NoCore Demo was the first public outcome of the NoCore community project, created during a five-day choreographic workshop in spring 2018. The workshop brought together men of diverse ages, cultures, and experiences to explore masculinity, migration, and identity through movement.

The participants — many without prior dance experience — worked collaboratively to transform personal stories, emotions, and questions into physical expression. The performance reflected their shared process: negotiating cultural expectations, confronting stereotypes, and discovering new ways of expressing thoughts and feelings within a supportive community.

For the choreographer Beniamino Borghi, the project also resonated personally. As an Italian artist living in Finland, he has often navigated cultural differences around gender roles and social norms. NoCore Demo became a space where these experiences could meet the lived realities of others, generating a dialogue that shaped both the process and the performance.

Duration: 30 minutes
Premiere Venue: Ylioppilasteatteri, Aleksanterinkatu 23, Helsinki
Additional performance: Raatikko Tanssiteatteri, Vantaa

Choreography: Beniamino Borghi
Assistant: Xavier “Bambú” Locquet Vandenberghe

Performers:
Boodi Kabbani, Nando de Bruijn, Markus Utrio, Baher Alnaimi, Bradley Blalock,
Topi M. Hurtig, Olli Römpötti, Antti Hovila, Aki Saariaho, Mody Persona

Production: tanssiARTesaani ry
Assistant Production: Boodi Kabbani
Lights: Tapio Wilska
Music: Yom; Niklas Schak & Tin Soheili; Jun Miyake; Traditional

Supported by:
SKR Uusimaa, Zodiak – Center for New Dance, Loviisan Tanssiopisto,
Ylioppilasteatteri, Raatikko Tanssiteatteri