Keithy Kuuspu (1994) is a performance and dance artist from Tallinn, Estonia. In her practice, she works with mundane structures and with the influences that society has on individuals, often through ironical and naive perspective. She is particularly interested in manipulating with time and space, slowing down oneself and processes before and after the result. Connecting visual and performance art and search for connections between the body and material has an important place in her creation. Last plays she directed were PAUS ISTU MINE (STL, 2023), Estonian Pavilion “Home Stage” in Venice architecture biennale 2023 (with Liisa Saaremäel), False Falling (STL, 2021) and Body Slam (with Liisa Saaremäel, 2022). Recently she performed in Tiit Ojasoo & Ene-Liis Semper performance “72 days”, in Jarkko Partanen & Anni Klein “Fluids” (WAUHAUS, STL) and in Laura Cemin & Bianca Hisse “How the Land Lies”. In 2022 she was nominated in Estonian Theatre Awards and received Cristal Shoe Award, which is given to two young performing artists for their first significant stage works.
Keithy Kuuspu (1994) is a performance and dance artist from Tallinn, Estonia. In her practice, she works with mundane structures and with the influences that society has on individuals, often through ironical and naive perspective. She is particularly interested in manipulating with time and space, slowing down oneself and processes before and after the result. Connecting visual and performance art and search for connections between the body and material has an important place in her creation. Last plays she directed were PAUS ISTU MINE (STL, 2023), Estonian Pavilion “Home Stage” in Venice architecture biennale 2023 (with Liisa Saaremäel), False Falling (STL, 2021) and Body Slam (with Liisa Saaremäel, 2022). Recently she performed in Tiit Ojasoo & Ene-Liis Semper performance “72 days”, in Jarkko Partanen & Anni Klein “Fluids” (WAUHAUS, STL) and in Laura Cemin & Bianca Hisse “How the Land Lies”. In 2022 she was nominated in Estonian Theatre Awards and received Cristal Shoe Award, which is given to two young performing artists for their first significant stage works.
CV
Name: KEITHY KUUSPU
Date of birth: 24.11.1994
Email: keithykuuspu@hotmail.com
Nationality: Estonian
GENERAL STUDIES
2021-... Estonian Academy of Arts, design & crafts programme, ceramics MA
2019 – 2021 Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Contemporary Physical Performance Making MA
2016 – 2019 Tallinn University, Baltic Film, Media and Arts School, dance studies BA
AS DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER
2023 Venice Architecture Biennale 2023 (performance in Estonian pavilion, Venice, Italy)
2023 „Paus istu mine“ (Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava STL, Tallinn, Estonia)
2022 Performance/exhibition „ihu ramm / Body Slam“
- Estonia, Tallinn (ARS project room, 2022)
- Estonia, Maardu (Maardu Dekennaal, 2022)
2021 Performance „Läbi kukkumine“ („False Falling“) (Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava, STL, Tallinn, Estonia)
- Estonia, Tallinn (Art Museum of Estonia, 2023)
- Lithuania, Vilnius (Vilnius Biennale of Performance Art, 2023)
2020 In collaboration with Peader Kirk and Simona Gonella „KUHU MINEK. Where do we go
from here“ (CPPM, Kanuti Gildi Saal, Elektron.live, Tallinn, Estonia)
2019 Performance “Lust“ (Kanuti Gildi SAAL, Tallinn, Estonia)
- Estonia, Viljandi (Viljandi Dance Week, 2019)
2017 Performance “Please“ (Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia)
- Lithuania, Vilnius (LMTA Theatre days, 2019)
- Estonia, Hiiumaa (Hiiumaa dancefestival, 2017)
AS A DANCER/PERFORMER
2022 Bianca Hisse and Laura Cemin „How the Land Lies“
- Finland, Helsinki (Kiasma, 2023)
- Estonia, Tallinn (STL, 2023)
- Ireland, Dublin (Aerowaves, 2023)
- Sweden, Örebro (Open Art, 2022)
2022 Tiit Ojasoo & Ene-Liis Semper „72 days“ (Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Tallinn, Estonia)
- Germany, Hamburg (Lessingtage festival in Thalia Theatre, 2023)
- Estonia, Tartu (Draama festival, 2022)
- Estonia, Rakvere (Balto Scandal festival, 2022)
2019-... WAUHAUS Fluids performance by Jarkko Partanen and Anni Klein (Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava, Estonia, Tallinn)
- Germany, Cologne (Theaterszene europa festival, 2023)
- France, Paris (Paris Lete festival, 2023)
- Finland, Tampere (Tellaka Open Border, 2022)
- Finland, Helsinki (Ice Hot Nordic Dance platform, 2022)
- Ireland, Cork (Quarter Block Party, 2020)
- Finland, Turku (XS – Festival for New Dance and Performance, 2019)
2021 Iveta Pole: Bee Matter (performance was part of CPPM Manifestal festival and performed at Kanuti Gildi Hall)
2021 Paolo Panizza: Pour Toi (performance was part of CPPM Manifestal festival and performed at EMTA black box)
2020 eˉlektron commissioned works: Henri Hütt & Algorütmid „Killer image“
OTHER WORK AS AN ARTIST/TEACHER
2018-... Battlejämm dance and performance battle (director, curator)
2023 Lecturer in Tallinn University BFM, choreography curriculum
2022 Lecturer in Estonian Academy of Arts, design department
2022 KUMU reiv (curator of the performance program)
RESIDENCY
2023 December Zodiak Laboratory (Finland, Helsinki)
2023 January Kutomo (Finland, Turku)
2021 September Giacomo Veronesi workshop/project „Seagull by Anton Chekhov“ (Italy, Puglia)
2020 February Kanuti Gildi SAAL (Estonia, Tallinn)
AWARDS
ESTONIAN THEATRE AWARDS 2022
NOMINATION IN PERFORMANCE ART CATEGORY: “Standstill” (STL)
ESTONIAN THEATRE AWARDS 2022
CRYSTAL SHOE - Interdisciplinary search in contemporary dance and performing arts as a director ( False Falling ), a research artist ( residency in Kanuti Gildi SAAL ) and a performer ( International projects 2019-2021 )
NOMINATION IN DANCE PERFORMANCE CATEGORY: „False Falling“ (STL)