PORTFOLIO

Vera Lapitskaya works as performer, dance maker, facilitator and curator in Finland and internationally, since 2009.
In her artistic practices she is fascinated to reimagine the traditional art forms by pushing the borders and going beyond the surface of narrative meanings. Through the years she has been exploring a multi-layered proximity of human body to space, time, sounds, objects and environment. Instant and intuition are the essences which inspire and support her work the most.

Education

2015 DanceAbility teacher certification program, Helsinki
2006-2009 North Karelia college, Outokumpu Movement and Performance Research program
2008 University of music and performing arts, Frankfurt am Main
1999-2004 State University of St-Petersburg MA of psychology


Performer

Silence Moves the Lips
Concept, performance: Vera Lapitskaya, Robie Legros, Tomáš Janypka, Petr Vrba, Pasi Mäkelä, Matthieu Legros
Premiere: 15.12.2023 Orbita space, Brno, Czech Republic

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Oracle A
Concept, text, dance, performance: Vera Lapitskaya
Premiere: 19.1.2020 Studio Sdvig, St.Petersburg

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photo: Natalia Kochelenko  

Jane's Solstice
Concept, dance, text: Vera Lapitskaya, Paolo Cingolani, Julyen Hamilton
Premiere: 26th October 2019, Caisa cultural center

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photo: Anna Mathwes 

Direction & choreography

There's no other
Direcion, concept : Vera Lapitskaya
Premiere: 2022

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photo: Edward Petroff 

Step Forward
Idea, direction: Vera Lapitskaya
Group members: Aida Tervo, Arina Laubert, Isabella Mansnérus, Melanie Rose, Veronika Yakushevich, Natalia Kochelenko
Premiere: 2019

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photo: Vera Lapitskaya 
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Map of the Unknown Land
Idea, direction: Vera Lapitskaya
Dance, text, voice: Aida Tervo, Arina Laubert, Charalambos Gardias, Isabella Mansnérus, Marija Ribakova, Melanie Rose, Penelope Gardias, Veronika Yakushevitch
Sound design: Natalia Kochelenko
Production: NotaBene art group
Premiere: 3.11.2018, CulturaFest, Vantaa

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photo: Svetlana Mikhailova 
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Curatorial work

MatrЁshka Dating
Concept, curation, artistic vision: Vera Lapitskaya
Participants: Chekhov Machine Company, Cyclical enclosure, Eve Ribs, Ice, Kolme/Regina Launivuo, Let it Out (Anastasia Artemeva,  Arlene Tucker, Sonny Black)
Production: Cutura säätiö, CulturaFest 2017
Premiere: 2.11.2017 at SES auditorio, Kino K-13, Helsinki

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photo: Svetlana Mikhailova 

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Dance Films

 Direction, video editing: Vera Lapitskaya
 Music, sound: Natalia Kochelenko
 Camera: NotaBene art group
 Production: NotaBene art group
 Release year: 2019

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photo: Vera Lapitskaya 

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Teaching (workshops and regular classes)

2022 - creative movement and inclusive dance education in elementary schools of Vantaa in cooperation with Vantaa Cultural Services
2022 - inclusive dance classes for families with children of preschool age at Caisa cultural centre, Helsinki
2021 creative movemnt and dance facilitator in "Suomen Malli" (The Finnish Model), pilot project
2021-2020 contemporary dance and improvisation at Riveria Outokumpu, professional dance educatoion (FI)
2020 Movement Dance Word Text, workshop at SDVIG -space for performing arts, St.Petersburg (RU)
2018 text and movement in instant composition, workshop at BodyWord 14th international festival, St.Petersburg (RU)
2018-2016 guest teacher of contemporary dance and improvisation at West Finland College (FI)
2016-2009 guest teacher of contemporary dance and improvisation at North Karelia College Outokumpu (FI)
2015-2010 contemporary dance teacher at Tansille Ry, morning classes for professional dancers (FI)
2012 contemporary dance workshop at Dance House Lemesos, (CY)
2011 contemporary dance workshop at International Dance Festival “Contact meets contemporary”, Göttingen, (GE)

Grants and scholarships

2024 Cultura-foundation, project grant for artistic and educative work
2023 The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland (project grants for working group) 
2022 Cultura-foundation, individual grant for artistic work
2022 Arts Promotion Centre Finland, The City of Helsinki (project grant for working group)
2020 Arts Promotion Centre Finland, The City of Helsinki (project grant for working group and for individual artistic work)
2019 Cultura-foundation, The City of Helsinki (project grant for working group)
2018 Arts Promotion Centre Finland (project grant for working group)
2018 The City of Helsinki (project grant for working group)
2017 Finnish Cultural Foundation: regional funding (project grant for working group)
2017 The City of Helsinki (project grant for working group)
2016 Finnish Cultural Foundation: regional funding (project grant for working group)
2009 BIDE: Barcelona International Dance Exchange

Reviews

In the spot light of Fiinnish Dance in Focus 2020, annual Finnish dance magazine
read in English

"Aikataskuja tanssien" , "Aikataskuiisa on liikkeen ituja ja avaruuden laskoksia"
 read in Finnish

"NotaBene-tanssiteatteri auttaa keksimään uudet säännöt leikkiin /
 NotaBene dance theater helps to invent new rules for the game"
 read in Finnish

"I Solo Ment" - an article about the duet of Ann Van den Broek
Sivuaskel Dance Festival 2010, Zodiak, Helsinki (FI)
read in English

"Nuoret tanssintekijät valtasivat näyttämön / Young dance makers on the stage"
Review by Maija-Liisa Westman
read in Finnish

Mamuska Helsinki 2009, Zodiak
Review by Tiia Lappalainen
read in Finnish

Memberships

from 2016 member of Catalysti ry Association of Transcultural Artist in Finland

Awards

2012 - 1st prize of dance film festival "Miradas al Cuerpo", Madrid (ES)
Nobody? Yes, Body! - dance film
Concept: Vera Lapitskaya, Natalya Nikolaeva
Choreography, dance: Vera Lapitskaya
Direction, video editing: Natalya Nikolaeva

2011 - prize of International choreography contest, Kajaani (FI)
Contact Note - duet
Choreographer, mentor teacher: Vera Lapitskaya
Dancers: Sebastian Lopez-Lehto, Veronika Yakushevich