FLORA FAUNA PROJECT:
PRAYING POSITIONS/METAMORPHOSIS
SATURDAY, MARCH 15, AT 2:00 PM
Public space in downtown Vaasa
A performance that brings to life transformation and evolution—the ongoing processes of life since the dawn of time. Change is often feared, as it can appear painful or challenging on a personal level.
The choreographic score was born from a process in which Maria Nilsson Waller, after 20 years in dance, sought to understand, befriend, and heal her own body. By practicing deep listening, tracing the marks left by pain, releasing tensions accumulated over time, and exploring the physical states of various emotions, the piece began to take shape. Another way to describe this is to see the body’s instinctive needs and expressions as a kind of prayer—a prayer where the body belongs to nature and the ever-changing cycle of life.
Praying Positions/Metamorphosis was created over several years, with its choreography distilled into a movement score that anyone can follow. The original music, composed by The Sei, along with the dance instructions, will be released in 2025 by Paragon Records.
The piece premiered at the Tipperary Dance Platform in 2020 and was selected by Oona Doherty for Dance Umbrella London’s online showcase in 2021. In 2023, it was performed at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin as part of the Lent program and has toured theaters, festivals, and various church spaces. In 2025, a reimagined version for a group and public space will be presented for the first time during the Pohjanmaa Dances event in Vaasa.
Photo: Maria Nilsson Waller