​Mirva Mäkinen 

Mirva Mäkinen

I am a 36-year old dancer, dance teacher and choreographer. I
graduated (MA) from the Dance Department
of the Theatre Academy of Finland in 2000, before that i study masters
in Physical Education in University of Jyväskylä. Afters studies I
have worked widely in Finland as a dancer, dance teacher and
choreographer. My true passion is in movement. This year i was chosen
to PHD program in Theatre Academy of Helsinki, Finland.

From 2000 onwards I have acted as dance teacher and lecturer for dance
at the Kallio Upper Secondary School of Performing Arts in Finland. I
have also taught at different international dance and contact
improvisation festivals. As a dancer I have worked in several
different dance companies, at the moment in Karttunen Kollektiv, Circo
Aero and in Zodiak, centre of new dance in Helsinki.

In dance I am interested in the feeling of flow and soft movement. I
love to investigate movement, its rhythm and different ways of
inhabiting the body. A feeling of dancing is created by being able to
switch the body from total relaxation to extreme intensity and
tension. I call this the body’s ability to breathe and create
movement. My ideal is total presence, which makes every moment true
and meaningful.

Most important choreographers or teachers through the years has been
Jyrki Karttunen, Joona Halonen, Frey Faust, Nancy Stark Smith, Simone
Forti and Julyen Hamilton among many others. I also want to thank all
my dance partners, especially Joerg Hassmann.