Silje Solheim Johnsen

Solheim Johnsen/Gjems/Sells

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Building a tent

as a symbol of those projects we do

together 

daily 

where the project in itself is to be in a close relation.

With movement, sound, objects, surroundings, mind & soul we humans usually participate in collective projects every day; by listening, initiating, negotiating, being… 

In this performance we meet two teenage boys with their mothers, deeply involved in their own building projects. 

Choreographer: Silje Solheim Johnsen

Costume and set-designer: Kristine Gjems

Composer: Bendik Sells

Performers: Jonas Varnas, Eglė Lenktaitytė-Varnė, Adomas Samuolis, Žydrūnė Samuolienė

Choreographer and dancer: Silje Solheim Johnsen

Live musician: Aleksander Kostopoulos

Dancers: Gabriel Antonio Bait, Miriam Riise Bait, Elling Elverum Johnsen

Artistic advisor and stand-in body on stage: Maja Roel

Costume: Kristine Gjems

The performance consists of two duets between mother and son, one teenager, and one 8-year-old. The audience is invited to an honest meeting, a kind of anti-drama, that stages the deep, but also vulnerable, average, complicated, and loving relation between a parent and their child. The age difference between the children gives different perspectives on the parent-child-relationship. The safety within the parent-child relationship gives both freedom and opportunity for taking risks within the work. Two duets stage the deep, but also vulnerable, average, complicated, and loving relationships between a parent and their child.

Supported by Arts Council Norway

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“Two duets by Silje Solheim Johnsen is a great example of a production we need in this current time. The proximity to the audience, the direct address, the vulnerability, the honesty through the sharing of the relationships between the two pairs of mothers and sons is a mark of bravery and artistry. This kind of shared space, of the seemingly imperfect that still is thought through, is a brilliant way to get through to a diverse group of audiences. It is seldom that one is allowed to witness such subtle communication that yet is totally transparent and revealing. “

Ragnheidur Skuladottir

Director Festspillene i Nord-Norge / Arctic Arts festival

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Click here for an article on Periskop about Assitejfestivalen, where a review of Two Duets is featured (Norwegian):>

Click here for a review from Norsk Shakespearetidsskrift (Norwegian):>

Choreography: Silje Solheim Johnsen

Dance: Erik Victor Johnsen

Music: Aggie Peterson Frost

Set design & costume: Kristine Gjems

Light design: Tobias Leira

Artistic partner: Marie Bergby Handeland

SoMe fixer: Eva Svaneblom

ERIK is an intimate portrait of 20-year-old Erik. He is an energetic and avid football enthusiast, behind-the-scenes dreamer, sprinter, celebrity lover and groupie, Olsen Gang imitator and weather nerd. Erik has above average passions for tourist attractions, birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, news in general and the weather report in particular. He is interested in the climate and the environment, Salt & Pepper at Polar Park, Marcus & Martinus, Norway in red, white and blue, the danish flag Dannebrog and the peace sign. Erik dances for us, through his many interests and strong passions.

Instagram: @erik_theperformer

Supported by: Arts Council Norway, Tromsø Municipality & Rådstua Teaterhus

Production support: Davvi - Center for Performing Arts

Choreographer: Silje Solheim Johnsen

Dancers: Anethe Alfsvåg, Ella Maren Alfsvåg Jørgensen, Kristina Junttila, Vilja Junttila, Marte Liset, Mari Liset, Miriam Riise Bait, Iris Maria Bait - they have all been dancers in the performance at some point

Pianist: Herborg Rundberg / Aleksander Aarøen Pedersen

Composer: Aleksander Aarøen Pedersen

Set and costume designer: Mari Lotherington

Light design: Øystein Heitmann

The performance Bubble wrap kids portray the relations between parent and child. Through safety and dialogue a raw and unpredictable performance with room for negotiations, play, fragility, and love between parent and child.

In the situation of a performance, the performers are juggling the different roles as parent, child, colleague, and artist, and this makes the power balance between the dance partners, and the shift of it, a present element in the performance.

The safety within the parent-child relation gives both freedom and the possibility of taking risks. Different sides of the relation are staged through movements; the deep, but also vulnerable, average, complicated, and loving.

Together with the parents and children on stage is also a pianist, who joins the play.

The dancers faster than usual grow out of the performance. When performed, we meet three couples of parents and children between the age of six and nine.

Co-produced by Arctic Arts Festival. Supported by Tromsø municipality and Rådstua Teaterhus.

