Tiia Kasurinen: Songbird

Music by Keliel

We are able to determine whether a person is sane or crazy, male or female, good or evil, trustworthy, suffering from depression, marriageable or dying, friend or foe, almost like an animal or divinely enlightened, — We base most of our judgments on the sounds people make.”

-Anne Carson, The Gender of Sound (1992) Anne Carson, The Gender of Sound (1992)

Songbird is a performance that combines contemporary choreography, musical performance practice, camp aesthetics, and drag instrumentation. Inspired by philosopher and poet Anne Carson’s essay The Gender of Sound, Songbird reflects on the identity of the voice, the choreography of the vocal folds, femininity and vulnerability.

In performance, “Songbird” meets her audience through sound, song, vocal chords, lyrics, costume, and dance. How does the choreography to the vocal chords extend into space? What do pitch, frequency, and mode of expression evoke in the spectator? How do the use and embodiment of the voice intersect?

Music during the performance is by Keliel.

Songbird” will be performed at DaBY for one night only.

Notes on Viewing

This performance may include loud noises.

Earplugs are available.

◆Schedule

Saturday, September 6, 2025, 16:00- (All programs will end around 19:00)

● Doors open 10 minutes prior to the event.

Performances are scheduled to last approximately 45 minutes.

After the performance, there will be a one-hour post-performance talk and screening of works by Tiia Kasurinen.

The talk will be moderated by Maimi Sato, a mentor for this residency program.

After the after talk, there will be a networking party for about one hour.

◎This event is part of the “pARTir initiative” project (NextGenerationEU) funded by the European Union and supported by the Finland Center.

◆Rates

free

◆Application

Please register through Peatix below.

Peatix

https://songbird2025.peatix.com

*Registration as a DaBY member (free of charge) is required to apply. In advance Please register here Please register from here before applying.
*If you must cancel your registration, please contact DaBY (E-mail: contact@dancebase.yokohama).
*Please contact us in advance if you are using a wheelchair seat.

◆Venue

Dance Base Yokohama
Access here
3F KITANAKA BRICK&WHITE BRICK North, 5-57-2 Kitanaka-dori, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa
Bashamichi Station, Minatomirai Line, Exit 2a “Yokohama Kitanaka Knot” directly connected.

◆Profile

photo by Petri Virtanen / Kansallisgalleria

Tiia Kasurinen Tiia Kasurinen (she/her) is an artist, dancer and choreographer, graduated from the Stockholm University of the Arts, and has worked both in Finland and internationally. She works with themes of identity, feminism, gaze, power, camp, and pop culture, and has presented her work at Dansé Elargie in France, One Dance-festival in Bulgaria, Inkonst in Sweden, Dance Base Yokohama, Helsinki Festival, and Zodiak – Centre for New Dance.

◆Credit

Organized by Finland Center* with financial support from the European Union (EU) Part of the “pARTir initiative” project (NextGenerationEU)

Co-sponsored by Dance Base Yokohama

Choreography, performance, dance, sound, lyrics: Tiia Kasurinen
Sound Design, Music and Performance: Eliel Tammiharju / Keliel
Costume Design: Freyja Taus
Lighting Design: Sofia Linde
Dramaturg, Mentor: Minna Lund
Stage design and advice: Aino Koski
Photo: Saara Taussi
Makeup advice: Stella Sironen, Veerti Koski
Intern: Hannah Krebs
Produced by Tiia Kasurinen, Zodiak – Center for New Dance / Loisto, Inkonst, Kiasma
Residence cooperation: Dance Base Yokohama, Inkonst, Cité Internationale des Arts
Cooperation/Collaboration: Kone Foundation, The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Dance Base Yokohama, TelepART, Inkonst, The Finnish Institute in Japan, Circus & Dance Finland, Zodiak – Centre for New Dance / Loisto
Special Thanks: Simeoni Juoperi, Stella Sironen, Petra Huisman, Anni Leino, Katarina Lindholm, Veerti Koski, Liisa Kasurinen, Timo Kasurinen, Julius Konttinen, Teea Kasurinen, Taus Studio, Institut Finlandais