2 h

Performed at ANTI festival, Kuopio, Finland

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Concept and performance: Salla Talvikki Nieminen​

Photos: Salla Talvikki Nieminen

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Description:

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Permission explored the norms of bodily expression in public spaces and specifically asked whether dancing in public around the city is allowed or accepted. The performance happened in random places at random times around the city centre of Kuopio. Dressed in glitter leggings, holding a balloon in the shape of a disco ball and having prepared a playlist full of the best disco hits from Gloria Gaynor to Bee Gees, I walked around randomly and stopped to dance by myself whenever I liked, wherever I liked.

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I also carried notes with me where I had written "you have the permission to dance". Each note was sealed individually in an envelope. During the performance I gave these permission slips to passers-by who somehow reacted to my dance and left some in the places where I danced.

 

The performance was a joyful, glittery permission to dance and an attempt to free the body from pointless social and cultural norms.