Grus Grus Theatre Tripping

Tripping is based on a true story. A young woman, Parva, arrives in Finland to pursue her  education, full of hope and determination. But what starts as a dream turns into a struggle  of survival. She invests everything in her future, only to find herself caught in the  complexities of migration and exclusion. When she was forced to leave Finland, Marjan  Raar made her a promise: I will make a choreography for you – about you.  

Tripping welcomes the audience on a journey to a world where the line between dreams  and reality begins to blur. A solo performance and a last-minute ticket to a hideaway place, created in a small corner of a parking garage. 

Through dance, music and video projections on the wall, this everyday, transitional  environment is transformed into a place of reflection and togetherness. It becomes a place  where people can take a break and experience something beyond the ordinary. 

Tripping is a choreography about a brave young woman who was confronted with the  reality and restrictions of freedom.  

“I lived in Finland for about two years, during which I experienced loneliness, extreme  financial crises, studied, gained experience as a salesperson, worked for a ‘unique’  employer, met some unreasonable people, some very warm hearted people and saw the  beautiful nature in both Helsinki and Turku. I breathed in the fresh air, drank the delicious  fresh tap water and walked under the midnight sun. 

It is unfair to say my experience was all unpleasant. It was difficult to be sure, I lost my  dreams and years of hard work and planning, I lost much of my confidence yet I also found  friendship and warmth among strangers I knew nothing about. Only those who have spent  a long time in the cold darkness would appreciate the warm light given by a friend, and I  thank any deity there may be for giving me this light when I was struggling alone in the dark. With a bundle of bitter sweet experiences on my back as souvenirs, I return to my  family and try to find my way in life once more” – Parva. 

Marjan Raar is a contemporary dancer and choreographer from the Netherlands. After  graduating from the Modern Dance Department of the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in  Amsterdam, she relocated to Turku, Finland, where she became a founding member of  Barker-Theatre. Her choreographies, shown in Barker- theatre and across Europe, are  known for the fluent, organic movement language and strong narrative foundation.