovinkin suuria ja jaksaminen kortilla?
Unelma, nämä ihmiset, sen muistaminen että työ ei lopu tekemällä, lopettaa turha stressaaminen, usko oman työni tarkoitukseen, halu luoda ihmisille paikka jossa he voivat kokea olevansa hetken ikään kuin pesukoneessa ja lähtevät pois puhtaana.  Olen oppinut kantapään kautta paljon asioita, niin hyviä kuin huonoja. CMC on sitä varten, että voisin korjata ne huonot asiat. Ja se, että saan olla mukana Oulun yrittäjien hallituksessa, Pohjois-Pohjanmaan yrittäjienhallituksen varajäsenenä ja Nuorten yrittäjien valiokunnassa, on ollut ihanaa ja olen voinut jakaa mm. yritystarinaani uusille yrittäjille ja auttaa muita oppimaan kokemuksieni kautta. Tästä löytyy syy ja pohja sille, miksi CMC on olemassa ja miksi teen työtäni kaikilla osa-alueilla.

Olen yrittäjä, koska haluan luoda omien arvojeni mukaista toimintaa ja elämyksiä ihmisille. Ja haluan luoda työpaikkoja ihanille kollegoilleni.

Olen opettaja, koska se hetki, kun saan jonkun hetkeksi unohtamaan kaiken muun tanssin kautta, on parasta elämässä. Saan auttaa jokaista jaksamaan tässä ja nyt sekä voin jakaa muille ne asiat, mitä olen itse oppinut.

Olen tanssitaiteilija, koska haluan vaikuttaa taiteellani. Haluan saada ihmiset pysähtymään, nauttimaan, olemaan ja pohtimaan sekä kokemaan.

Jokainen tekee työtänsä, tanssia, liikettä omalla tavallaan ja niin pitääkin! 
Tämä on vain minun tarinani, pohdintani, kokemukseni ja minun tapani.

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It has been a long time of my last writing. Months go fast, weeks go even faster and days just past quickly by. Time passes and things change, and so it should go. Sometimes just a notice that you need to take time out. As an entrepreneur, an artist, as an employer, as a woman and being a teacher is a balancing act of many things. But all this is just life, the life that I have decided to live with all my heart.

One of the event stopped me to reflect on my own entrepreneur-artist life and why I'm doing my job. My year started by my both grandma´s past away in one week, and one of my weekend I spend in two funeral. And soon after that one bright and lovely little dancer arrived in my life and changed the most tired day happier. The little girl from my children dance course loved a lot dancing. She danced with a big heart! Now that I'm such an open and present person as a teacher, and I'm working with a big heart, this events stopped me. This is a small bright little dancer got sick, and now she's dancing on the clouds. Tremendous grief as this little fate as her family because, however, brought some solace in the days to learn that for this girl highlight of the week was the time when dancing. Her one favorite dance ​​was called the dancing snow angel. This was a small miracle in my life just for a moment, but I will never forget what she gave me. Dancing is of great importance.

The event briefly stopped me completely and tears falling down my cheeks, strengthened my faith in my work again. Now many of my business changes, adversity, as well as growth and development in the middle I want to open what is the life of an entrepreneur and what made me the way, and what is this balancing act.

If you consider the very beginnings of my dance history, dance has always been a natural and a part of me. I started from folk dance, but very soon I started do many other styles too. I have never been able to think of life without dance and movement. They have helped me from many situations to continue and to cope, to survive and to live. But unfortunately, it also brought some bad things in my life such as eating disorders etc...

For me, woke early age a strong idea and believe in it, how to dance should be taught and what is in all of this is the aim. I would certainly open up all the situations that I have experienced in the world of dance, but I do not want to focus my writing negative issue, but on what I believe and why I'm doing this job. Dance Teacher's task is to grow strong individuals and provide a safe learning environment for the pupils and all that, having regard to all and encourage them to throw themselves out of their comfort zones. Dance schools responsible for ensuring that all teachers would draw the same line, and that the school is doing the best possible job for all customers. Dance professionals in my opinion, would be intended to work together and encourages all as well as to create a good team spirit in the dance world. And actually I take these responsibilities seriously and full of heart.

The idea and believe in it, how things should go, as I often felt that I am not in the right place. I wondered a long time, could I be an entrepreneur and try to do things my own vision. My biggest fear at the time was how I manage with my dyslexia and had to focus on with thing. My dyslexia was found in my high school period, and I had lived until then, thinking that I'm stupid. Although I was very diligent schoolgirl, the number of substances was always bad. Especially when everything is almost always focus on how good number someone has. It is very sad, how the numbers define how good you are.

I have always been very honest and told everyone that I have dyslexia and writings may be anything interesting. Extended my smaller school format was born the Cross Move Company. I was the first year to die, and even more in the second year, when I was commenting on the spelling errors on Facebook, newspaper advertisements or otherwise only the client messages. Literally felt like every time as if my heart had stopped and was pretty terrible shame.

