På tå hev

På tå hev is the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet’s national youth outreach program. 30 young dancers from 16 schools across eight counties have had the opportunity to challenge themselves through intensive training at the Opera House. 

Now, they come together on Stage 2 to present three new works – created by Youngseo Ko, Samantha Lynch and Igor Vieira. All three choreographers are affiliated with the Norwegian National Ballet – Lynch and Ko as soloist and dancer, and Vieira as ballet master. 

…and dust by Igor Vieira 

What are we really made of? In …and dust, Igor Vieira draws inspiration from astronomer Carl Sagan’s vision that we are made of star dust – but also of thoughts, emotions, and memories – a blend of matter and the invisible, shaped through movement. 

The piece takes the audience on a journey inspired by the cycle of a supernova – from fusion to explosion and rebirth. Harmonized movements tell the story of a new system taking shape. The intensity builds, but along the way, pauses and silence emerge, reminding us that growth also requires rest and stillness. 

Finally, energy is released in an explosion: a star is born, and a new universe takes form. 

<<CHI-da>> by Youngseo Ko 

Youngseo Ko draws inspiration from African traditional music in <<CHI-da>>. The work is based on a composition by Minji Choi, with whom Ko also collaborated to create UZoo for the digital dance platform Prosess.Dans in 2023. 

– When I first heard Choi’s piece, I was reminded of a hidden place deep within nature – unknown to humankind – and I felt compelled to portray the stories of the living beings that inhabit such a world. To me, the drum is more than rhythm; it embodies messages of life, community, birth and resistance, says Ko. 

Through the dancers – young women on the threshold of adulthood – these stories take shape in a work that highlights both individuality and harmony. 

– This is the first time I’ve worked with girls aged 17 and 18, and the process has been incredibly inspiring. I am constantly moved by their passion, which drives me to strive for the best possible outcome together, says Ko.  

We sat here once by Samantha Lynch  

Samantha Lynch made her choreographic debut on the Main Stage in 2021, and since then, several of the world’s leading ballet companies have commissioned works from her. For the Norwegian National Ballet, she has created energetic pieces such as COUCH (2023) – featuring two dancers and one couch. In We sat here once, she continues to explore the relationship between body and object, this time with nine dancers and a bench that moves through the space like a kind of wandering house. 

The work explores the sense of community that arises when different bodies and backgrounds meet. The dancers come from various schools and traditions but move with a shared energy that allows for both warmth and strength.  

– The dancers are truly a cohesive team, and I’ve been inspired by how they interpret my movement language, says Lynch. – I’m impressed by how far they’ve come, and I’ve learned so much from working with them.