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Click here for a review from periskop.no:>

Direction & choreography: Silje Solheim Johnsen

Direction, photography, editing & grading: Carl Christian Lein Størmer

Second film photographer: Mathis Ståle Mathisen

Dancers: Kristina Junttila, Vilja Junttila, Miriam Riise Bait, Iris Maria Bait, Anethe Alfsvåg and Ella Maren Alfsvåg

Composer & pianist: Alexander Aarøen Pedersen

Costume: Mari Lothertington

In the movie Bubble wrap kids, we meet three couples, each made up of one parent and one child, in their own homes.

The movie is based on the dance performance with the same name, where we met the three couples on stage with pianist and composer Alexander Aarøen Pedersen. The project portrays the relation between children and their grown-ups, and in the movie we are in a way even closer to the dancers than we were from our seats, watching the performance on-stage. In its unique way, the project juggles and mixes the roles of parent, child, colleague, and artist. Through dance negotiations, feinting, fragility, and love between children and their parents are visible.

Co-produced by Vårscenefest. Supported by Forum for Nordnorske Dansekunstnere

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Click here for a review from periskop.no:>

Idea: Heidi Thomassen

Choreography: Maria K. Landmark

Dancers: Hedda Rivrud, Åsne Storli and Silje Solheim Johnsen

Machine operators: Thomas Bredal Pedersen, Trond Even Dahle & Oddgeir Simensen

Composer: Esben Thomassen Andersen

Earthmovers is the result of an idea about creating a performance rooted in the community of Alta. In the heart of Alta, one can find a corporate culture identified by proud professionals, competence, power, and courage. The performance is a meeting between man and machine, dancers, and operators.

Produced by Arktisk Scene AS

Musician and composer: Ola Asdahl Rokkones

Dancer and choreographer: Silje Solheim Johnsen

Costume and set-design: Thale Kvam Olsen

Indescribable! is a music- and dance experience for the youngest school children. The performance has come out of the artist’s own need of wanting to expand their ability to talk about abstract expressions, like music and dance can be, and use this as a starting point for discussions. Through improvisation, association, dialogue, and interaction the artists together with the children explore putting words on sound and movement.

The performance opens with the lines: “...we need to practice finding words that can describe what we have seen and heard. So that we can talk about it. So that I can hear what you thought, and you can hear what I thought, and maybe we can think of new things together.”

The performance has toured The Cultural Schoolbag several seasons.

Supported by Arts Council Norway and Rådstua Teaterhus/Tromsø Kommune.

Choreography and dance: Mari Bø and Silje Solheim Johnsen

Dance: Åsne Storli, Bao André Nguyen and Maria Landmark

Composition and music: Gudmund Østgård

Light design: Torbjørn Thrane Sandnes

Costume and set design: Mari Lotherington and Eirik Velum Vagli Østbye

In Noise Control electronic artist Gudmund Østgård controls the distribution of his music in space through different speakers; sound showers and forests of hanging mini-speakers. The filtered sounds in relation to dancers placed in different zones allow each audience to experience their individual performance. Noise Control found its home when performed in youth clubs, and the young audience is challenged to actively decide how they want to experience the piece consisting of electronic music, dance, and set design.

Co-produced by Insomnia Festival

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Click here for an article from kunstkultursenteret.no:>

Choreography and dance: Silje Solheim Johnsen

Director: Anne Mali Sæther

Composer: Anthony Barratt

The explorer comes unannounced into the classroom and is a performance about being on a journey of discovery outside and inside your body, about body parts and the skeleton. The explorer contributes to making abstract dance accessible for a young audience. The performance is a space for reflecting around, and an inspiration for being interested in one’s own body and its possibilities, and how one can use the imagination and abstract thinking when dancing and moving. The performance gives the children tools on ways of seeing dance and how to contribute actively as an audience and co-dancer.

The performance has been a part of a dance and dance critic-workshop for children and youths: www.settordpadansen.no

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Click here for a review from periskop.no:>

Click here for a student review (Norwegian):>

Read more student reviews and more about the school project here:>

Idea and concept: Liv Hanne Haugen

Created together with:

Nutritionist/author: Vibeke Thorp

Dance artists: Silje Solheim Johnsen, Anne Katrine Haugen, Liv Hanne Haugen

Music: Erik Stifjell

Film: Hilde Korsæth

Light: Lawrence Malstaf

Graphic design/scenography: Anniken Romuld

Chewing is a highly sensing experience taking place in a highly intimate and private room, the mouth.

We grab and go, consume with little time to digest. In a playful way Chew it! gives space and possibility to magnify this little, yet highly important movement of chewing.

One nutritionist, three dance artists, and one musician are some of the people who serve food for thought and body in this engaging stage art experience, set in a restaurant.

Supported by: Norsk Kulturråd, Fond for Lyd og Bilde
Production support: Dansearena nord
Partners and sponsors: Smørorget, Emmas Drømmekjøkken, Dragøy, Mydland, Rådstua Theater House, RadArt. Production: Haugen Productions