Sometimes it is very frustrating, tiring, stressful and embarrassing, when you discover the falls in your writing.  Somebody once asked, why not just let someone check on them? Well, alone as an entrepreneur you are one, and of course, every now and then check them, but also a lot of reflection I was thinking, does someone die now if they see a mistake? I ended up even more the fact that I have to accept my difference and my own way of doing things. Since the whole purpose of my company is to do things differently, personalized way and a big heart. And whenever it is possible and someone I have time, then check the text. I just noticed how much easier life is when not all the time stress about things and take a more relaxed and days at a time. Of course, even this thing makes me different entrepreneur, but it does not make me poorer entrepreneurs or teachers or artists, or person.

The days are long and alone as an entrepreneur to start, all you have to do yourself. Although the staff has grown, yet still I run the company alone. Sure, already gradually succeeds delegation of things, but still it is not only still with all things not possible. For even if we do grow in terms of always, when you think you have access to a good result, the tax authorities will be an additional charge, indexation of rent, etc., etc., etc., etc .. Finland does not support the entrepreneurs in any way, which is weather too often to reflect on whether this makes any sense. Entrepreneurs does a lot for the Finnish economy, so what entrepreneurs get here? Several people who are not themselves in the business world, do not know how much a million payment is, so that everything works and runs. So my appreciation to all entrepreneurs is high!

My background and a strong faith in my own ideas, dyslexia and difficulty concentrating, law and entrepreneurship challenges created by the economy and making work a big heart, what is the result? An entrepreneur of my colleagues was once well said; is a bit harder and more abrasive trying too with it by big heart. Yes, it is. Of course, this is in the past six years, the entrepreneurial journey I have learned things the hard way, but one thing is that I'll never give up, and it is that I do my job with the heart. If I do not do so then those sorts of lovely bright spot will disappear and I lose the purpose of my work for myself.  It's been wonderful to grow and develop my skills as my job as a school Cross Move COMPANY. All customer feedback and live in the moment have helped to develop activities with the way things work best. And that work never stop`s, getting everything work even better.

What gets to continue year after year, even though the mountains are the biggest downfall were large and well-being is on the card? The dream, these people, remembering that the work does not stop by doing it, stop the pointless stressing, for people desire to create a place where they can feel that for a moment as if in a washing machine and leave out clean. I've learned the hard way a lot of things, both good and bad. CMC is for it that I could fix the bad things. And the fact that I get to be involved in Oulu entrepreneurs in government, the Northern Ostrobothnia entrepreneurs of the Board deputy member of the committee and of young entrepreneurs, has been wonderful and I was able to share my story how I became entrepreneur and help others learn through my own experiences. Here can be found the cause and the bottom of why the CMC is there and why I'm doing my job in all areas.

I am an entrepreneur, because I want to create activities and experiences and great a place like home. And I want to create jobs for colleagues.

I am a teacher, because when I get my students for a moment to forget everything else through by dancing, it is best in life. I get to help everyone cope in this present time, and I can share with others the things what I have learn.

I am a dance artist, because I want to influence by my art. I want to get people to stop, to enjoy, to be and to think about and experience.


Everyone makes work, dance, and movement in their own way, and so it should be! 
This is just my story, I reflect on my experience and my way.

Saturday, 27 June 2015

After performances in Edinburgh

Can´t believe it is over!
The two and a half weeks I have been dancing a lot in Dance Base (company classes, evening classes and working on the new piece at studio), doing Aerial Yoga in Meadowlark studio, going into impro jams in Edinburgh and in Glasgow and of course showings and performances of the working process piece. And of course meeting new lovely friends!

My last day in Edinburgh was lovely! I was the whole day in Glasgow. In evening at 9 pm was the Cottier Dance Project Watch this space performances and my working process from To Drown was one of the performances that evening. Big thanks to Freya Jeffs for organizing the Cottier Dance project. There were a lot of nice performances in the program and she really made me feel like home at Cottier Theater!

I was really nervous how everything will go in the evening, because last week when I did the Company showing in Dance Base, my piece was 24 min. And it felt good.... It was also really nice to get good feedback and thoughts that really opened my eyes also. But how will I get all that done in 10 min? That was really hard... Because I really wanted to show what I have been doing, so showing just one part felt weird. So I got something off but still tried to show some from every part.

