Dance artist & Choreographer

I graduated from the Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor Kunsten, modern dance department, in 1984. I have the Dutch nationality but moved to Finland in 1989. I work as a freelance dancer & choreographer and perform and choreograph my own works . In 1997 my colleagues and me founded the Barker theater , the stage for independent dance artists in Turku, Finland. I perform most of my works in Barker Theater.

Choreography

In my works I like to mix dance with live music, visual arts and actors. My works have a strong emotional grounding in every day life, and are often an expression of situations I have come across in my own life. I often work with live music and the relation with music is a very important source of inspiration to me. My way of working connects easily with the working methods of jazz musicians and therefore many of my works are having jazz improvisation as a strong element besides the dance. I work with freelance dancers in all productions and add freelance musicians to my pieces .

Freelancer

I have been working with dance in different countries but am now mostly performing and choreographing in Turku, Finland. I have been working in Cuba, where I joined dancegroup Gestos Transitorios for 4 months and I have been joining a dance group in Sumatra, Saayung Salangka, Indonesia for half a year. In the early 90s I also joined several projects in Holland, and performed in several pieces from other choreographers. Besides performing in Barker theater, I also have been visiting Madrid, Manchester and other places where I performed solo works and group choreography. In Finland I joined some group productions from dance theater Mobita( Tampere), dance theater Hurjaruut (Helsinki) and joined productions from freelance dance artists in Helsinki.Since 2005 I perform my own choreographies and add freelance dancers to my productions.

Upcoming events

ÖDE-ABANDONED a solo dance about loneliness

Opening night friday 5.4 at 19.00 at GALLERISALEN Gillesgården, Aurakatu 1G inner yard Turku

dance and choreography Marjan Raar
assistance choreography Pia Karaspuro
clothes & design Marjo Haapasalo
light design Bror Österlund
technics Robert Wikberg
video Marjan Raar

other performances:
Saturday 6.4 at 19.00
Friday 12.4 at 19.00
Sunday 14.4 at 17.00
Friday 19.4 at 19.00

tickets: 12/10€

reservation: info@marjanraar.com or 041-5184649

more info on : marjanraar.blogspot.fi