elleviies

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Performance “Pseudoconcerto” at Institute of Meetings and Non-meetings’ minifestival “Ivory tower”, Tallinn 2024

Author and performer: Elle Viies

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"Floor on Fire"

“Floor on fire” is a framework and a space for navigating transition, a transition between what was and what is yet to come. A threshold. Where “in-betweens” might be called liminal space - a place of transition.

In this piece the performers are approaching choreography as a language. Dealing with it as fixed physical material that in turn needs a text. Text that describes it, however, following the nature of the work itself, does not give a definitive answer as to what it is, but rather creates an opportunity to take it for what it is.

Author / performer: Ruslan Sepanov

Co-authors / performers: Elle Viies, Maryn-Liis Rüütelmaa, Sigrid Savi, Johhan Rosenbeg, Igor Lider, Karl Saks

Dramaturge / Photographer: Alissa Šnaider

Sound design: Artjom Astrov

Set design: Mikk-Mait Kivi

Scenography: Linda Mai Kari

Graphic design: Jaan Evart

Photos: Alissa Šnaider

Producer: Annika Üprus, elektron.art

Special thanks: Mart Kangro, Henry Kasch, Asmus Soodla, Revo Koplus, Anastasija Leonova

Supporters: Estonian Ministry of Culture, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Tallinn city

Premiere: 04.04.2024 elektron.art arthall

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"Pastoral"

If you look east from the valley nestled between two mountains, you can see a clearing. There lie a gray meadow and small man-made objects. Let’s say these are houses. If you ascend the right hillside of the valley, a well-trodden path crosses a stream. The ravens say that the stream has started to flow in the opposite direction, up the hill. Let’s assume this is true. The trail continues through the kingdom of the wild boar, a thicket damp with stench. Let’s say the path leads to the house. Let’s say the door is open. This is where we start.

Pastoral is a solo where the admonishing look of a prairie girl rooted in idyll meets the merciless power of nature. What happened is in the past, but at the same time in an endless whirlwind, unable to find peace. The clues are under the viewer’s nose, but buried under the dust of centuries. The room is the witness. The body is the caretaker. The power is in the hands of the Unknown. Pastoral glistens with hope in the dark bosom of this Unknown.

Elle Viies “Pastoral

Director and performer: Elle Viies Sound design: Henri Viies Light design: Mikk-Mait Kivi Stage design: Loora Kaubi Dramaturgical support: Elss Raidmets Duration: 40 min

Premiere: 8. March 2024 at Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava as part of the PREMIERE program Residecny: Ehkä-production/Contemporary Art Space Kutomo (Turku, FIN) Supporters: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Rain Lõhmus Foundation

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"Codex"

“Codex” is a solo performance where the foundations of the artist's set of rules are presented chapter by chapter. The artist being punished, who is on the borderline of both fiction and temporal vagueness, does not know what they are being punished for. There is an effort to navigate in this systematized set of rules in such a way that the suffering resulting from this activity is enjoyable and purposeful.

Author, presentation: Elle Viies

Sound design: Henri Viies, Elle Viies

Lighting design, technical support: Joosep Kurm

Stage design: Johanna Künnapas, Rahel-Marii Ingver

Mentor: Ruslan Stepanov

Producer: Anna Liis Põder

Premiere: 31.03.2023 

Performance during Dance Week: 24.04.2023 

Viljandi Koidu Seltsimaja

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performance at the opening of Loora Kaubi’s solo exhibition ‘One never sees the sun in a dream’ at Uus Rada gallery

Ghostly personality, hardened body, sticky skin. The hungry vulture, the act of becoming a landform and the impermanence of all things earthly. A certain tendency not to make eye contact. A tendency not to notice tendencies. Cultivating inner chaos without its outward expression. There they stand at the edge of the cliff with trembling knees. And nothing happens. The one being punished, who is on the borderline of both fiction and temporal vagueness, who does not know what they are being punished for.

Curator: Laura De Jaeger Graphic Design: Taylor “Tex” Tehan.

january 2023

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Baltic Dance Platform 2022 host program: inklingroom 

"recollections of motion"

I want to embody myself as directly and honestly as possible (if even possible) and then try to take a step back and embody an out-of-body experience, riding the line between dissociating from the self and drowning in the self. “An out-of-body experience, which people find to be bizarre and anxiety provoking, represents a failure of the unity of self and body, a shift from a first- to a third-person perspective.” How can the self be the other at the same time, how can I hallucinate and be my own hallucination?

Performance: Elle Viies

Sound design: Henri Viies

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"choreography"

we decided to start from the beginning.if something is just beginning, it is not yet present. but where to look for a beginning?from inside or outside?is it possible to ignore the preceding? what could dance be without a history? can an experienced artist be a debutant?we decided to start where symmetry prevails and each primitive movement reaches its potential synchronicity. and we decided to finish in a circle. where everything is one and nothing means as much as it means everything. do you remember the first time you said you liked to dance or watch dance?

Director-choreographer: Ruslan Stepanov Light: Karmi Pikkma Co-creators and performers: Liis Maria Kaabel, Maryn-Liis Rüütelmaa, Triin Kauber, Marko Reitalu, Elle Maria Viies and Lisette-Marie Viilup.

Duration of the performance: approx. 50 minutes Premiere: March 8th, 2022 at the TÜ VKA black box

Performances at Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava: March 23rd and 24th, 2022

Photos: Lisette Marie Viilup

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"TAG"

Honest and tasteful soup of pieces

Ingredients: 500 g or about a quarter of the average trend 1 whole microphone (if wired then better) 1 black box about 1 kg of cooked love 4 performers a couple of tablespoons of talent

Preparation:

Cut performers into strips and grate talent

Put the strips of performers in a pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally

Add grated talent to the performers and mix until smooth

Heat the black box, pour the performer-talent mixture into the hot black box and bring to boil

Add a microphone and crumbled trend and cook for about ten minutes

Serve with love and add a pinch of salt

Direction/on stage: Daniela Privis, Luisa Lõhmus, Maryn-Liis Rüütelmaa, Elle Viies Sound: Martin Mänd Lights: Karmi Pikkma Advice and dramaturgy: Alissa Šnaider, Kärt Koppel Mentor: Ruslan Stepanov Project managment: Elisabeth Teener, Liis Lillemägi Co-production: TÜ Viljandi Kultuuriakadeemia Support: **Eesti Kultuurkapital ** Visual and video art: Elo Vahtrik, Johanna Reinvald

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Building Bridges interdisciplinary international performance project

International co-creating and research project between Viljandi Culture Academy, Aalto University and Zürich University of Arts Performers and creators: Elle Viies, Julie Chantelle, Erkki Koskimäki, Saku Antilla, Katherine Schweizer.

Nairs Foundation, Switzerland, 2022

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"Delegates"

Choreography, video, music: Elle Viies

Performers: Maria Valk, Luisa Lõhmus, Maria Helena Seppik

Light: Grete Vaalma

2022

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"Miss Alpinist"

A study of the symbiosis between choreography, cartography and the mountain of death.

Idea, performance: Elle Viies

Music: Henri Viies

Light: Grete Vaalma

December 11th 2021 at the Viljandi Culture Academy Black Box

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"Second act"

Performance at EKA masters degree gallery opening "Second act"

Choreographers/performers: Elle Viies, Maryn-Liis Rüütelmaa

Koidu Seltsimaja, Viljandi, 2021

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MADE IN ESTONIA MARATHON 2020

"thank you"

Performing arts festival focused on short formats

Choreographers/performers: Elle Viies, Maryn-Liis Rüütelmaa

Kanuti Gildi Saal, Tallinn, 2020