Mostly everything was in my mind.. I hope I don't speed up everything, because having the in my mind the 10 min. I wasn´t so happy of the performances, but I know I´m also very critical for myself. It was so nice that some of the Dance Base people and people that I have met in jams came to watch, and I was really interested to hear from them who has seen the 24 min and now saw the 10 min, was it different... And it was really nice to hear their feedback. :)

Over all the residency time for me was:

  • amazing, 
  • inspiring, 
  • connection time (meeting new people),
  • working time (having all my focus on the piece and me as a dance artist),
  • learning time (surprising myself many ways, piece came contemporary/Street piece...where did that come from... :D), 
  • getting a energy boost,
  • breathing and stopping for this moment.
What the residency time in Edinburgh gave for me:

I learned a lot of my working tools and I learned that for me these kinds of residences are good to getting all my focus into the piece that I´m working but also it gave me space to work (and I mean space in many ways!). I learned a lot of my working methods what works and what helps me to get open. Because some times I feel too shut down after working so intensive with the Company.
It was also very teaching to do the two showings, getting the feedback and having new ideas from that. But also as a performer I learned of myself a lot, mind is really powerful weapon to make you too critical and getting you shut down.

Being in other peoples classes and teaching people on other city taught me as a teacher. Getting ideas also in my own work and it is inspiring to notice that I would have so many new things that I would like to teach fro these people in here and also what these students and teacher could teach me.

But over all this time gave me new ideas in my artistic work and teaching works and also running the Company. I was open for everything and I really feel I got a lot. And that was the best reminder, be open and everything goes well, don't shut down any way.

I felt like dome and mostly it was of the lovely people on Dance Base, in the Jams and in Meadowlark yoga. So from the bottom of my heart I thank all the people that I met! <3

Also big thank´s for Jarkko believing in me and really doing everything that I got this change. And thanks for JOJO`s people to giving me the opportunity! <3

Now at home, but feeling that now everything is just starting!

Guys next year you will see the To Drown!

Blogging soon of life as a artist and company owner. :)

-Pirita









Monday, 22 June 2015

Tomorrow is the perfomance in Cottier Theater

I had lovely weekend at working the piece and visiting Glasgow.

Everything I have done in now two weeks with the new piece, came together for 24 minutes small working process performance. And for the Cottier Theater Watch this space I have only 10 minutes. Iiikk.. :) I still wanna show in there what I have been doing and cutting everything in half is going to be interesting... But I got it done.. Now I´m just little bit nervous how it feels for the audience. But we will see that tomorrow. :)

Sunday I went to visit Glasgow. First in Glasgow contact impro jam. In was really great, there were lots of people! It was really nice three hours. That really got be this feeling that we have to this also in Oulu. And it will be my first task in there when I get back, start organizing it!

After the jam I went to see a performance in Cottier Theater Lauda Adrianna by Stephen Pelton Dance Theater with the Gavin Bryars Ensemble. It was really beautiful live music and really talented dancers, It was also great to see the venue before my own performance. The Cottier theater it´s an old church, what has been change into a theater. It is really beautiful space. And I feel so good that I have the change also perform there.

Today was my day off. And I felt sad going last time in Dance Base and saying everyone goodbye. And it was even sadder to start packing and cleaning the apartment. Tomorrow I will be the whole day in Glasgow and really early in the Wednesday I´m leaving. So everything had to be done today. But I have a good feeling that I will come back here again. ;)

P.s. I have to say, I have been cleaning with many different machines but never with this kind! It looks like vacuum from 70´s hahahahha.... Well job well done so no complaining. :)





And this stair I have been walk up and down two weeks. It has good warm up before morning classes. :)



Blogging you soon about how the performances went. 
-Pirita

Friday, 19 June 2015

Second week in Edinburgh



More dancing, more aerial yoga and working

It has now been my second week in the residency and everything feels like home.
This week the weather has been more like in Finland, cold. But still most of the time really bright and of course it has been raining, but not so much that you would have thought.

I have done many company classes and also in evenings aerial yoga @ Meadowlark yoga and Bollywood and Afro Cuban classes @ Dance Base. I have met really nice people and I have had lots of fun in the classes.


I have had also good sessions in studio, working on the piece. First I started in studio with the interview material, so I wrote three main areas in three different papers. I first went around the studio and tried to find the right place for every interview paper.
After finding the right place I just walk around and read the interviews again. Just going with feeling or with some words or how it felt for me. And then started do improv throw that feeling, words or what came to me from that paper.


After that came five really different elements/parts. This week I have started to go deeper into those elements/parts. The parts have now gone really far already. Lots of sweat, tiers, weary body, has put into the working process. But also I have laughed so hard that my abs knows it. That was at first really weird for me, that I work on piece that is really intense (because it is something really personal also) I go really crazy and I most of time I have laughed so hard that I couldn´t stop it. :D

Today I did pre-showing for some of the Dance Base people and tomorrow is the Company showing. So anyone can come and watch what I have done.

