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Photo: Sakari Viika
Saikkonen, Sami
| Profession |
Dancer Choreographer |
| Country | Finland |
| Training | Jazz dance school of Mona Koivunen 1984 - 1985, Ballet School of Raija Lehmussaari 1984 - 1985. |
| Engagements |
AB Dance Company: trainee (1985 - 1986) Finnish National Ballet: trainee (1986 - 1987) Helsinki Dance Company: dancer (1987 - 1992) Finnish National Ballet: dancer (1992 - 1997) Finnish National Ballet: dancer (1998 - 2000) Finnish National Ballet: dancer (2003 - ) |
| Choreographed |
Viimeinen tanssi Jailhouse Rock (29.4.1995) I saw ya standin (1996) Les caracters de la guerre (1996) Margariinitehtaan miehet (18.3.1996) A Scene for a Man and a Woman I (15.4.1997) Kukatuo (15.4.1997) Scent of a woman (7.3.1997) Le Corsair perhaps... (1999) Petrol Heaven (28.1.2000) Tanssivat hissit (2001) The Big Shit (2002) The name of the game (2002) Image (8.5.2003) A Scene for a Man and a Woman II (8.5.2003) Swanshake (2003) Pienten joutsenten lampi (19.3.2005) Kohtaus miehelle ja naiselle - kolmas kerta (3.3.2006) Kullervo - hullun tanssi (7.3.2007) Swans from Jukola Finland (16.5.2010) Hole in the universe (27.5.2011) The Fancy Lake of Swans (16.6.2011) |
| Work as a dancer |
Any woman is a woman (1985) A Relief (1985) Cats: Grey Cat (1987) Red Moon (1987) B 12 (1988) Cats: Rambo (1988) Burnt Garden (1988) Ballet Pathétique (1989) Cats: McCavity (1989) Kalevala (Uotinen) (1989) Piaf Piaf: sailor (1989) Kalevala (Uotinen): Lemminkäinen (1990) 1991 (1991) Kilimanjaro: The Tasmanian (1991) Runar: Härkä-Heikki (1991) Who Took August (1992) As You Like It: Charles, the wrestler of Duke Frederick (1992) Maa (1992) Stelle (1992) September: small angel (1992) Barbarously Yours (1993) Swan Lake (Bourmeister) (1993) The Cable (1993) Kyr (excerpts) (1993) ...that was all I wanted, so I stuck my finger in his eye... (1994) The Nutcracker (Nurejev): Father (1994) Petrushka (Uotinen): The Moor (1994) The Saga of King Arthur: Merlin (1995) Don Quixote (Bart-Petipa) (1995) Jukka Jukka Jukka (1995) Perpetuum (1995) Tabula Rasa (1995) Don Quixote (Bart-Petipa) (1996) Forgotten land: Gray couple (1996) I saw ya standin: standing dancer (1996) Romeo and Juliet (Cranko): Tybalt, two men of the Capulets (1996) A Scene for a Man and a Woman I: man (1997) Le Spectre de la Rose (Preljocaj) (1997) Sea rail (1997) Firebird (Uotinen) (1997) Giselle (Guillem) (1998) Vladivakin paluu (1998) Evangelicum (1999) Third night (1999) Baldur (2000) A Scene for a Man and a Woman II: man (2003) Svadebka (2004) Tshaikovski: Five composers, Aleksandr Borodin (2005) Anna Karenina: Prince Sherbatsky (2007) |
| Corps de ballet roles | Finnish National Ballet: Giselle: the court, 1993; Don Quixote: Fandango, the matadors, the gypsies, 1995; Nutcracker: the guests, 1998; Nutcracker and Mouse King, 2005; Anna Karenina, 2006. |
| Other artistic work |
Work as a choreographer in theatre and opera: Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci (opera), dir. Kari Heiskanen, Savonlinna Opera Festival 1997; Juha (musical play), dir. Eija-Elina Bergholm, Lahti City Theatre 1998; A Woman Like Frozen Champagne (opera, comp. Ilkka Kuusisto), dir. Jukka Kajava, Finnish Chamber Opera 2000; Neonvalokaupunki (youth theatre), Laakson liikennekaupunki 2001; Cleansed (play), dir. Mikko Kanninen, Koko Theatre 2001; Berlin Alexander Platz (play), dir. Antti Hietanen, Q-teatteri 2002; Herra Saikkosen kellari (solo monolog), text Kari Heiskanen, dir. Sami Saikkonen, KokoTheatre 2002; The Big Shit, ohj. Sami