Minna Tervamäki

About

Minna Tervamäki is a celebrated dancer-choreographer with a remarkable background as an étoile dancer at the Finnish National Ballet. In recent years, Tervamäki has focused on interdisciplinary collaborations with renowned, forward-thinking artists from a variety of different fields. She is constantly seeking new ways to open up her expression and challenge herself to new ways of perceiving the dramaturgy and potentiality of dance. During her career as a choreographer, Tervamäki has collaborated with e.g. saxophonist Timo Lassy, accordion artist Kimmo Pohjonen, new media artist Marita Liulia, flamenco dancer Kaari Martin and visual artist Hannaleena Heiska. 

In her works, the choreographer examines the smooth flowing movement arising from ballet, combining it with strength, relaxedness and unpredictability. According to the choreographer, one body can accommodate several ways of creating movement. The more open-minded you are to mix different ingredients and see what becomes of them, the more interesting the result may be at its best. In her visual works, Tervamäki might change the pointe shoes for high heels or bare toes according to the mood, or she might be lifted on an aerial hoop to spin at great heights.

Ever since the start of her dancing career, Tervamäki has felt the need to create and bring forth personal movement as well. The short dance works that the young dancer full of ideas created for corporate events and fashion shows formed the growth platform for her to find her own movement and proceed to work as choreographer. Tervamäki’s relationship with artistic creativity was also enriched by her opportunities in the National Ballet to dance on a wide scale in the works of top choreographers such as Jorma Elo, Mats Ek, Jorma Uotinen, Ohad Naharin and William Forsythe.
 

Tervamäki debuted as choreographer with the premiere of Something Else? in 2005. She has created more than twenty works since.

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AWARDS

• Honourable mention for positivity in 2017
• Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 2011
• Finnish Musicians’ Union recognition award in 2011
• Imatra Ballet Gala recognition award in 2009
• Libris award in 2006
• Edvard Fazer award in 2000
• Tanssin kukka award at the Finnish National Ballet 75th

anniversary gala in 1997