I really got a good feedback today! Can´t wait tomorrow and next weeks Cottier Dance Project  Watch this space performance, where I do 10 minutes from the whole 20 minutes that I showed today and show tomorrow.
http://www.cottierchamberproject.com/ctp_website/gig/watch_this_space/

Tomorrow is also really emotional day.. <3 Telling you more later.

And in Finland starts the midsummer celebration, so good midsummer celebration for everyone in Finland!

Hyvää Juhannusta Suomeen!

And Blogging to you later this week.

 -Pirita



Sunday, 14 June 2015

First week in residency

First week behind and it had been so inspiring to work at new piece. First two days I did lots interviews at the streets and in Dance Base. I also tried to get know the city... Many times got lost, that was good for myof research also. But thank god I have good memory where I came from.. But it is really easy to get lost in Edinburgh, because they have the city in different layers. 

The weather and film festival
The weather was at first really hot and sunny! It was nice to work also at the gardens. Then on Friday it became colder like in Finland. Now it is really sunny and warm, but also cloudy and I feel that ut can change quickly. Despite the weather I went still to the outdoor movie festival watching great movies like Life of  Pi and Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory (the original one). Umba Lumbas are the best!

Dancing and yoga

I have also done company classes in Dance Base and evening classes like Bollywood and Afro Cuban class, It has been great! At Thursday I also taught a company class, we did contemporary dance mostly of the floorwork. They were really great energy in the class. So I have been dancing and walking a lot and my legs was shouting that "we need aerial yoga". So I went this place called Meadowlark Yoga. And did their Aerial yoga class. Oh my... The place was really the best ever and the teacher was also! After the class my legs were shouting " We wanna do splits on the road". And then I.... Well.. almost did it. But I said to them "guys save the energy for the studio time".  Good that I said that.. In the last few hours working I found really loose legs going every were

Workdays

So now on the piece To Drown, it´s about drowning yourself of feelings, losses and motions. Drown into all the "bad" things that has happened to you. How it all changes you? From January I have been working in Finland one part of the piece which is about the injuries and now in Edinburgh residency I´m working the other part of the piece which is about loosing a close person in your life. First two days I did interviews about it and whit that material I started to work on the piece. I took four of the interviews and wrote it down on the papers. Then I started working on the raw material. I will write on that in my next blogging next week.

Lovely Sunday
On my interviews I met this guy who told me that in Dance Base in Improv class in Sunday. So today I went there and it was great! It was so soft and at the same time speedy movement with influenced by everyone in class. It was really great day improv jam with great people and cellist. Thank´sSkye Redolds and others! #lovelysunday
JOJO´s t-shirt also with mee in the class, marketing done! :D

Next week more working throw interviews, dancing and yoga.

Working process showing in Dance Base Company showing on Friday 19.6. at 5 pm.

Feeling good and ready for next week :)
 Blogging soon -Pirita

Wednesday, 10 June 2015

Start on my residency in Edinburgh Dance Base

First time in Edinburgh

It took me a two months really to get in my head, that in June I will travel in Edinburgh. :)
It was just so hard to believe that I will have the time just for working one thing, on my new dance performance. Now for three years I have been 24/7 multitasking worker; dance company owner, producer, dance teacher, dance artist, cleaner and many more. Now for two and half weeks I have just one thing: working as a dance artist.  It feels like holiday!

I arrived here in Sunday evening it was already very late so mostly I was tired from traveling. But the first feeling from the city and the people was good. The Dance Base people were so great that they had already pre-ordered taxi for me to my new "home". So now stress of finding the place at the late evening. The people in Dance Base are so great! Really helpful and warm hearted! And  the apartment were I´m staying is like my other dream home were I could live. Really beautiful house, and the women who gave me the keys said that this part of Edinburgh lives wealthy people... Hahhahah.. :D

First two days has been really getting to know the city and interviewing people for my performance.
It is really big city and here are lots of tourists, that little bit have made the interviewing´s harder. Because they doin´t want to give interviews and some didn´t even speak good english. But I have really got to know the best places where to interview and I have been talking with people from Edinburgh, Latvia, London and many more. Also really funny thing happened with one interview, he does a lot contact impro, and he told me that at on Sunday they have this jam in Dance Base.. Crazy right.. So on this Sunday I try to go there also. :) I have now lot´s of interview material for me to work on.

Also when I was doing one interview one guy started the street performance (I think he was called) Great Scotty.. And he asked me to help him at the show... So of course I helped him. I have now the feeling that you never now were you can find you´re self next time when walk throw busy streets at Edinburgh.

Today I also did the professional morning class with Matthew Hawkins. It was good contemporary class. And this evening I went also in Bollywood class, they have it in Dance Base. It has been nearly five years that I have been in somebody else´s Bollywood class! And it was great fun! :)

Tomorrow working at the studio... Write soon of the working process.

Dance Base site:
http://www.dancebase.co.uk/international-exchanges/pirita-tuisku-313