Cumiversity, or A piece for a reading room, three acrobats, double bass, harmonium and deforming worlds, is a contemporary circus performance where live music plays an essential role. The musical pieces “Humppa of the Dead”*, “X” and the ballad “Deforming Worlds” create an intense mental landscape for the site-specific work. Other elements of the show consist of non-verbal theatre, acrobatics and parkour.
The work was originally produced for the reading hall designed by Alvar Aalto in the main building of the University of Jyväskylä, initially presented as a commissioned work for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Jyväskylä University Foundation..
*Humppa is a type of traditional music from Finland. It is related to a very fast foxtrot, played two beats to a bar. Humppa is also the name of a few social dances danced to humppa music.
TEAM
Direction and production: Seija Hakkarainen
Music Composition: Pekka Huttunen
Lights: Jere Suontausta, Arto Saarelainen
Lighting Assistant: Oona Ahokas
Costumes: Sari Nyman
Performers
Aerial acrobatics: Elsa Kalervo (2019), Riikka Mustanoja (2019, 2022, 2023), Vilma Suuraho (2022, 2023), Myrsky Rönkä (2018), Marjut Hernesniemi (2018)
Floor acrobatics and parkour: Hattu Kervinen
Double Bass: Eero Virtanen
Harmonium and vocals: Jukka Kääntä (2019, 2022) / Aleksi Keurulainen (2018, 2023)
Vocals: Sini Pajunen
Music score:
X – composer: Pekka Huttunen
Kuolleitten humppa – composer & lyrics Pekka Huttunen
Muovautuvat maailmat – composer Pekka Huttunen, lyrics Veli-Pekka Kelloniemi
Production: Company Uusi Maailma
Commissioned by: University of Jyväskylä Foundation
Partners: University of Jyväskylä, Yläkaupungin Yö festival
Venue: University of Jyväskylä’s old reading room
Premiere: 26.10.2018
Pictures
