Veli Lehtovaara is a Finnish choreographer and performer working internationally on the field of dance and experimental theater. He lived and worked in Belgium for the years 2008-18. His works have been presented in central venues and festivals in Europe and in South- and North America. Lehtovaara often works in a highly collaborative manner and combines elements from multiple disciplines in his choreographic practice. His creations vary from stage work to film and performance-installations. From 2015 onwards his work has been focused on interfaces of ecological thinking, choreographic practice and corporealities.
Currently Lehtovaara is working on a new creation Ikimetsä | Clearcut, which focuses attention on temporality and diversity in old growth forests. The creation is a combination of choreographic work and radio play to be performed in the shopping centres. Lehtovaara also performs the work Ontto harmaa tanssi (2020) together with choreographer Anna Mustonen and poet Olli-Pekka Tennilä. In 2020-22 Lehtovaara is taking part in a research project by Elisa Aaltola, Outimaija Hakala, Salla Tuomivaara and Matilda Aaltonen: Can we disclose other animals? – The challenges of conceptualising animals in sciences and arts.
Since 2018 Lehtovaara works as a mentor, teacher, assessor and adviser for the bachelor and master programs in dance art at Helsinki Theater Academy.
From September 2021 onwards Lehtovaara is entering into doctoral studies at The University of the Arts Helsinki, Center for Artistic Research (CfAR). In his artistic research project Lehtovaara investigates human-nature relationship as a corporeal, choreographic and theatrical event.
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
Photography: J.M.Richter