BIO
Mirva Mäkinen is a Finnish dance artist, contact improvisation teacher, choreographer, and pedagogue. She holds a Doctorate in Dance (2018) from the University of the Arts Helsinki, where her artistic research focused on the somaesthetics of contact improvisation, exploring its values and their expression in performance contexts. She previously graduated with an MA in Dance from the same institution (2000) and holds a Master’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Jyväskylä.
Mäkinen’s work centers on the experience of flow, kinetic energy, and the embodied dynamics of movement. She is deeply interested in rhythm, gravity, falling, and inertia, and in how these forces shape the sensation of dancing. Her approach integrates artistic and pedagogical practices, fostering continuous learning through creative inquiry, critical thinking, and shared exploration. She views art-making as a process grounded in listening, interaction, and the courage to step into the unknown.
Since 2000, Mäkinen has worked as a dance teacher, choreographer, and lecturer at Kallio Upper Secondary School of Performing Arts. She has also taught extensively in international dance institutions and companies, including Cullberg in Sweden, and regularly teaches BA and MA students at the University of the Arts Helsinki.
As a performer and choreographer, she has collaborated widely with companies and artists such as Helsinki Dance Company, Zodiak – Center for New Dance, Dance Theatre Minimi, Karttunen Kollektiv, Circo Aereo, Joona Halonen, Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company, Frey Faust, and Joerg Hassmann. From 2014 to 2024, she worked closely with Finnish choreographer Valtteri Raekallio. Her international career spans over 40 countries, where she has performed and taught contemporary dance.
More information: www.mirvamakinen.com
Dynamic Flying
Teacher: Mirva
Pathway: Mechanics of Contact Improvisation
Together, we will investigate how to generate and receive energy, moving in and out of the floor with efficiency and clarity. Through guided exercises, you’ll develop skills in timing, counterbalance, and responsive partnering—learning how to safely enter and exit lifts while maintaining a continuous flow.
Dynamic flying invites a balance of trust and technique. We’ll work with pathways into the air, exploring how spirals, weight shifts, and directional forces can support effortless lifting and landing. Attention will be given to listening through touch, refining sensitivity so that movement emerges collaboratively rather than through force.