zero visibility corp. 1996 – 2021

The Guest at Dansens Hus, 9th – 12th December, marks zero visibility corp.'s 25th anniversary, but is also the company's farewell performance.

 

On the 17th of December in 1996, the dance company Scirocco (run by Un-Magritt Nordseth and Ina Christel Johannessen) was discontinued with a ceremony at Scenehuset. At the same time, zero visibility corp. (ZVC) was founded by Ina Christel Johannessen together with Jens Setzman (who was an active performer in ZVC until 2003). Ina has, since the beginning, been the artistic and general manager of ZVC and the sole choreographer.

 

With these pages, ZVC aims to give insight into some of the company's activities – to show the scope and extent it has had and the connections it has made both artistically and structurally – to give credit to those who have had significance – and to examine what has been built up and generated over time and now will be let go of.

 

Ina and ZVC have created 24 full works that have involved no less than 70 dancers and 55 creative artists as well as several technicians and an administrative team. The works have varied in size from 2 to 19 dancers. Many of the artistic collaborations have stretched over many years, some throughout the company's lifetime.

 

Since the beginning in 1996, ZVC has both produced and toured internationally as well as nationally, with 398 performances and guest acts in 125 cities in 23 countries. Many other organizations and companies, such as theater houses, venues and festivals with their leaders, nationally and internationally, have been important partners and contributors for the process, realization, range and extent.

 

ZVC's activities have generated work and activity for many, and in return the company has, through all the collaborations, received unique human and artistic investments. There are so many to thank for this. All the names mentioned in the following lists have been of invaluable importance to the company.

THANK YOU!

 

ARTISTIC COLLABORATION

Many artistic collaborations have been long-lasting and fundamental to the company. Set designer Kristin Torp, lighting designer Kyrre Heldal Karlsen and costume designer Kathrine Tolo have all created a large number of creations.

Three female dancers have distinguished themselves throughout ZVC’s history by their dedication and imprint as creative performers: Line Tørmoen, Cecilie Lindeman Steen and Pia Elton Hammer. Line has participated in as many as 21 creations.

 

 

70 dancers in 24 works         alphabetical order

A: Agnese Gabrielli , Alessandra Cozzi , Aleksandra Sende, Anton Borgstrøm, Anne Lise Rønne, Anne Plamondon, Antero Hein, Asher Lev

C: Camilla Spidsøe Cohen, Camilla Neri, Catharina Vehre Gresslien, Cecilie Lindeman Steen, Cecilia Olsen, Chiara Mezzadri, Christopher Auroni, Cilla Roos

D: Daniel Whiley, Daniel Proietto, Dimitri Jourde, Dorotea Saykaly

E: Edhem Jesenkovic, Elena Zagaroli

F: Fan Lou

G: Gaute Grimeland, Giulia Gilera, Gianmaria Girotto, Guro Nagelhus Schia

H: Heine Røsdal Avdal, Hege Holte Østbye, Hugo Marmelada

I: Ida Wigdel

J: Jennie-Elina Von Bagh, Jim De Block, Jon Filip Fahlstrøm, Josef Palm

K: Katarina Eriksson, Kristina Søetorp Wallace, Kristianne Mo

L: Lava Markusson, Lena Meland, Line Tørmoen, Livia Bartolucci, Ludde Hagberg

M: Máté Mészáros, Marianne Albers, Merete Hersvik, Morten Cranner

N: Niccolo Giorgini, Nina Biong

O: Ole Kristian Tangen, Ole Willy Falkhaugen

P: Pablo Ezequel Rizzo, Pär Andersson, Paul Lee, Peter Gardiner, Pia Elton Hammer

S: Sandra Medina, Sanna Söderholm, Sittibansha Bamphen, Sofie Augot, Staffan Eek, Sudesh Adhana

T: Therese Skauge, Terje Tjøme Mossige, Tove Skeidsvoll, Toby Kassel, Torunn Helene Robstad

U: Ulf Nilseng

V: Valtteri Raekallio, Vebjørn Sundby

Y: Yaniv Cohen

Ø: Örjan Andersson

 

Children in FUTURE: Alva, Aksel, Emilie, Lovi, Mikkel, Simian, Tilde, Tuva

 

 

Set design / costume / light:

