CV
Siim Tõniste
Siim Tõniste is a Tallinn based freelance choreographer, director and performer. He has a graduate degree in directing and choreography from Tallinn University (2013). In addition he has studied journalism and public relations in The University of Tartu and dance in The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. He is a producer at Vaba Vorm, a production platform for tackling social issues through performing art.
He has several collaborations with Üüve-Lydia Toompere, recently they developed a participatory social choreography performance “supersocial” (co-production by Kanuti Gildi SAAL), which is often accompanied by a workshop of the same name. It has been performed around Estonia. It also won the recidency prize of Fast Forward - Europäisches Festival für junge Regie and toured Dresden, Germany in summer 2021.
His next collaborations will be with Tallinn Art Hall and Paide theatre.
He is also a teacher of dance and theatre. Recently he has taken up writing and has been published in literary magazines in Estonia
Education:
Tallinn University, MA in directing and choreographing, 2013
Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, MA studies in choreography, Erasmus scholarship , 2011
University of Tartu, BA, journalism and public relations, incomplete studies
Courses and workshops:
Drakadeemia, screenplay writing course, 2018
Vaba Lava Tallinn & Institute of New Theatre, Riga, Theatre Expanded Artistic Intervention courses, 2018
New Theatre Institute of Latvia, Collective Dramaturgies workshop for Baltic dance makers by Aujke Verhoog (Amsterdam) and Mala Kline (Brussels/Ljubljana), 2017
Drakadeemia, short stories writing course by Piret Jaaks, 2017
Works and collaborations:
'FAKERZ', autumn 2021
a dance performance of fake feathers on your skin
a Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava production
director-choreographer: Sveta Grigorjeva
dancers: Üüve-Lydia Toompere, Julia Koneva, Helena Pihel, Siim Tõniste,
Kaie Küünal, Rauno Zubko & Indrek Kornel
light desing: Karolin Tamm
composer: Alvin Raat
set and costume desing: Mara Kirchberg
dramaturg: Kerli Ever
'Uhkusasi' (A Thing of Pride'), spring 2021
a 3-week community research in Paide &
a pop-up exhibition showcasing personal objects of citizens of Paide
a Paide theatre prodction
by Siim Tõniste and Üüve-Lydia Toompere
'Kesseeon?' ('Whosthis?'), spring 2021
a short online performance at Made in Estonia Maraton @ e‾lektron
by Siim Tõniste
'supersocial', autumn 2020
a participatory performance of social choreography
a Kanuti Gildi SAAL coproduction
authors and directors: Siim Tõniste and Üüve-Lydia Toompere
Performers: Maryn Liis Rüütelmaa, Üüve-Lydia Toompere, Siim Tõniste and the audience
Sound design and DJ: Dillon Suhterland
Set desing: Mari Škerin
Light design and technical solutions: Henry Kasch
Project manager: Kaie Küünal
'Suur Siberimaa', spring 2020
an Estonian Drama Theatre production
author: Jaan Undusk
director: Hendrik Toompere
choreographer: Siim Tõniste
'Dear Algorithm', spring 2020
Tallinna Art Hall
exhibition and interactvie video installation by Laura Kuusk
choreographer: Üüve-Lydia Toompere
dancers: Siim Tõniste, Laura Cemini, Üüve-Lydia Toompere
'Beautiful People', fall 2019
a Tartu New Teater production
author and director: Piret Jaaks
movement dramaturge: Siim Tõniste
set design: Gabriela Liivamägi
performed by: Roland Laos or Siim Tõniste, Helgur Rosenthal, Henessi Schmidt, Katrin Pärn
'The Predator', spring 2019
a VAT theatre production
director and author: Helen Rekkor
movement dramaturge: Siim Tõniste
set desing: Pille Kose
performed by Kaisa Selde, Ago Soots, Meelis Põdersoo, Maarja Tammemägi, Liisu Krass
'The Cloud Opera or the Dido problem', spring 2019
a Vaba Lava curated program perfromnace
by Liina Keevallik and Christina Batman
directed by Mart Kampus
performed by Siim Tõniste, Liina Vahtrik, Christina Batman, Lauri Saatpalu
'How to say yes?', spring 2019
a touring sex ed performance by Tiina Sööt
production: Vaba Vorm, Nele Laos & Siim Tõniste
'Things that didn't work out', fall 2018
a stand-up perfromance at Vaba Lava Hackaton
authors: Kaisa Selde, Piret Jaaks, Siim Tõniste
perfromed by Kaisa Selde and Siim Tõniste
co-production: Vaba Vorm
'Dancing Democracies', summer 2018
A three-week residency in TantsuRUUM in Tallinn
'Suhtlen, järelikult olen!', summer 2018
NUKU theatre studio production
Director: Mihkel Tikerpalu
Choreographers: Siim Tõniste and Kaisa Selde
Performers: NUKU theatre studio graduates.
