Black narcissus

Black Narcissus captivated its audience during its premiere performances at Dance House Helsinki.

A work exploring narcissism and its powerful manifestations in human interaction, Black narcissus places music and movement at center stage, performed by four dancers and four musicians. The score, composed for four instruments, is performed live—elevating the performance into a rich, multi-layered experience.

Living at the intersection of dance theatre and contemporary dance, Black Narcissus features experienced dancers whose bodies reflect a lifetime of movement and dance. The production bridges art and research: to deepen the exploration of its theme, Academy Professor Anssi Peräkylä contributed research insights from The Faces of Narcissism project (2019–2023), which investigated how narcissistic tendencies affect social interaction.

Black Narcissus is a co-production with the Western Finland Dance Centre. It has received support from Svenska Kulturfonden, Föreningen Konstsamfundet, the Arts Promotion Centre Finland, and the Regional Fund of Southwest Finland of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

Choreography and Direction: Marjaterttu Willman
Composition: Ulf Långbacka
Lighting Design: Anne Salmi
Costume Design: Aapo Siikala
Sound Design: Kari Mäkiranta
Research Consultant: Anssi Peräkylä

Dancers: Jonna Aaltonen, Jonna Eiskonen, Tuovi Rantala, Satu Tuittila
Musicians: Ulf Långbacka, Helmi Malmgren, Iida-Vilhelmiina Sinivalo, Mikko Väärälä

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