Dancing Diamonds: Dance!
The softly radical and multidisciplinary project of the inclusive group Dancing Diamonds combines photography, word art and dance.
The exhibition and the book to be published in 2026 combine photographs, written texts and dance. The themes of the exhibition are corporeality, sensuality and what it feels like to dance and move in different environments.
Dancing Diamonds is a dance group based in Kokkola, with three dancers with Down syndrome. The group has previously performed works such as Quartet (2019) and Encounters (2023), and they have been seen in many different places, such as Tampere Theatre Summer and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The photographs in the exhibition were taken by photographer Salla Keskinen. Salla Keskinen specializes in the use of self-portraits and multi-sensory methods. The photographs were taken according to the wishes of the dancers, so that they can decide for themselves how they want to be seen.
The texts for the exhibition were directed by the art director Hanna Dufva. The texts for the exhibition were written by the dancers. The texts tell about what dancing, the body and sensation feel like.
The group's activities are coordinated by choreographer Kati Raatikainen, who focuses on physicality and accessibility.
The Dance! exhibition was seen at the Cultural Centre Caisa in November 2025. The exhibition will be seen in Kokkola in October 2026.
The project has been supported by the Skr Central Ostrobothnia Fund, the Arts Promotion Centre Ostrobothnia, the Otto A. Malmi Foundation, the City of Kokkola and the Ostrobothnia Dance Regional Centre. In collaboration with Vintage-Makkara and Ykspihlajan Yogasatama.
The softly radical and multidisciplinary project of the inclusive group Dancing Diamonds combines photography, word art and dance.
The exhibition and the book to be published in 2026 combine photographs, written texts and dance. The themes of the exhibition are corporeality, sensuality and what it feels like to dance and move in different environments.
Dancing Diamonds is a dance group based in Kokkola, with three dancers with Down syndrome. The group has previously performed works such as Quartet (2019) and Encounters (2023), and they have been seen in many different places, such as Tampere Theatre Summer and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The photographs in the exhibition were taken by photographer Salla Keskinen. Salla Keskinen specializes in the use of self-portraits and multi-sensory methods. The photographs were taken according to the wishes of the dancers, so that they can decide for themselves how they want to be seen.
The texts for the exhibition were directed by the art director Hanna Dufva. The texts for the exhibition were written by the dancers. The texts tell about what dancing, the body and sensation feel like.
The group's activities are coordinated by choreographer Kati Raatikainen, who focuses on physicality and accessibility.
The Dance! exhibition was seen at the Cultural Centre Caisa in November 2025. The exhibition will be seen in Kokkola in October 2026.
The project has been supported by the Skr Central Ostrobothnia Fund, the Arts Promotion Centre Ostrobothnia, the Otto A. Malmi Foundation, the City of Kokkola and the Ostrobothnia Dance Regional Centre. In collaboration with Vintage-Makkara and Ykspihlajan Yogasatama.