Date: 2024/11/3(Sun) 14:00~
Venue: Dance Base Yokohama

“Songbird” is a performance combining elements of contemporary choreography, music-making practice, and drag. Inspired by philosopher and poet Anne Carson’s essay “The Gender of Sound,” the piece explores vocal identity and choreography, together with the symbiosis of femininity and vulnerability.

In the final performance, premiering in April 2025, “Songbird” – a body with exaggerated feminine appearance – will confront her audience through dance, vocal cords, songs and costumes. How does the body move? How do the extensive costumes affect the movement? How will the choreography of the vocal cords spread in space? What do the different pitches, frequencies, and modes of expression evoke in the audience? How do musical performance and physicality meet?

Songbird is Kasurinen’s 6th performance working with the elements of drag, costuming and femininity. Since 2023, she has been integrating music into her craft.

◆Message from the artist

The full-length performance of this work will premiere in Malmö, Sweden in April 2025, and in Helsinki, Finland in June 2025, and tryouts at DaBY will focus especially on the choreography and drag aspects of the performance. How does the body move? Next month, the working group will gather to create music, work on costuming, light and dramaturgy. What you see is the starting point of a full performance; the movement and the body in the center of the piece.

Please come and see the performance that was created after our second residency. We look forward to seeing you all!

We would like to thank Dance Base Yokohama, The Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Finnish Institute in Japan, TelepART, Circus & Dance Finland and Zodiak – Centre for New Dance/LOISTO.

From “I’m not entirely here (cybersad)” (2020)
©Saara Taussi

◆Artists

Concept/Choreography/Performance: Tiia Kasurinen

Sound design: Eliel Tammiharju, Tiia Kasurinen

Costume design: Frederik Taus

Dramaturgy/Direction: Maria Tórgarð

Lighting Design: Sofia Linde

Music: Keliel

◆Date and time

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Doors open 13:55

Concert begins 14:00

◆Price

Standard / 2,500 yen (tax included)

Option / 1,500~5,000 yen (tax included)

*A new trial, DaBY has introduced a Pay What You Can system (voluntary fee system). For more details, please click here.

◆Tickets

Please register through DaBY’s Peatix page.

https://tiiakasurinen-songbird.peatix.com

*DaBY members registration is required to purchase tickets. Please register here in advance.

◆Venue

Dance Base Yokohama (https://dancebase.yokohama/access)

3F KITANAKA BRICK&WHITE BRICK North, 5-57-2 Kitanaka-dori, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Directly connected to “Yokohama Kitanaka Knot”, Exit 2a, Bashamichi Station, Minatomirai Line

◆Contact

Please use the following email address or this form to contact us.
contact [at]dancebase.yokohama
*Please change [at]to @ when sending.

◆Artist profile

Tiia Kasurinen

She is an artist and choreographer based in Helsinki and graduated from Stockholm University of the Arts in 2017. She is interested in themes of identity, gender, the way we see things, and pop culture, which she explores through visual transformation, music, and movement. In her work, YouTube tutorials and physical expression go hand in hand to create a clear aesthetic.

◆Credit

Organized by Dance Base Yokohama

Co-produced by Dance Base Yokohama and Tiia Kasurinen

In cooperation with; The Finnish Cultural Foundation, TelepART, The Finnish Institute in Japan, Circus & Dance Finland