Vástádus eana/The answer is land

Choreographer and director Elle Sofe Sara creates a space for the complex and conflicting emotions that trigger the exploitation and destruction of our ecosystem, in her piece Vástádus eana/The answer is land. She is emphatically dedicated to the connectedness of human beings and nature, the habitat we all share and the power that emerges when people stand together and are part of a community. The choreography takes inspiration from demonstrations and activism, Sámi spiritual practice, and formation dancing.

The yoik, a monotonous, guttural Sámi chant in which music and sound are given prevalence over the actual words sung forms another central element to the piece. This chant is practiced to feel closer to the subject topic which is being sung about – humans, animals, natural phenomena. Accordingly, the site-specific performances of Vástádus eana/The answer is land connect the performers with the members of the audience. Attention is drawn to their own respective physical presences as well as to that of the others in attendance, and the place they all jointly occupy.

“When I look at our connection to nature in this piece, I need to address the broken relation, too. Nature and climate as topics convey feelings such as shame and grief as well as the feeling of being a victim. This performance is a quest for the path back into nature, back to myself, to the people I interact with, and not least back to my own voice.” Elle Sofe Sara

Elle Sofe Sara, who lives in Guovdageaidnu, is a choreographer and director working at the crossroads of film, dance, and theatre. In her works, she regularly sheds light on the social, political, and cultural idiosyncrasies and challenges of the Sámi people.

Duration: 65 min.