Tasha and Eevi began collaborating closely at the end of their Bachelor studies at London Contemporary Dance School. In 2019 they premiered Pink, Dirty, Soft, choreographed and directed by Eevi, and performed by Tasha joined by Bonni Boyga at The Place Theater, London. MORE HERE
In 2019-2020 they also began a longer term interest in contact improvisation and partnering as a queer FLINTA* practice. They developed a partnering duet together under the mentorship of Jovair Longo, which planted the seed for their first co-directed production Super We, Super Me two years after.
In 2020-2021, Tasha assisted Eevi as an outside eye and research collaborator in Eevi’s solo Love Songs Project at the Old Mine Residency in Outokumpu Finland. The solo was presented in Maarita House Outokumpu, Savonlinna Pride, and toured to private living rooms. MORE HERE
Riiviöt premiered Super We, Super Me in 2022, a piece aimed at a young audience, 6-9 years old, exploring queer inclusive and queer educational children’s dance through two superhero characters, created as metaphors of Tasha and Eevi’s own queer and non-binary identities. The work has been performed 10 times across 2022 and 2023. It was initially produced as a co-production with Offensive Tanz für Junges Publikum Berlin, as an open air performance at Apfelsinenplatz in Berlin Gropiusstadt. In 2023 the work was redeveloped into a stage piece, which was performed at Bodybuilding Festival in Turku Finland, organized by TEHDAS Teatteri, and at TAZKOMPLIZEN im Podewil in Berlin. Super We, Super Me was created in collaboration with Katri Saloniemi and Helene Scheithe (stage and costume design), Gil Schneider (sound design), Canan Erek (dramaturgy and mentorship), Falk Grever (production). For ongoing shows the production is newly joined by LIK Kollektiv (workshop assistance and translation), Nadine Freisleben (tour management), and Tina Kovalski (technical management). MORE HERE
In 2022-2023 Eevi & Tasha worked together as performers in the dance and vocal work Empire of a Faun Imaginary, choreographed and directed by Simone Mousset through its creation and touring to theaters and festivals in the UK, France and Luxembourg - influencing a shared vocal and performance practice. MORE HERE
In autumn 2023, Riiviöt received a research grant from the Berlin Senat to continue their research on queer children’s dance. The research was supported by residencies at TANZKOMPLIZEN im Podewil and FELD Theater für Junges Publikum. The research opened discussions with guest artists Ivor Macaskill, Gianna Pargaetzi from CHICKS* freies performancekollektiv, and Sarah Fartuun Heize. As an outcome of the research, Riivöt will publish a zine in spring 2024, with illustration by Helene Scheithe, and editing by LIK curation and dramaturgy collective. MORE HERE
Riiviöt Collective functions as an umbrella to encompass, and a web coming out of, Tasha and Eevi’s shared work. Their work is created in collaboration with an evolving network of multidisciplinary artistic collaborators. Riiviöt serves as a connective support for the artists involved in Riiviöt in various different work constellations. Some recent productions involving Riiviöt collaborators include:
A Long Story About Our Baby directed by Eevi Kinnunen with Olivia Ronzani (Landholz Productions), created in collaboration with Katri Saloniemi, Helene Scheithe, Gil Schneider, and Lucy Caspar Schmitt - premiere Triebstoff Festival at Junges Theater Basel, 2023. MORE HERE
LOT directed by Tasha Hess-Neustadt with Fabian Riess (Riess Neustadt), created in collaboration with Lucy Caspar Schmitt - premiere Schwere Reiter Munich, 2023. MORE HERE
Riiviöt Collective Collaborators (past and ongoing):
Tasha Hess-Neustadt
Eevi Kinnunen
Katri Saloniemi
Helene Scheithe
Gil Schneider
Lucy Caspar Schmitt
LIK Kollektiv (Nora Tormann and Lonnie Jasper)
Falk Grever
Canan Erek
Nadine Freisleben
Tina Kovalski