Bente Rolandsdotter, Chrisander Brun, Daniel Gimle Kolstad, Ellen Ruge, Feng Jiangzhou, Jens Setzman, Kathrine Tolo, Kristin Torp, Kyrre Heldal Karlsen, Nico Benz, Paolo Pollo Rodighere, Patrik Bogård, Zhang Lin, Åsmund Færavaag

 

Composers / musicians / original compositions:

Alexey Devyanin/ Gulstra Artikler, Asuka Nakamura, Bram Bosteels, Christoph De Babylon, Erik Skodvin, Frederik Meulyzer, Koenraad Ecker, Marcus Fjellström, Morten Pettersen, Tommy Jansen, Zoviet*france/Ben Ponton and Mark Warren

 

Photo / video:

Antero Hein, Carl Thorborg, Carina Musk-Andersen, Erik Berg, Vibeke Heide, Yaniv Cohen

 

Technicians:

Alexandra Misztur, Dag Ove Sunde, Leila Berg, Magnar Mork,  Morten Pettersen,  Therese Vågane, Thomas Bruvik, Gunnva Meinseth 

 

 

ADMINISTRATION and MANAGEMENT

ZVC had extensive activity and toured both nationally and internationally even before the company finally received basic founding from Arts Council Norway in 2009. From 1996 to 2009, most of the administrative work was carried out by producer Cathe Sjøblom, in addition to Ina. With the basic founding, the administrative work could be shared by more people and finally also become paid work. The continuity that followed with support over several years made it possible to develop and professionalize the administrative work, and for the past five years, Kirsti Ulvestad has taken responsibility as the company’s general manager.

 

 Administration        order by timeline

Ina Christel Johannessen, Cathe Sjøblom, Cecilie Lindeman Steen, Eirik Fauske, Gunn Hernes, Geir Lindahl, Bruno Heynderix, Lene Bang Henningsen, Linn Eidås, Kyrre Heldal Karlsen, Frans Friis, Kirsti Ulvestad, Nico Benz, Daniel Kolstad Gimle, Mari Baade.      


Board:

Chairpersons: Ina Christel Johannessen, Sindre Jacobsen, Tone Øvrebø Johannessen, Torkel Rønold Bråthen, Cecilie Lindeman Steen, Arne Fagerholt
Board members: Siren Leirvåg, Shanti Brahmachari Wicken, Knut Erik Tveit, Line Tørmoen, Yngvar Julin

 

 

ZERO VISIBILITY ON TOUR - 400 performances, 125 cities, 23 countries

NORWAY: Bergen, Bærum, Grimstad, Hammerfest, Hamar, Haugesund, Horten, Kongsvinger, Molde, Moss, Oslo, Sandefjord, Sandnes, Trondheim, Tromsø, Ålesund + 21 cities on tour with the “Riksteater”

SVALBARD: Longyearbyen

SWEDEN: Arvika, Falkenberg, Gävle, Härnösand, Jönköping, Kungsbacka, Linköping Stockholm, Umeå

FINLAND: Helsinki, Kuopio

DENMARK: Copenhagen, Aarhus

LITHUANIA: Vilnius

ESTONIA: Tallinn

GERMANY: Berlin, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Freiburg, Fulda, Hanover, Leverkusen, Ludwigsburg, Ludwigshafen, Leipzig, Potsdam, Oldenburg, Wolfsburg, Wiesbaden

SWITZERLAND: Winterthur

AUSTRIA: Bregenz

CZECH REPUBLIC: Prague

SERBIA: Belgrade

FRANCE: Avignon, Caen, Dijon, Dunkirk, Draguignan, Fougères, Gap, Lyon, Martigues, Mont-Saint-Aignan, Nantes, Paris, Perreux-sur-Marne, Piedmont Oloronais, Roubaix, Strasbourg, Ville Saint Barthelemy, City of Saint-Quentin

BELGIUM: Bruges, Brussels, Kortrijk

NETHERLANDS: Groningen

UNITED KINGDOM: Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Newcastle, Nottingham

ITALY: Bologna, Florence, Pontedera, Rome, Rovereto, Turin

SPAIN: Barcelona, San Sebastian, Sevilla

PORTUGAL: Evora, Montemor-o-Novo, Viseu, Torres Vedras

CHINA: Beijing, Shanghai

MEXICO: Guanajuato

USA: New York

CANADA: Montreal, Toronto,

AUSTRALIA: Sydney


Since the start in 1996, ZVC has both produced and toured internationally as well as nationally. The Sydney Opera House, Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris, Sadler's Wells in London, Place Des Arts in Montreal, Mercat de Flores in Barcelona, Movimentos in Wolfsburg, Concertgebouw in Bruges, Festival Cervantino in Mexico and Shanghai Arts Center are some of the places where ZVC has performed.