Saikkonen, KokoTeatteri 2002. Work as a director in theatre etc.: Neonvalokaupunki (youth theatre), Laakson liikennekaupunki 2001; Chan&Tango - poikkeuksellinen konsertti-ilta, Stoa the Cultural Centre of Eastern Helsinki 2001 (also scenarist); Herra Saikkosen kellari (solo monolog), text Kari Heiskanen, chor. Sami Saikkonen, KokoTheatre 2002; The Big Shit, chor. Sami Saikkonen, KokoTeatteri 2002. Work as a dancer in theatres, films etc.: My Fair Lady, dir. Antti-Einari Halonen, chor. Marjo Kuusela, Helsinki City Theatre 1990; Drive or Die (theatre performance), dir. Kari Heiskanen, chor. Ari Numminen, Cable Factory, Helsinki 1994; Concert of Karita Mattila, Hartwall Arena, Helsinki 2000; Christmas Concert of Karita Mattila, Elysee Arena, Turku and Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, 2001; Herra Saikkosen kellari (solo monolog), text Kari Heiskanen, dir. & chor. Sami Saikkonen, KokoTheatre 2002. Work in audiovisual works: Moments (dance film; dancer), dir. Joe Davidow, 1991; Sä jaksat tanssii (music video; dancer), perf. Aki Sirkesalo, 1993; Tanssikengät (music video; dancer), perf. Mamy, 1994; Aromaa alt (music video; choreographer, dancer), perf. Rinneradio, 1996; Kulta Katriina coffe commericial (choreographer, dancer) 1999; Hidden passion (dance film; dancer), dir. Joe Davidow, chor. Jorma Uotinen, 2000; "Olet uneni kaunein", perf. Johanna Kurkela, Eurovision Song Contest, Finnish national final 2007 (direction and choreography). Work as an actor in theatre and tv: trainee/ evening actor in Turku City Theatre 1985 - 1986; Singing in the Rain (musical, role: Don Lockwood), Lahti City Theatre 1997; Ihmeiden tekijät (tv series, role: Ilkka Vartiovuori), 1996 - 1999; Parhaat vuodet (tv series, role: Carolus Karlsson), 2001; Cleansed (play, role: Graham), dir. Mikko Kanninen, Koko Theatre 2001; Salatut elämät (tv series, role: Jasu Taavitsainen) 2002; States of Shock (play by Sam Shepard, role: Stump), dir. Sami Ylisaari, KokoTheatre 2002; Cain and Able (play by Anna Veijalainen, role: Cain, teh priest), dir. Sami Ylisaari, KokoTheatre 2003. Work as a performer in dance improvisations: Hello how are ya', Taiteiden yö, the opening of the Finnish National Ballet, 1992; Listening movement on my bussipysäkki, Turun tanssin päivä 1994; Ikaros gunn, the opening of Markku Hakuri's exhibition, Alvar Aalto Museum, Lappeenranta 1994; Pahvihuone, Puoli-Q 1994; Balettibileet Kempeleellä, 2001. Work as a teacher: at the University of Art and Design Helsinki and in the Department of Directing of the Theatre Academy of Finland. Artistic director of Loistefestari - Cultural Event for Youth, Helsinki City Cultural Office, 2004. |
| Grants and awards |
Grants: Pro dance scholarship 1991, City of Helsinki 1991, Artist Grant of the City of Helsinki 2003. Awards: State Prize for Merits Dance 1992 (as a member of the Helsinki City Theatre Dance Company), Philip Morris Dance Bud award 1994, Cultural Award of the City of Joensuu 1995 (as a member of the artistic team of the perfomance Jukka Jukka Jukka), Uusimaa Art Award 2005. |
| Videography and TV recordings | Tv recordings: Jailhouse Rock, YLE TV 1, 1996; I saw ya standin, YLE TV 1, 1996; Saikkonen's Eight: Jailhouse Rock, YLE TV 1 2007. |
| Other Information | Positions of trust: vice chair of the Dancers Association of the Helsinki City Theatre Dance Company 1988 - 1992; representative of the dancers in the artistic board of the Helsinki City Theatre, member of the board of the KokoTheatre Association 2003, member of the Arts Council of Uusimaa 2007 onwards. |