Pauliina Räsänen
Encyclopedia
Tuuli Pauliina Räsänen is a circus performer and actress from Finland
. Her career jump-started when she was invited to perform as the first Scandinavian soloist with Cirque du Soleil
. She was awarded a five-year grant from Finland's Central Commission of Arts. She has succeeded in establishing her career in the international market.
, aerial silk and aerial hoop
. She also performs a hand-to-hand acrobatic act with her Russian partner, Viatcheslav Volkov (born 9 February 1976 in Yaroslavl
), a former World Champion of Sport Acrobatics.
, where she trained under their performing arts coaches. Pauliina graduated with a difficult routine of swinging trapeze including an original skill, in which she intentionally dislocates her shoulders while executing a salto around the bar. Cirque du Soleil
signed her up as their first Scadinavian artist, to perform in their production Alegría. She toured with Cirque du Soleil for 5 years until she decided to leave in pursuit of other goals.
While in Cirque du Soleil, Pauliina met her future partner Viatcheslav (Slava) Volkov from Russia. The couple found they shared similar visions in personal life as well as in acrobatics. Together they created a hand-to-hand acrobatic act combining elements of dance, acting, and high-level acrobatics. Their performance music is composed by French accordionist Corinne Kuzma. At the moment the couple lives in Kustavi
, a small city in the Southern Archipelago of Finland, and regularly performs in European theaters.
Räsänen and Volkov are currently filming a feature film, Circus Fantasticus for Staragara production. Pauliina was also awarded a 5-year grant from the Finnish Central Commission of Arts to continue her artistic goals in Finland.
Performances on stage
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Her career jump-started when she was invited to perform as the first Scandinavian soloist with Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
. She was awarded a five-year grant from Finland's Central Commission of Arts. She has succeeded in establishing her career in the international market.
Speciality
Her special skills include aerial acrobatics such as swinging trapezeTrapeze
A trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances...
, aerial silk and aerial hoop
Aerial Hoop
The aerial hoop is a circular steel apparatus suspended from the ceiling, on which circus artists may perform aerial acrobatics. The hoop sometimes has a hand loop and a bar across the top...
. She also performs a hand-to-hand acrobatic act with her Russian partner, Viatcheslav Volkov (born 9 February 1976 in Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historical part of the city, a World Heritage Site, is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl Rivers. It is one of the Golden Ring cities, a group of historic cities...
), a former World Champion of Sport Acrobatics.
Career
Pauliina Räsänen started ballet, painting and gymnastics at a very young age. However, her interests lay more in arts than in competition. She enrolled in the Performing Arts High School of Tampere pursuing her acting, improvisation, and speech. After high school she was accepted into the National Circus School of MontrealÉcole nationale de cirque
The National Circus School is a professional circus school located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is a school for higher education in arts; after the great schools of music, dance and theatre, the NCS also offers academic subjects at the secondary and college levels...
, where she trained under their performing arts coaches. Pauliina graduated with a difficult routine of swinging trapeze including an original skill, in which she intentionally dislocates her shoulders while executing a salto around the bar. Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
signed her up as their first Scadinavian artist, to perform in their production Alegría. She toured with Cirque du Soleil for 5 years until she decided to leave in pursuit of other goals.
While in Cirque du Soleil, Pauliina met her future partner Viatcheslav (Slava) Volkov from Russia. The couple found they shared similar visions in personal life as well as in acrobatics. Together they created a hand-to-hand acrobatic act combining elements of dance, acting, and high-level acrobatics. Their performance music is composed by French accordionist Corinne Kuzma. At the moment the couple lives in Kustavi
Kustavi
Kustavi is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
, a small city in the Southern Archipelago of Finland, and regularly performs in European theaters.
Räsänen and Volkov are currently filming a feature film, Circus Fantasticus for Staragara production. Pauliina was also awarded a 5-year grant from the Finnish Central Commission of Arts to continue her artistic goals in Finland.
ArtTeatro
Räsänen and Volkov own their own Finland-based circus arts company and agency, ArtTeatro Ltd. Its goal is to create intimate, touching, and high-level shows in a family-like atmosphere combining theater and circus arts. Their new show, Cirque Dracula, will be performed as part of the Turku Culture Capital Event in 2011. The cast includes international performers and singers from Europe and Canada.Awards
- 2008, 5-year grant from Finnish Central Commission of Arts to support Pauliina's artistic projects
- 2008, Yellow Crane Prize, Bronze Medal, at Wuhan International Acrobatic Arts Festival in China
Performances
Film and TV credits- 2010 Circus FantasticusSilent SonataSilent Sonata is a 2011 Slovenian drama film directed by Janez Burger and has no dialogue. The main producers are the Slovene Stara Gara and the Irish Fastnet Films. Silent Sonata is the first official Slovene-Irish-Swedish-Finnish co-production and was shot in 35 days in Slovenia and Ireland. The...
, feature film by Janez Burger; role Angela - 2007 Hitachi, Commercial for TV and internet; role Spiderwoman, Hong Kong
- 2007 A Leap From the Trapeze, documentary movie by Juha Ikavalko, YLE TV1YLE TV1YLE TV1 is a Finnish television channel owned and operated by Finnish public broadcaster Yleisradio. It is the first and oldest Television channel in Finland. More than 70% of channel's programs are documentaries, news or educative programmes...
- 2007 France 24France 24France 24 is an international news and current affairs television channel. The service is aimed at the overseas market, similar to BBC World News, DW-TV, NHK World and RT, and broadcast through satellite and cable operators throughout the world. During 2010 the channel started broadcasting through...
, "A day with Pauliina", Interview and performance; Paris - 2007 Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
Finals, Interval Act with ApocalypticaApocalypticaApocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso and drummer Mikko Sirén...
; role trapeze artist; Helsinki - 2007 Huomenta Suomi morning TV, MTV3; role guest; Helsinki
- 2006 Ihana Aamu morning TV, MTV3; role guest; Helsinki
- 2005 Alegría 2, Cirque du Soleil film; role principal trapeze dancer; Japan
- 2007 Markku’s Eurovision TV, SubTV; role guest; Helsinki
- 2002 Balancing, a short film by Orlando Wills; role circus artist; Canada
- 2002 Diesel Gasoline Commercial; role Bond Girl; Finland
- 1998 Fire-Eater, feature film; Finland; role stunt performer
- 1999 McDonald’s Commercial; role circus artist; Canada
Performances on stage
- 2008 Seven Brothers musical; role Maiden, Venla; Aerial, Hand to Hand; Finland
- 2008 Variete Krystallpalast, Hand to Hand, Character; Germany
- 2008 Variete GOP; Hand to Hand, Solo Trapeze, Character; Germany
- 2007 Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
Finals, Interval Act with ApocalypticaApocalypticaApocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso and drummer Mikko Sirén...
; Helsinki - 2007 Exxonmobil Special Event, Hand to Hand; India
- 2007-2002 Cirque du SoleilCirque du SoleilCirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
Alegría; Solo Trapeze, Character; World Tour - 2001 Cirque ÉloizeCirque ÉloizeCirque Éloize is a Quebec-based nouveau cirque troupe. It was founded in 1993 by Jeannot Painchaud, Daniel Cyr and Julie Hamelin. Having created seven original productions so far, it has presented more than 3000 performances in more than 375 cities and 30 countries...
Cirque Orchestra; Aerial Silk, Hand to Hand