Raili Mirjam Kuoppamäki

@forestswords meets Finnish folklore 🍂 tb to my performance at @pfeffer_ol vernissage in Cologne @galerienorbertarns Video: @mio.zajac

Thank you @nicolehoppephotography for capturing these moments from my solo in „Ein Stück mit Tanz“ by Rainer Behr @tanztheaterwuppertal at @pinabauschzentrum The song I sung and danced to is very dear to me, a Finland-Swedish folklore song which my dear vocal teacher introduced me to. I thought I’d share a bit about the meaning and lyrics. Vem kan segla förutan vind? Vem kan ro utan åror? Vem kan skiljas från vännen sin Utan att fälla tårar? Who can sail without the wind? Who can row without oars? Who can leave a parting friend Without shedding tears? The opening line is found in the fifth stanza of an 18th century poem, „Good night, good night, my dearest“. The poem relates to a theme that is common in sailor songs - to be separated from your loved ones, while out at sea. For me this song is so deeply and beautifully human. Although spiritually seen we are always connected, on a human level we experience physical separation. Embracing a loved one, not knowing when or if we will meet again physically, in this lifetime, is such a profound human feeling and I find this song pictures it so, so beautifully. Forever grateful that this song made it into our piece and that I got to share this part of my soul.

My music video »a (void)« will be shown on the 10th of December as part of @kurzfilmforum which will take place in the beautiful @essenerfilmkunsttheater The project idea was crystallised and realised in collaboration with my dear @tz2untswun who also entered the bubble and shot these beautifully intimate clips. This is my warm invitation to you 🧡 Come and join us for a wonderful evening! Wed, 10 December 2025 / Astra Theater / 20:15 Music: »Mindgames« from my first EP (Toxygen, 2020)

Danke @justawfoto dass Du uns vom ersten Tag an auf dieser Reise begleitet und so sensibel die Momente unserer intensiven Prozesse abgelichtet hast. From day one until the performance, we were accompanied by Jürgen Steinfeld and in the end he created a beautiful image booklet with so many memories from the whole journey of „Ein Stück mit Tanz“. Thank you from my heart @tanztheaterwuppertal @pinabauschzentrum 🌹 And thank you @eirlys_nordictales for this wonderful song that brings a feeling of home and belonging to my heart 🌌

Every day is Earth Day 🌍 In the first picture I was sitting somewhere halfway up the Sáná, a holy mountain of the Sámi, in Gilbbesjávri. By then I did not know about this and entered the area of the „Saana Tunturi“ as a naive Finnish tourist. But I felt the energy for sure and it had a lasting impact on me. Funnily enough I am now very interested in Sámi folklore and have been singing a beautiful song in Northern Sámi for some years. Btw, shoutout to my beautiful sister @jade.slbz who held the most amazing presentation on the Sámi people a few years ago, where she shared information on their culture and their struggles to stand up for their rights. She even learned to speak some Nothern Sámi very well. I am so proud of her. Lapland 2021 / Sáná várri, Gilbbesjávri / Levi, Kittilä Photo: @jaakkotaavila

Ginsterbusch? Gelb Kurzwaren, Kurzwarengeschäft I don’t have to be anybody because I am 64438905876750027351 [Random notes / March 2026]

a mother in a dream | 2026 Dancers: Ludovica Mattiacci @ludovica_mattiacci Doyoung Kim @moon__light__dy Nadiia Shapovalova @nadiia.shapo Sergio Roig @sergioroig_ Wei-Cheng Shao @the__weicheng Choreography: Halyna Shchupak Camera & editing by Raili Kuoppamäki @railimirjam 🤍

Ein Stück mit Tanz by Rainer Behr @tanztheaterwuppertal @pinabauschzentrum Artistic assistance @shchupak.halyna Light @julioernestoescobar Sound @till.bellinghausen Wonderful warmups and contact exercises by @shchupak.halyna The extent of this experience cannot be put into words, but I still want to share a few words here and say thank you to my 15 fellow participants, who took their place in my heart and allowed me to witness a tiny glimpse of themselves and their stories in this very real and raw piece we created together with Rainer and Halyna. I’m in awe of this intense process of less than 6 weeks, which changed my life forever. Travelling to Wuppertal 5-6 days a week and each of us having the chance to work 1:1 with Rainer to create a solo was one of these things I never dreamed of, because it completely transcended my imagination. I will forever remember the moment I sat on Lichtburg‘s floor, cuddling and crying out of gratitude for such a gift, that pushed me to grow on so many levels and made me experience dance and performance from the inside out. As @aroundthekoerner put it to words so well - I was not able to escape myself in this project. I was full on confronted with myself and now I’m standing here, so much closer to me, as well as to other people, than I’ve ever been. This process taught me new levels of presence, connection, commitment, trust and letting go and I’m excited to continue from here. Thank you for capturing these amazing photos @nicolehoppephotography and @scoool (first photo). Thank you for the videos, Melanie vom Bauer. And lastly, thank you Pina for holding me, when I was struggling so hard in the beginning. She literally came to me while I was crying, like a mother Mary of dance, caressing my hair and encouraging me saying something like „Du schaffst das, Kind“.

🪡🪱🐉🪸🌬️🌊🧘🏻🪞🧬🪅

Thank you for recording all those lovely memories ~ 📹 @fanni.khn

Summer 2020, shot by Jennifer Smith Now that I have been sick for almost a week I decided that I would finally post these pictures from a shooting five years ago, which I hadn’t felt confident enough to share. Looking at them now, I see the sadness she holds in her eyes. And at the same time I see the warrior she is. She doesn’t see those things yet, but she has already stepped into the deep waters she will learn to dive in the following years. As challenging as it sometimes feels to me to see all the yet unprocessed pain, I want to honour her so deeply, that’s why I decided to make this post and give her the space to be seen. I want to tell her, how much I love her. That I am so unbelievably proud of her and that life is going to get brighter. So much brighter than she could ever imagine. Not by chance, but because of her courage to face what rises to the surface. Because it needs to break her open first, and again and again. And every time she breaks, another part of her breaks free. Thank you 2025 for breaking me open in various ways and shaking me to my core, reminding me of the warrior soul that I am. And thank you God for holding me every time I'm lying here in tiny shiny pieces and making the experience so breathtakingly beautiful. Thank you to all the beautiful and wonderful people who have held me through this year and through whom I am learning to let myself be held and supported. All the love goes out to you ❤️‍🔥

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