Plan T, spring 2018
A co-production by Kanuti Gildi SAAL and Vaba Vorm
Authors: Siim Tõniste, Üüve-Lydia Toompere, Piret Jaaks
Directors: Siim Tõniste, Üüve-Lydia Toompere
Dramaturgy: Piret Jaaks
Set designer: Inna Fleiser
Sound designer: DJ Mixer
Light designer: Oliver Kulpsoo
Performers: Üüve-Lydia Toompere, Siim Tõniste, Katariina Kuusaru.
Texts read by Kaisa Selde (NUKU), Andres Roosileht (NUKU), Franz Malmsten, Doris Tislar.
Set designer's assistant: Mari Hinn
Production assistant: Kaie Küünal
'New Year's Boy', spring 2018
Installation and performance at Tallinn Art Hall
exhibited at “The State is not a Work of Art” curated by Katerina Gregos
Author: Jaanus Samma
Choreography: Siim Tõniste
'Lindikava', fall 2017
A short story by Siim Tõniste
published in Värske Rõhk magazine
'Kõik normaalsed inimesed - KNI', fall 2017
A Polygon Theatre production at Vaba Lava
director: Tamur Tohver
choreographer: Siim Tõniste
sound designer: Maitre Bane
set designer: Kalju Kivi
'Perplex', spring 2017
A Polygon Theatre production
director: Tamur Tohver
choreographer: Siim Tõniste
sound designer: Mart Soo
set designer: Alice Hasselbach
'Firebugs', winter 2017
A Vaba Lava curated programme production
directors: Siim Tõniste ja Sveta Grigorjeva
performers: Siim Tõniste, Sveta Grigorjeva,
Riina Ausmaa, Ajjar Ausmaa
sound designer: Artyom Astrov
set designer: Arthur Arula
'Flying Dutchman', fall 2016
A production of the Estonian National Opera
Director: Pamela Recinella
Set designer: Yannis Thavoris
Light designer: Matt Haskins
Choreographer: Daniel Kirspuu
Video artist: Apparati Effimeri
Dancers: Siim Tõniste, Allar Valge and others
'More Then Naked', fall 2015 and spring 2017
A Vaba Lava curated programme production
choreographer: Doris Uhlich
sound designer: Gerald Pappenberg
performers: Siim Tõniste, Sveta Grigorjeva, Barbara Lehtna, Linda Vaher, Kerti Kass, Karolin Poska, Katrin Kubber, Mari- Liis Pruul, Kaie Küünal, Kadri Sirel, Liisa Chrislin Saleh, Sigrid Savi, Viktor Aspel, Kaarel Kütas, Sandra Veermets, Helina Karvak, Minna Triin Kohv, Marko Madismäe
'Revelry', spring 2016 and winter 2017
A HTF Tantsukompanii production
at Hiiumaa Dance Festival
choreographer: Agate Bankava (ARA company, Riga)
production: HTF tantsukompanii, Siim Tõniste
Performed by Üüve-Lydia Toompere, Viktor Aspel, Laura Kvelsitein, Siim Praats, Allar Valge, Siim Tõniste, Karl-Gustav Kasemaa, Tiina Rootamm, Kaie Küünal, Ruta Ronja Pakalne,
Helena Pihel, Julia Koneva, Ajjar Ausma
'Ecconomies of Effort 3', spring 2016
A triptych of dances
A production of Cid Pearlman performances
Chorographer: Cid Pearlman
Dancers: Siim Tõniste and dancers of Cid Pearlman Perfromance group
Premeired in Santa Cruz California
'1i', spring 2016
A NUKU theatre production
A physical comedy for an actress working in a puppet theatre
Authors: Siim Tõniste and Kaisa Selde
Performed by Kaisa Selde
Sound design: Ekke Västrik
'Ecconomies of Effort 2', spring 2015
A triptych of dances
A production of STL (Independant Dance Stage)
Chorographer: Cid Pearlman
Premiered in Tallinn
'TRUE SKIN', winter 2015
A sci-fi dance performance in tallinn Botanical Gardens
Authors: Siim Tõniste, Üüve-Lydia Toompere, Liis Tamm
Performed by siim Tõniste and Üüve-Lydia Toompere
Set and costume design: Liis Tamm
Sound design: Dillon Suhterland
Long term commitments:
Member of The Union of Theatre Directors and Dramaturges of Estonia
Member of The Estonian Dance Union
2017. - Vaba Vorm, producer, project manager
2019. - Estonian Dance Agency, Youth Dance Company trainer
2014. - 2019. Hiiumaa Dance Festival, producer, head of performance programme
2018. - 2019. NUKU Theatre Youth Studio, dance instructor
2017. - 2018. STL, movement workshops programme manager
2018. - 2019. Tallinna Ühisgümnaasium, theatre class teacher
2009. - 2017. Polygon Theatre School, teacher
2015. - Folk Dance Association Pääsuke, trainer
2017. - 2018. Haabersti Skating School, dance instructor