 

The company has had many long-term partners, venues and festivals with their leaders, who have meant a lot to both the production and the process, as well as to the performance- and touring- activities. Through residences and repeated guest acts, relations have been strengthened - both to the place and to the people. Many have been important. We wish to thank:

 

Long term collaborations      order by timeline

Inger Buresund                    Black Box and Hålogaland Teater

Sven Åge Birkeland                BIT Teatergarasjen

Sven Till                         fabrik Potsdam

Sabine Cwalisz                    fabrik Potsdam

Steve Slater                      Tramway, Glasgow

Karene Lyngholm                   Dansens Hus Oslo

Rui Horta                         Espaco do Tempo, Montemor

Un-Magritt Nordseth               Dansens Hus Oslo

Ellen Jørgensen                   The Norwegian Embassy in Paris

Honne Dohrmann                    Oldenburgh Statsteater

Kenneth Kvarnstrøm                Dansens Hus Stockholm and Stockh Stadsteater

John Ashford                      The Place London

Samme Raeymaekers                 Concertgebouw Brugge and Dansens Hus Oslo

Morten Walderhaug                 Bærum Kulturhus

Siri Leonardsen                   Bærum Kulturhus

Jurgen Wilke                      Movimentos Festival Wulfsburg

Mauritzia Settembri               Fabbrica Europa Firenze, Italia

Stephane Ricordel                 Théâtre le Monfort, Paris

Daniel Favier                     La Briqueterie-CDCN du Val de Marne, Paris

Anneli Gardel                     Norrlandsoperaen Umeå

Aja Jung                          Belgrade Dance Festival

Marie Jönsson                     Kungsbacka teater, Region Halland

Karen Sofie Foss                  Carte Blanche

Arne Fagerholt                    Carte Blanche

Bruno Heyderickx                  Carte Blanche

Samme Reymaker                    Dansens Hus Oslo

Arnhild Staal Pedersen            DansiT Trondheim

Ingebord Dugstad Sanders          DansiT Trondheim

 

Important long year collaborations have also been had with the embassies in Beijing, Belgrade, Brussels, London, Montreal, Mexico, Paris and Rome.

 

 

LIST OF CREATIONS    zero visibility corp

1997    except that I would like to be rid of it       

1998    …what do we do now that we´re happy… 

1999    hunt out [reprise]

2000    Suppose this time I see what he saw

2001    Confession time. that cool and immature feeling of total honesty.

2003    ...it´s only a rehearsal

2004    The Terror of Identification

2006    (but) that night I found her very alluring

2006    I have a secret to tell you (please) leave with me

2008    37,7

2008    It was November

2009    THIEF – AFTER – Clip 0 (zero)

2010    NOW SHE KNOWS 

2011   (im)possible

2012    Leave.Two.House

2012    AGAIN…again and again..come again…and again, it might not happen

2014    Terra 0 Motel                                                                       

2015    THE GUEST

2015    piano piano

2016    FUTURE

2017    Frozen Songs

2018    Who told you this room exits?

2019    il Lunedi

2020    WHEN MONDAY CAME

 

 

The public founding from Arts Council Norway has been of great importance to ZVC's activities.

Pre-talk with Ina Christel Johannessen before the performance

En samtale mellom koreograf Ina Christel Johannessen og daglig leder ved Danseinformasjonen og historiker Sigrid Ø. Svendal.

Scene Dansens Hus Bar

Datoer 10. desember 2021 - 17:00

Helga 9.-12. desember spiller zero visibility corp. sin avskjedsforestilling The Guest på Dansens Hus. Kompaniet, ledet av koreograf Ina Christel Johannessen, legges nå ned etter 25 års kunstnerisk virksomhet på grunn av manglende støtte til videre drift. Kompaniet, som ble etablert i 1996, har vært toneangivende både her i landet og internasjonalt, og siden etableringen har kompaniet skapt 24 helaftens verk som har involvert 70 dansere.

