Photograph: Jussi Virkkumaa | Saari Residency
Veli Lehtovaara (b. 1982, Jyväskylä, Finland)
Choreographer, performer, doctoral-researcher and artistic director. Lives and works in Helsinki.
Lehtovaara’s artistic practice is focused on interstices for choreographic writing, ecological thinking and diversity of corporealities. Lehtovaara often works in a collaborative manner and brings together elements from different artistic disciplines in his choreographic practice. His creations vary from stage work to film and performance-installations.
Lehtovaara's stage and film works have toured successfully in Europe and also in North- and South-America on venues and festivals such as: Sadler’s Wells (London), Festival d’Automne (Paris), Festival d’Avignon, NEXT Arts Festival (Belgium), Springdance Festival (Utrecht), Dança em Foco (Brasil), Joyce SoHo (New York). Lehtovaara worked in close collaboration with Zodiak -Center for New Dance (Helsinki) years 2011-18 and he was associated artist of Kunstenwerkplaats Pianofabriek (Brussels) years 2016-18. Lehtovaara was one of the focus artists of Departures and Arrivals [DNA] –network for the years 2014-2018.
In 2021 Lehtovaara founded together with artist Janina Rajakangas and creative producer Ulrika Vilke a production structure Entirely Moved | Kaikki liikkuu. The organization produces the artistic works and processes of Lehtovaara and Rajakangas, and it is funded by Finnish government and the city of Helsinki.
Next to choreographic work, Lehtovaara has worked widely as a performer in the field of dance and experimental theatre. Years 2015-17 he worked as a dancer with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker / Rosas.
Currently Lehtovaara is conducting doctoral research: Ecological Poetics in Dance and Choreographic Writing at the University of the Arts Helsinki, Theater Academy, Performing Arts Research Center. Lehtovaara has also worked as a mentor, teacher, assessor and adviser for the bachelor and master programs in dance art at the Theater Academy.
For years 2024-26 Lehtovaara is appointed as the artistic director for Jyväskylä Dance Festival - Tanssin Aika.
Lehtovaara holds a BA in dance and MA in choreography from Theatre Academy – University of the Arts Helsinki. He has also graduated from P.A.R.T.S., Brussels and studied in MA program of Philosophy in the University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Pronouns: he/him or they/them
Contact: velijuhana@gmail.com