Photograph: Joma Richter
Veli Lehtovaara (b. 1982, 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 has worked in close collaboration with Zodiak -Center for New Dance (Helsinki) for several years 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.
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.
For years 2024-26 Lehtovaara is appointed as the artistic director for Jyväskylä Dance Festival - Tanssin Aika.
Lehtovaara has worked as a mentor, teacher, assessor and adviser for the bachelor and master programs in dance art at Helsinki Theater Academy. Lehtovaara has been a member of the board at Zodiak - Center for New Dance (2019-2022).
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