For å belyse kompaniets 25 år lange historie inviterer vi publikum og alle interesserte til en forsnakk før forestillingen fredag 10. desember. I denne samtalen vil kunstnerisk leder for kompaniet, Ina Christel Johannessen, sammen med dansehistoriker og daglig leder ved Danseinformasjonen, Sigrid Ø. Svendal, se nærmere på kompaniets historie, kunstnerskapet og de økonomiske og politiske sidene ved kompaniets drift og nedleggelse. Det vil bli vist klipp fra flere av zero visibilty corps produksjoner.

Samtalen er gratis og åpen for alle interesserte.
Forsnakken arrangeres av Danseinformasjonen i samarbeid med visibility corp. og Dansens Hus.

Photo: Nora Angeltveit

HISTORSIK SEMINAR: zvc/Ina Christel Johannessen "25år - 24 verk"

HISTORISK SEMINAR: zero visibility corp./Ina Christel Johannessen "25år - 24 verk"

En unik sjanse til å bli med på et dypdykk inn i ett av Norges fremste dansekompanier – Zero Visibility Corp.

I løpet av 2 timer byr kunstnerisk leder Ina Christel Johannessen, i samtale med Inger Buresund, på en reise gjennom kompaniets virke fra 1997 og frem til idag.

SØNDAG 12 des. 2021 kl. 15.00-17.00

Arrangør: Zero Visibility Corp i samarbeid med Danse- og teatersentrum v/Scenewebarkivet og Dansens Hus

Arrangementet er gratis. NB. Begrenset plass.

LINK FB-arrangement

LINK info på Dansens Hus

..it's only a rehearsal. Photo: Erik Berg

..it's only a rehearsal. Photo: Erik Berg

CURTAIN CALL AFTER 25yrs

After 25 years, the company is disbanding. zero visibility corp. and its artistic director and choreographer Ina Christel Johannessen, have been one of the leading and most influential exponents of dance art in Norway, and even more so internationally. Unfortunately, the company is now bidding us farewell.

zero visibility corp. was founded in 1996 by Ina Christel Johannessen, choreographer and artistic director. After studying choreography at Oslo National Academy of the Arts, Johannessen embarked on her career immediately. This has resulted in more than 70 works, 23 of which have been with ZVC. The company has toured and produced internationally from the very start. Sydney Opera House, Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris, Sadler’s Wells in London, Place Des Arts Montreal, Mercat de Flores in Barcelona, ​​Movimentos in Wolfsburg, Concertgebouw in Bruges, Festival Cervantino in Mexico and Shanghai Arts Centre are some of the venues to which the company has been invited. These works have varied in size from 2 to 19 dancers. Over the course of these 25 years, 52 dancers have appeared on stage for zero visibility, as well as and important and strongly skilled technical, administrative and artistic crew behind the stage.

Photo: Erik Berg

Photo: Erik Berg

WHEN MONDAY CAME - Fabbrica Europa / Florence, Italy

ZVC will perform When Monday Came at Fabbrica Europa, Florence (IT) - Teatro Studio Mila Pierallie Scandicci 9th and 10th of September 2021.

For more information and tickets click here.

What is the human relevance of an encompassing fire? Merely destruction or new possibilities?

This creation is the second in ZVC ongoing trilogy, which has the global climate changes as the overall turning point.

When Monday Came - zero visibility corp./Ina Christel Johannessen

Trailer: Yaniv Cohen

Kathrine Tolo, long-time collaborator and friend passed away

Costume design by Kathrine Tolo from the piece: “Frozen Songs”Photo: Antero Hein/Hein Creations

Costume design by Kathrine Tolo from the piece: “Frozen Songs”

Photo: Antero Hein/Hein Creations

Kathrine Tolo

A long-time collaborator and friend Kathrine Tolo, passed away 18th of August 2021 from long time illness. The collaborations with Ina and zero visibility have resulted in many works over the years. Kathrine did costume design, last time for the piece Frozen Songs which premiered in 2017. The piece has toured nationally and internationally and would still be touring if it hadn’t been for the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are very saddened by her passing away. Her warm-hearted spirit, knowledge and her artistic integrity will live with us in her beautiful work. Our heartfelt condolences and thoughts go out to Kathrine’s family and friends.

