About the performance
WHITEOUT – a thought-provoking and life-affirming dance performance about loss. When you find yourself in an Arctic whiteout – a natural phenomenon where snow swirls around, and everything turns white – you may experience a sensation similar to grief: any sense of direction disappears.
WHITEOUT delves into the painful longing, unbearable thoughts, shame, and taboos surrounding suicide. On the other side of a whiteout, which demands introspection and reflection, you find yourself re-anchored in the world – we reconnect and create bonds across divides.
The performance sheds an important light on a topic that we, as outsiders, must not shy away from. At the same time, it explores the life-affirming aspects that the bereaved often speak of: the ability to reflect on the value of relationships and communities, and, above all, the gratitude for having known someone.
In WHITEOUT, grief and longing are embodied, but so are hope, strength, and faith in the power and meaning of life.
About the Artist
Sarah Aviaja Hammeken (DK/GL) is the founder of AVIAJA Dance, a platform where she explores and develops her choreographic practice. Her artistic journey is driven by a profound interest in the intersection of the physical body, dance, and society, often drawing inspiration from her Inuit (Greenlandic) heritage.
In 2023, after spending several years abroad, she brought SILA to life at The National Theatre of Greenland, followed by its Danish premiere at Dansekapellet, marking her return to the Danish art scene. SILA was showcased at ICEHOT in Oslo in 2024.
In 2024, Hammeken created two new works: SOIL, commissioned by KW Institute for Contemporary Art and premiered during Berlin Art Week 2024, and Speech/less, an interactive dance performance produced by Dansehallerne as part of their KORA program. Her accomplishments earned her a spot in the ‘Young Artistic Elite’ career program for 2024–2025, awarded by the Danish Arts Foundation.
Artistic team
Idea, Concept and Choreography Sarah Aviaja Hammeken
Assistant Choreographer Amanda Rubio Sánchez
Dancers Amanda Rubio Sánchez, Elias Khanamidi, Eydís Rose Vilmundardóttir, Márton Debreczenyi
Composer Gerth Lyberth
Light Design Brian Cord’homme
Dramaturgical Consultant Siri Paulsen
Costume Design Parnuuna Kristiane Thornwood
Photographer Amalie Ivalo Hammeken
Photographer and Videomaker Ena Kurtagic Granulo
Administration Jens Christian Jensen
Professional Consultants Paarisa and DRISP, Danish Research Institute for Suicide Prevention.
Co-production Dansehallerne, Nunatta Isiginnaartitsisarfia/ The National Theatre of Greenland, Nordic House in the Faroe Islands
Supported by The Danish Arts Foundation’s Project Support Committee for Performing Arts, Knud Højgaard’s Foundation, NAPA, Wilhelm Hansen Foundation, Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen’s Foundation, Beckett Foundation, William Demant Foundation, Augustinus Foundation, Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen - Kulturpulje til projekter mellem Grønland og Danmark, Nordic Culture Fund.
Practical info
Date and time
4.2.2025, 20:00
6.2.2025, 20:00
7.2.2025, 20:00
8.2.2025, 17:00
Duration and stage 1 hour / Blackboxen
Dansehallerne’s Address
Franciska Clausens Plads 27, 1799 Copenhagen V
About Dansehallerne
Dansehallerne is a national center for dance and choreography. Our focus lies in presenting and co-producing Danish and international productions for all ages. We are a gathering point for passionate dance audiences and professionals. From our center, we communicate professional knowledge of the art of dance, and we drive discussions about all aspects of the art of dance, at an intermediate level and in-depth.
Being a national center, as well as a gathering point for the local and international communities, we continuously work to ensure the best possible settings for artistic production and for the audience’s encounter with the art of dance. Every year, people from all around the country can experience the best that dance has to offer.
And for several hundred artists, Dansehallerne is the yearround base and interface for professional activities within the field of dance.
Annual pas s
With an annual pass to Dansehallerne, you'll never have to wonder which performances to choose - you'll enjoy unlimited access to all of them.
Additionally, you can always bring a friend for free, access exclusive events & much more. A more than ideal present for yourself or someone you care for �� Get it here