People

Annika Tudeer

Founder, artistic director, performer 2000–

After working as a dancer/choreographer, Annika completed her MA in literature at Helsinki University. She worked as a dance and performance critic writing extensively on new trends in the performing arts, thus receiving a broad understanding of the European dance and performance scene.

Timo Fredriksson

Founding member, performer 2000–

Timo is a classical pianist graduated from the Sibelius Academy. He started working with Oblivia in 2000 as a musician and has since been drawn into performing, developing and devising the work.

Meri Ekola

Lighting designer 2009–

Meri received her M.A. in lighting design from the Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, in Finland. She has worked as a freelancer in the wide (wild) field of performing arts since her graduation with collaborators from Finland and abroad. In Oblivia she started in 2009 when she joined the Entertainment Island Trilogy. She has carried a role of an outside eye through out the productions. In her own expression she has concentrated in working on a lighting designs able to carry an active part in the performance, as taking a role of a performer.

Anna-Maija Terävä

Performer 2014–

Anna-Maija (b. 1978) is a dancer, performer and occasional teacher living in Helsinki, working in the field of dance, theatre and performance art. She graduated as a dancer in 2002 from North Karelia College Outokumpu. She works as a part of various collaborations and has worked for example with the choreographers Maija Hirvanen, Soile Lahdenperä, Riikka Siirala (Loiske Ensemble), Jaana Turunen and director Philine Velhagen (Drama Köln). “Craftsmanship of performance and improvisation thrives my body of work. Body-mind connections, movement and experiental work are central in my way of working.”

Tua Helve

Costume designer 2014–

Tua (1981) is a costume designer and researcher (DA, Aalto University 2022, thesis title ‘Costume design and collaboration in Finnish contemporary dance in the early twenty-first century’). With her practice and research in costume design, she enquires into the means of collaboration as a source for meaningful costume outcomes. Having joined the team as a costume designer for Annika Does Swanlake in late 2014, in recent years she has built a committed relationship with the group, contributing to the development of the performances and the group’s research activities as well.

Alice Ferl

Sound designer, performer 2017–

Alice is a performer and sound artist. After her studies of Applied Theatre Sciences in Gießen and Reykjavík she has founded her own company LUKAS UND and collaborated with numerous groups in Germany and Switzerland such as Monster Truck, bigNOTWENDIGKEIT, Marcel Schwald and Drama Köln. She is realizing theater pieces, audio walks and installational performances.

Jenny Nordlund

Managing director 2017–

Jenny is a theatre producer. She holds a MA in theatre research and philosophy from the University of Helsinki. Jenny’s previous roles include working as managing director at Performance Center Eskus (a platform for live art companies in Finland); company manager at Teatteri Metamorfoosi (physical theatre) and head of staff and administration at Cinema Mondo (distribution and exhibition of art house films).

Yiran Zhao

Music director, composer, sound designer 2019–

Yiran is a composer and performer, and sound artist based in Berlin. Her works focus on various modes of expression incorporating both musical and performative elements, lighting, visual arts, and other media. With great interest in the physicality of performance, since she came to Europe she has been working extensively with the human body and other objects as compositional material. Zhao studied composition in Beijing, Stuttgart, Basel, and Linz; and taught at the Anton Bruckner Private University Linz in 2020–2021. She has worked with numerous artistic groups and festivals in Europe, Asia, Oceania, North and South America. 

Juha Valkeapää

Performer 2023–

→ juhavalkeapaa.net

A Helsinki-based vocal artist and performance maker with a 30-year long career of performances, installations, radio pieces and soundscapes – solos and various group works – vocal & sound & performance art, theatre, music, dance. The key elements of his art are presence, playfulness, voice / sound, improvisation, and direct contact with the audience.

Mikko Bredenberg

Performer 2016–2019

Mikko is an artist-researcher, actor and theatre director. He holds a Doctor of Arts in Theatre and Drama from University of the Arts Helsinki, Theatre Academy. Mikko has been working as an actor and theatre director in institutional theatres and independent performing art groups. As an actor he has also worked in radio plays and in television and movie productions.

Anna Krzystek (1968–2017)

Founding member, performer 2000–2013

Anna, a Glasgow based performer and choreographer, worked with Oblivia  2000–2013 devising, developing and performing the work.

A tribute to Anna Krzystek by Creative Scotland

Stella Parland (1974–2015)

Founding member, performer, dramaturg 2000–2005

Stella, writer, critic and dada genius worked as a performer during Oblivia’s first year and moved onto being the outside eye and dramaturg for Oblivia until 2005.