WHEN MONDAY CAME - Hamar Kulturhus

ZVC will perform When Monday Came at Hamar Kulturhus 26 of August 2021

For more information and tickets click here.

What is the human relevance of an encompassing fire? Merely destruction or new possibilities?

This creation is the second in ZVC ongoing trilogy, which has the global climate changes as the overall turning point.

When Monday Came - zero visibility corp./Ina Christel Johannessen

Trailer: Yaniv Cohen

Back on stage again!

After a long period of cancelled performances and planned touring that we have had to prolong due to the COVID-19 pandemic, zero visibility is back with their last premiere form 2020, “When Monday Came”.

In the end of august and the beginning of September we will perform the piece again and we are really looking forward to being able to do that for a Norwegian and international audience.

For more information when and where the performances take place, take a look in our calendar (here).  

Cancellation due to COVID-19

Unfortunately we had to cancel the performances at Fossekleiva Museum during this weekend due to the outburst of COVID-19 in some regions of Norway.

Luckily we managed to get together an artist-talk between Christian Houge and Ina Christel Johannessen.

Take a look at Houge’s website to see more of his project.

We leave with you the trailer from the piece we premiered last February. 

“When Monday Came”

Trailer by: Yaniv Cohen

ZVC/ICJ & Christian Houge at Fossekleiva Kultursenter

Photo: Christian Houge “Residence of Impermanence”

Photo: Christian Houge “Residence of Impermanence”

zero visibility corp./Ina Christel Johannessen is collaborating with Christian Houge.

During the opening weekend of Houge’s exbebition “Residence of Impermanance” at Fossekleiva Kultursenter will Line Tørmoen (dancer) and Tommy Jansen (musician) perform an extract from the performance “When Monday Came” by Ina Christel Johannesen, world premiere at Dansens Hus, Oslo February 2020.

The showings will happen Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th of November.

Photo: Yaniv Cohen “When Monday Came”

Photo: Yaniv Cohen “When Monday Came”

"It is heading towards closure"

Photo: Erik Berg

Photo: Erik Berg

«It is heading towards closure»

- Ina Christel Johannessen (Dagsavisen 8th of oct 2020)

 

Seven of the most prominent Norwegian companies is heading towards an even more unsure future, due to the Norwegian Art Council’s decision of cutting there fundings for the up-coming years.

The companies are now confronted with not getting the support from the art council. Norway as a trending export of dace as art is now risking loosing seven world renowned and critically acclaimed companies both nationally and internationally.

Years of establishing and professionalizing art in Norway on the demand form the Ministry of Culture and the art council it self is now being «awarded» with cutting all their support.

Unfortunately zero visibility corp. is on of those companies together with:

Heine Avdal & Yukiko Shinozaki / fieldworks

Goksøyr & Martens

Jo Strømgren Kompani

Ingun Bjørnsgaard Prosjekt

Verdensteatret

winter guests / Alan Lucien Øyen

Ina Christel Johannessen has been supported by the arts council since 1986-88 with the company Sirocco and then later on with zero visibility corp. Her first international breakthrough came as early as in 1994, together with co-producing theaters. The company’s work has been groundbreaking in the contemporary dance scene in Norway and internationally ever since. The duet ..it’s only a rehearsal received world renowned success in 2003 and has been performed for over a decade, last time in 2016 in Germany.

The last years the company and Ina has been occupied with thematics of the climate and environmental changes. ZVC has been touring Norway and Europe with the piece «Frozen Songs», as well as creating new productions and touring earlier works made by the company. 

CANCELLATIONS OF UPCOMING TOURS - SPRING 2020

Due to the outbreak of the Corona virus, and the following dramatic consequences, the following tours have been cancelled:

FROZEN SONGS:

  • Dansens Hus, Stockholm - 1st -2nd of April 2020

  • Hans Otto Theater, Potsdam - 21st May 2020

WHEN MONDAY CAME:

  • Fabbrica Europa, Florence - 9th - 10th June 2020

We are, together with the programming venues, working on finding other available periods in the upcoming season.