Futuristic daydreams: A captivating double bill of the dance works Algoritmi and Botanicum

Dance company KATVE [blind spot] brings to the stage two visually stunning new dance works that probe the mysteries of life and existence. The twin works Algoritmi and Botanicum study the idea of humanity as part of nature, exploring the same theme from different angles and combining a deep human sensibility with a sparkling sense of lightness.

We are part of nature
and that which happens in nature,
around us,
also happens in us.
Everything circles around.
All understanding changes us – as individuals and as humankind.
- Choreographer Heidi Masalin

The dance work Algoritmi was born from a curiosity towards mathematical thinking, the abstract language that seeks to explain nature.

In the words of Galileo Galilei, "the book of nature is written in the language of mathematics". Some of us have the skills to easily interpret mathematical signs and symbols; to make mind-boggling inventions; to develop new kinds of nuclear reactors. We took a different path towards mathematics. What happens when we create a musical or choreographic counterpart to numbers – a sound or movement that corresponds to a given number? How much mathematics can we find in the forms and rhythms of dance or music? How does it feel to dance an equation, or pi?

Botanicum turns our gazes and whole bodies towards the domain of plants. A plant lives in one spot, simultaneously gathering light and reaching deep into the darkness of the earth. How would it feel to live this way? How would it feel to be a tree? What kind of information do the roots seek in the ground, and how do they communicate with other plants and the whole forest?

KATVE [blind spot] is a Helsinki-based contemporary dance company founded in 2012, known for its fresh, multidimensional dance productions. The artistic director of the company is dance artist Heidi Masalin, whose works are characterized by imagination, physicality, and a boundless sense of curiosity towards the diverse phenomena of life. Masalin has worked as a choreographer since 2005, creating pieces for children, young people and adults.

The strong audiovisual style of KATVE [blind spot] contemporary dance company is created in collaboration between a multidisciplinary ensemble of professionals. The works of the company employ a strong cast of freelance dance practitioners on a project-by-project basis. Active touring across Finland is a key part of the company's activities. KATVE [blind spot] is supported by the City of Helsinki.