How do you define a step? Is it by its length, its spatial breadth? Or is it by time, the time a step takes? How do you define the direction of the step? Is it by the relationship between space and the one who moves? Or can a step be directed in thought towards an as yet undefined final destination?
If the will is the starting point, what is the direction? Do I take the steps I really want to take, or does my route turn out to be completely different from the one I first imagined? Who influences my route, the speed at which I walk? Am I going faster or slower than I think? Am I walking at a different pace to my body or my mind? Where would I go if I were true to my intuition?
When I see others walking, I hear music. It is a sharp and clear rhythm. But when I look closely, the deafening steps are uncertain, the rhythm unsteady and the directions unknown.
In Matching Steps, Carl Knif continues to explore the connections between classical music and contemporary dance. The performance is related to his previous works Fugue in Two Colors (2020) and Sessions (2022), in which the issues of contemporary human life were framed by classical compositions.
Matching Steps is based on Clapping Music (1972) by Steve Reich, combined with newly written music by Janne Hast. The opening performance of Clapping Music is followed by several sections of clapping inspired by Clapping Music.
Matching Steps takes the step and the walk as its choreographic starting point, exploring walking as an existential act, as the origin of thought – and defining the body as the source of music and movement, as an instrument of thought.
Duration: 1h
Premiere: 2 October 2025, Finnish National Opera and Ballet
Working group
Choreography, concept: Carl Knif
Dancers: Jonna Aaltonen, Olli Lautiola, Riku Lehtopolku, Saara Töyrylä, Terhi Vaimala, Eero Vesterinen
Scenography, light design: Jukka Huitila
Sound design: Janne Hast
Music: Steve Reich (Clapping Music)
Costume design: Ervin Latimer
Fabric design: Yoon Kim
Seamstress: Nina Ukkonen
Producer: Marjo Pyykönen
Communications: Essi Brunberg
Production: Carl Knif Company
Photos: Cata Portin
Supported by: Arts Promotion Centre Finland, City of Helsinki, Konstsamfundet, Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, William Thurings stiftelse
Performances
28 April 2026 kl. 19
29 April 2026 kl. 19
Erkko Hall, Dance House Helsinki
Tickets €24–49
“With a masterful and mature approach, [Carl Knif] creates a suite interwoven with changing scenes. They give a strong impression of experimentation and development, even though everything is fundamentally well thought out and carefully balanced.
One could describe the approach as thinking in and through movement. The minimalism of these selected themes and their variations definitely make the whole more than the sum of its parts, and create a multifaceted and moving experience with room for personal interpretation.”
“This is the result of long-term ensemble work that is visible, palpable and creates tangible added value.”
“Matching Steps is a stylish performance in which every step feels carefully calculated. The impressive dance artistry follows a strict choreography, and the dancers feel like dolls following choreographer Carl Knif’s masterful plan.
[…] The combination of emotion and reason is breathtaking. The dancers’ expressive movements evoke a sense of delight, while at the same time, especially in the beginning, it feels like a mathematical exercise. In his choreography, Carl Knif explores the very definition of a step, and one can only conclude that the ensemble delivers exactly what is promised: matching steps.”
“Hast’s electronic ambient soundscape, together with Reich’s austere rhythmic work, creates a rich foundation for the performance, which is multifaceted on many levels, both in terms of interpretation and expression.”
“The choreography mixes styles and impulses without losing its through line. Sometimes it is more austere and sometimes more playful, sometimes reminding me of martial arts and sometimes of flamenco. The dancers … are a well-functioning ensemble that works with a collective timing that makes the sharp transitions possible.”
“For me, it sparked greater reflections on physicality, rhythm and movement. From clapping to moments where the dancers’ breathing becomes rhythm, the body gains a voice of its own that is more than just footsteps.”
“Profound thinking and primeval expression come together in Carl Knif Company’s magnificent dance piece […] a very empowering work.”
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