Selection process
The artistic selection process for Ice Hot Helsinki 2022 is guided by our Sustainability Policy.

We aim for having a transparent, flexible and multi-voiced selection process that is aware of the variety within the Nordic dance ecosystem and recognizing its marginalized communities. We aim to be rid of geographical and cultural blind spots, ensuring that everyone gets seen in the selection process. Read more in our SUSTAINABILITY POLICY.
We aim for selecting artists rather than works to the artistic programme of Ice Hot. This means considering artists and companies in the context of their careers and their body of work. We want to emphasize the importance of the open call, as it gives artists equal opportunities to be seen in the selection process. The artistic programme will mainly be assembled from applications, but the jury will keep the door open for inviting artists who did not apply.
We ask that artists and companies apply with a specific proposal in mind. However, the jury may propose and discuss with the applicant that another work would be presented instead. The jury may also decide to offer the applicant a slot in another category than what they applied to. It is important for us that the artists and companies that are selected to the artistic programme, get presented in the best possible circumstances and framework for them to build on their careers.
The selections will be based on the availability of venues and consider a geographical balance between the Nordic countries.
The jury
The artistic selections for Ice Hot Helsinki 2022 are made by a jury consisting of five curators, one from each Nordic country. The curators are responsible for the final selections in collaboration with the platform organizer. Read more about the GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE JURY.
We as Ice Hot partners want to be responsible for the artistic programme that we present in the platform. We also want to offer additional presenting opportunities for the artists and companies we select in our own venues and networks. Therefore the curators for Ice Hot Helsinki 2022 are the artistic directors and programmers of Ice Hot partner organisations or organisations associated to them:
Mikael Aaltonen
Dance House Helsinki
Danjel Andersson
Dansehallerne Denmark
Ólöf Ingólfsdóttir
Iceland
Samme Raeymaekers
Dansens Hus Oslo
Johannes Öhman
Dansens Hus Stockholm
The curators are assisted in their work by one co-curator each. Through inviting co-curators to work on the programme we expect a transfer of knowledge between people with different experiences, which in turn will lead to a wider perspective on the artistic field in each country and more diverse programming of Ice Hot.
Co-curators for Ice Hot Helsinki 2022 are:
Thjerza Balaj
Denmark
Kara Hergils
Iceland
Riikka Thitz
Finland
Irene Vesterhus Theisen
Norway
Rasmus Ölme
Sweden
In addition, each curator will have a dialogue with national advisers in their respective countries during the selection process. This dialogue will look different in every country, but its purpose is to spread the call for applications to the furthest corners of each country and to ensure the widest possible coverage of different national, regional and cultural perspectives.
The national advisers are:
Sweden
Karina Sarkissova (Choreographer, curator), Ninos Josef (Region Gävleborg), Birgit Berndt (Norrlandsoperan), Erik Linghede (Danscentrum Stockholm)
Finland
Sanna Meska (Regional Dance Centre of Western Finland), Antti Lähdesmäki (ITAK – Regional Dance Centre of Eastern Finland), Annika Sillander (Regional Dance Centre of Ostrobothnia)
Norway
Arnhild Staal Pettersen (DansiT), Susanne Næss Nielsen (Dansearena Nord), Runa Norheim (RAS – Regional Arena for Samtidsdans)
Iceland
Tinna Grétarsdóttir (Dansverkstæðið), Friðrik Friðriksson (Tjarnarbíó), Vigdís Jakobsdóttir (Reykjavik Arts Festival), Marta Nordal (Akureyri Theatre)
Denmark
Cher Geurtze (Dansekapellet), Jesper de Neergaard (Bora Bora), Alexander Montgomery-Andersen (Qiajuk Studios)
Policy for Conflict of Interest (Limiting Bias)
If a jury member has a conflict of interest with an applicant and/or application; be it a family-like relation, a co-dependency and /or a conflict, the application will be handled by another country’s selection process and the jury member will not be present in either discussion or decision of the applicant and/or application.