Wilma-Emilia Kuosa Company is a community of professional artists that explore the possibilities of jazz dance as an art form. WEKC was formed around jazz dance artist Wilma-Emilia Kuosa, who is the artistic leader of the community. The company is based in Helsinki, Finland. The productions of WEKC’s are inspired by jazz dance tradition and explore the manifestation of rhythm both in the body and in the performance context. The group’s movement language celebrates the rich history of jazz dance and plays with what jazz dance can be today.
The company is made of people from different stages of life who are diverse artists. People in the community come from divergent backgrounds, so they think in various ways. Each WEKC member has a unique relationship with jazz dance. The nature of jazz dance is inclusive and it is reflected on all levels, both in the company’s methods and goals. Using jazz dance as the common ground of the group ensures a safe space where there is room for every individual. From these rare starting points, a strong community of artists is born.
Grip - a short dance film
By Wilma-Emilia Kuosa Company
Performers:
Tommi Haapaniemi
Henry Hanikka
Pia Liski
Filming: Hanna Västinsalo
Sound design: Viliina Kettunen
Make-up artist: Maaren Heiskanen
Concept, choreography and poetry: Wilma-Emilia Kuosa
The artists.
Henry Hanikka is an actor and director. He has worked in collaboration with WEKC’s artistic director Wilma-Emilia Kuosa for most of her career.
Hanikka has an inclusive view of the arts and an exceptional sense of rhythm for performance. He is the first black professional actor in Finland.
Embodied and traditional research pose an important role within a physical and a digital space. Her work offers a holistic lens to how she views the world around.
Ida Riik is a professional dancer and physical performer. She is an exceptionally versatile dance artist who masters skills from acrobatics to partnering.
Ida has a passion for jazz dance and is highly trained in the Mattox technique.
Laura Feodoroff has worked as a dance teacher, choreographer and dancer from 2008 in different kinds of artistic collaborations from musicals to youth projects in addition to dance schools. Jazz dance in its various styles has always been close to her heart.
Most recently, artistic work has led her to the world of dance film both as a performer in front of the camera and behind it as a screenwriter and choreographer-director. Laura is also lead singer in the ´Nuõrtt´ group, which makes pop music drawing inspiration from Sámi vocal music tradition.
Kitri Joronen is a professionally trained singer, actor and dancer. She did her Bachelor in Performing Arts in Göteborg, Sweden and is now based in Helsinki, Finland. She is a versatile performer specialized in musical theatre, with a deep love for jazz dance.
Fenella O’Neill is an international dance artist from Australia based in Helsinki, Finland. She is a graceful performer with a strong background in ballet technique. Fenella has a bubbly energy and is enthusiastic about the art of jazz dance.