Whiteout (GL)

Where: Høllin
Duration: 60 min.

Before the performance, the Nordic House and Sinnisbati invite you to a panel discussion (in Faroese). Here, we will talk about being a relative of a person who has died by suicide. Participants are: Kathrina Lindenskov Holm, psychologist; Róa Midjord, chairwoman of Sinnisbati, and Tormóður Stórá, chief physician and head of the Psychiatric Department at Landssjúkrahúsið.

7.15 pm Panel discussion
8.00 pm Performance

If you find yourself in an Arctic whiteout—a natural phenomenon where snow swirls down, up, and around, blending sky and earth into a seamless white — you might experience the same sensation as when you are in grief: any sense of direction disappears.

The performance Whiteout delves into the painful longing, unbearable thoughts, shame, and taboos surrounding suicide.

On the other side of a whiteout, which demands introspection, one is repositioned in the world anew—we find each other and connect across divides.

Whiteout casts an important spotlight on a topic we, as outsiders, must not shy away from. At the same time, the performance addresses the life-affirming aspects that survivors often speak of: the ability to reflect on the value of relationships and communities, and, above all, the gratitude for having known someone.

In Whiteout, grief and longing are embodied, but so are hope, strength, and faith in the power and meaning of life.

The performance is created by Sarah Aviaja Hammeken, artistic director of Aviaja Dance Company, with music composed by Gerth Lyberth. On stage are Elias Khanamidi, Eydís Rose Vilmundardóttir, Márton Debreczenyi, Amanda Rubio Sanchez—who also serves as assistant choreographer—and Sarah Aviaja Hammeken herself. The costumes are designed by Parnuuna Thornwood, while the scenography is developed in collaboration with lighting designer Brian Cord’homme. The dramaturgy is crafted in collaboration with Sirí Paulsen, who contributes research and the collection of personal experiences.

Credits
Choreographer: Sarah Aviaja Hammeken
Choreographic Assistant: Amanda Rubio Sánchez
Dancers: Amanda Rubio Sánchez, Elias Khanamidi, Eydís Rose Vilmundardóttir, Márton Debreczenyi, and Sarah Aviaja Hammeken
Composer: Gerth Lyberth
Lighting Design: Brian Cord’homme
Dramaturge: Siri Paulsen
Costume Design: Parnuuna Thornwood
Photographer: Amalie Ivalo Hammeken
Administration: Jens Christian Jensen
Professional Consultants: Paarisa and DRISP, Danish Research Institute for Suicide Prevention
Co-Production: Dansehallerne, Nunatta Isiginnaartitsisarfia/Greenland’s National Theatre, and The Nordic House in the Faroe Islands

Supported by
Statens Kunstfonds Projektstøtteudvalg for Scenekunst, Knud Højgaards Fond, NAPA, Wilhelm Hansen Fonden, Aage og Johanne Louis-Hansens Fond, Beckett-Fonden, William Demant Fonden, Augustinus Fonden, Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen – Kulturpulje til projekter mellem Grønland og Danmark, Nordisk Kulturfond.

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