Off/Balance’s main production for 2025 is Milla Koistinen’s In the Waning Light II. This installation-like stage piece, premiering in autumn 2025, will have its debut at the Tanssin Aika Festival. Performances will take place at Villa Rana Cultural Centre from September 24 to 30, 2025.
In the Waning Light II is an installation-like stage production premiering in autumn 2025, with guest choreographer Milla Koistinen.
The piece is part of a multidisciplinary performance series by Off/Balance, combining approaches from both art and science. It brings together international artists from the fields of dance, performance and spatial arts, as well as ornithology.
In the Waning Light II is a sensorial, space-embracing performance that explores what elements of nature, and the physical observation that occurs within it, can be present in human-built environments. What experiential elements lie at the core of our relationship with nature, and is it possible to access them within the confines of a theatre space?
Alongside this exploration of the human–nature connection, the work draws inspiration from the bird-themed essays of author Helen Macdonald and scientific insights from ornithologist Mia Rönkä, a member of the creative team. Through these lenses, the performance also addresses themes of departure, disappearance, and letting go as witnessed in the natural world.
In the Waning Light II aims to create a space where the audience—much like in nature—can find moments for focus, slowing down, and sensory awakening.
Creative Team
Concept & Direction: Milla Koistinen
Choreography & Performance: Elina Häyrynen, Anna Virkkunen, Milla Koistinen
Sound Design, Music & Performance: Paul Valikoski and Tatu Rönkkö
Spatial Design: Salla Salin
Ornithologist: Mia Rönkä
Costume Consultation: Kaisu Hölttä
Audience Workshop
As part of the creative process, an open audience workshop will take place at Villa Rana on August 23, led by the artistic team: choreographer Milla Koistinen, spatial designer Salla Salin, and musician/sound designer Paul Valikoski.
This workshop, open to participants of all ages and backgrounds, is designed to spark dialogue and reflection around the themes explored in the performance. It offers a rare opportunity to engage with the creative process behind the scenes.
The program includes a nature walk focused on embodied and experiential observation of the surrounding environment. This exploration continues indoors through guided movement exercises. During the day, participants will engage in various sensory practices such as listening, exploring touch, and movement. The sound and spatial design of the piece incorporates both organic and synthetic materials—branches, pinecones, string, paint, bird calls, cassette tape, and different light sources. In the workshop, participants will get to know and work with these materials through collaborative building and crafting, while also exploring how the soundscape of the piece is constructed.
The workshop deepens the connection between the audience and the performance while strengthening participant involvement in the artistic process. No previous experience in performing arts is required—curiosity is enough.
Place:
Villa Rana, Blomstedt Hall
Date and Time:
Saturday, August 23, 2025
11:00 – 14:00 (includes a short break)
Price:
5 € for adults / 3 € for children
Registration:
Please register by August 11, 2025, via email:
info@offbalance.fi
