Our Story in Numbers since the inauguration in november 2024
82 artists
have worked here
in projects that we started or that the artists initiated themselves
47 signed
new established collaborations
with local artists and organizations in Sápmi, schools, institutions in Sweden and international organizations
14 residencies
hosted by us or others
and we will end the year with at least 15 in total
1012 visitors
at activities like
events, premieres, concerts, workshops and activities for children
For artists
We are a production house for freelance artists and we offer a safe and judgement free space for creation. We especially welcome indigenous dance artists but our house is open also for artists from other art forms and cultures.
Residency 15th - 30th of June
Alicia Tsekovnaja & Arvid Kraft
During our residency at Jillat (15–30 June), we aim to initiate an artistic exchange with the riding arena in Vuollerim and its community. We invite children, young people, and horse enthusiasts to join us in building the world and lore of The Horse Opera: drawing environments, naming characters, developing stories, and imagining what the horse world looks like. This collective creation will become a concrete part of our stage universe.
At the same time, we want to immerse ourselves in the practices of the riding arena: horse care, the relationship between humans and horses, and how Sámi and local culture shape the activities there. These conversations and observations will become artistic material influencing the direction, choreography, and musical interpretation.
The residency will conclude with a public presentation at the riding arena, where we will present 1–2 key scenes from the opera, for example an aria and a larger dance sequence, supported by sound and lighting technology from Jillat. The event is open to the public and functions both as a shared work-in-progress presentation and as a meeting place between art and horse culture.
For programmers
Are you interested in a Sámi production or want to get in contact with any of the connected artists? We can also help you set up your own residency at Jillat or arrange for you to support a specific artist.
Featured artist
Johannes Kaaby Hellstenius
Johannes recently completed his bachelor’s degree in dance and choreography at the College of Dance Art in Oslo. While addressing his cultural sami and norwegian roots, he employs the expressive possibilities of music, theatre, drama and dance in his practice, which was shaped initially by years of operatic singing at the National Opera in Oslo, as well as by experience with musical instruments, such as drums, guitar, kashaka, and double bass. His engagement with performative arts began on a theatre stage, and progressed to dance and movement, a shift caused by the artist’s special interest for Vsevolod Meyerhold's biomechanics. His practice now intertwines with a set of theoretical studies, such as sami history, political conflicts and music theory, and his focus in dance and choreography lies in composition and dynamics between humans and non-human.
A safe space for meetings
WELCOME TO CREATE
WITH US
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The first Sami Dance Center is open in Vuollerim, Jokkmokk municipality in Sweden. This is a place for artists to create and meet and also a place for dance and circus performances. You can also plan your next conference here.
The start of this project is supported by Kulturbryggan
