Tero Saarinen
Contemporary Traditions Program Guest Artist Choreographer
2011 School Programs
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The Experience
Tero Saarinen, artistic director, dancer, choreographer, dancer-
choreographer, began his career as a dancer with the Finnish National Ballet in 1985, where he soon attracted attention as a soloist. Despite his success, he left the ballet in 1992 to seek new influences in contemporary dance from Western Europe and Japan, where he studied traditional Japanese dance and Butoh from 1992 to 1993. Saarinen founded his own group in 1996 as a canvas for his own choreographic work. Apart from his works for Tero Saarinen Company and teaching his movement technique, his handiwork can also be seen in the premieres commissioned by several other prominent dance groups. Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT1), the Batsheva Dance Company (Israel), Ballet Gulbenkian (Portugal), the Lyon Opéra Ballet (France), the Gothenburg Opera Ballet (Sweden), Ballet National de Marseille (France), Ballet de Lorraine (France) and the Finnish National Ballet and others have featured Saarinen's works in their repertoire. Saarinen has received numerous acknowledgements of his work as an artist. He was awarded a five-year grant by the Arts Council of Finland in 1999 and 2004. In 2001, he was awarded the Finland Prize and in 2005, the Pro Finlandia medal - the most prestigious recognition given to artists in Finland. In 2004, he was awarded the International Movimentos Dance Prize for Best Male Performer in Germany. In June that year, he was honored with the title of "Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" by the Ministry of Culture in France. In 2008, he was awarded for his achievements as an artist by The Finnish Cultural Foundation. This will be Saarinen's first season on faculty with the Contemporary Traditions Program.
choreographer, began his career as a dancer with the Finnish National Ballet in 1985, where he soon attracted attention as a soloist. Despite his success, he left the ballet in 1992 to seek new influences in contemporary dance from Western Europe and Japan, where he studied traditional Japanese dance and Butoh from 1992 to 1993. Saarinen founded his own group in 1996 as a canvas for his own choreographic work. Apart from his works for Tero Saarinen Company and teaching his movement technique, his handiwork can also be seen in the premieres commissioned by several other prominent dance groups. Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT1), the Batsheva Dance Company (Israel), Ballet Gulbenkian (Portugal), the Lyon Opéra Ballet (France), the Gothenburg Opera Ballet (Sweden), Ballet National de Marseille (France), Ballet de Lorraine (France) and the Finnish National Ballet and others have featured Saarinen's works in their repertoire. Saarinen has received numerous acknowledgements of his work as an artist. He was awarded a five-year grant by the Arts Council of Finland in 1999 and 2004. In 2001, he was awarded the Finland Prize and in 2005, the Pro Finlandia medal - the most prestigious recognition given to artists in Finland. In 2004, he was awarded the International Movimentos Dance Prize for Best Male Performer in Germany. In June that year, he was honored with the title of "Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" by the Ministry of Culture in France. In 2008, he was awarded for his achievements as an artist by The Finnish Cultural Foundation. This will be Saarinen's first season on faculty with the Contemporary Traditions Program.