HELENA JONSDOTTIR

Dancer, Choreographer, Film- & Videomaker

Besides being recognized internationally the last years for her work in Scandinavia, UK and USA (nominated in Los Angeles last year as Best Choreographer at the Music Video Production Association Awards) Helena Jonsdottir has been highly respected in Iceland for many years as one of the leading contemporary choreographers, both for television and stage.

Watch some samples of her work…

Address:

EDUCATION

• 1980 — 1988 National Theatre Ballet School of Iceland
• 1983 The Ballet School of Yorkshire, U.K.
• 1991 Alvin Ailey New York
• 1996 Roy Hart; Vocal and movement for professional dancers.
• Also: Modern dance, gymnastics, jazz, rock, tap, ballet and Argentinian tango.

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Awards

Nordic Dance for Camera

• Winner/Selected for the Nordic Dance for Camera 2002, Barok Film – Moving North, Ten Short Dance Films

MVPA

• Nominated for the best choreography in a music video at the MVPA in Los Angeles 2001. Production - Hammer and Tongs

The Reykjavík Short Film Festival

• Runner up at The Reykjavík Short Film Festival, Iceland 2001

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Film Festivals 2001 — 02

• 2002 Reykjavík Arts Festival, www.listahatid.is
• 2001 — 02 Dance for Kamera – Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival www.dance.no
• 2002 Monaco Dance Forum www.mddf.com
• 2002 Nordisk Panorama www.nordiskpanorama.org
• 2002 Backup Film Festival Germany – Lounge Lab, www.backup-festival.com and www.uwee.de/foto/events/backup/
• 2002 International Thessaloniki Film Festval/ Video Dance, www.filmfestival.gr/index_uk.htm
• 2002 Film Festival Vancouver/ USA, www.film.bc.ca/filmfest/
• 2002 Dance Film Festival Kobenhavn, Denmark, www.newdanishdancetheatre.dk

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DANCE SHORT FILMS by Helena J. (samples)

• 2002 Oli (0.6 MB)
• 2002 Zimmer
• 2002 While the Cat’s Away (2.2 MB)
• 2002 Breaking Voices (2.2 MB)
• 2001 An other (1.6 MB)
• 2001 Birgir (2.2 MB)
• 2001 Days (1.2 MB)
• 2001 Red Buses (1.1 MB)
• 2001 Orka 4 - snapshots from Reykjavík
• 2000 BID (0.9 MB)
• 2000 6th Floor
• 1999 Schizo Stories (1 MB)

(QuickTime is required to watch the video samples and can be obtained here)

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COMMERCIALS/MUSICVIDEOS 2001 — 2002

• 1990 — 2002 with Pan Arctica Productions www.panarctica.com/

Recent work:

• Nissan, Go Film. USA
• Bentley Rhythm Ace/Music video, Hammer and Tongs. UK New Balance, Headquarters,USA
• Hyundai, HKM. USA
• Decathlon, Joe and Bob Productions. France
• Chronopost, Partizan. France
• BVR, Rene Van Den Berg. Holland
• Toyota, Pyramid Film. Japan
• BI-FI, TeleMaz. Germany – and more
• On Productions, www.on.is/iceland/
• Pegasus Pictures www.pegasus.is/
• Saga Films www.sagafilm.is/
• Frost Film, Hugsjon Films. Umbi Films, Storm and others.

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ICELANDIC TELEVISION

• 2001 Music and dance “Energy” for The National Television
• 2001 Music videos for National Television, Pop TV and more.
• 2001 Shortfilm for dance, Runner up at the Reykjavík Short film Festival
• 2001 Shortfilm also showed at The National Television later that year
• 1998 Choreographer and casting director for Christmas episode with song and dance. Channel 2 (ICE)
• 1993 — 96 Choreographic work for the talk show Hemmi Gunn. The National Television
• 1992 — 94 Stage director and dancer in a Song Contest for Channel 2 (ICE)
• 1988 — 90 Staging and Choreographer in live entertainment shows for Channel 2 (ICE)
• 1993 — 96 Choreographer/staging and a dancer in the Miss Iceland, later Director and co-producer. Channel 2 (ICE)
• 1996 — … marketing, stage design and production. Channel 2 (ICE)

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SONG CONTEST Iceland – Contribution - RUV

• 1991 — 1994 Eurovision, Song and music Competitions, Choreographer and dancer.
• 1991 — 1997 Eurovision, Choreographer and dancer in promotion videos for the songs. Stage manager/choreographer and dancer in the contest.

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DANCE THEATRE - Professional Dance Companies

• 2002 “Breaking voices” by Helena Jónsdóttir - Art festival of Reykjavík, Iceland 2002
• 2001 “Jazz festival of Reykjavik” - Dance video work, in collaboration with Percussionist Terje Isungset
• 2001 “At the Tjarnar Theatre” - Dance video work, in collaboration with Terje Isungset
• 1999 “Schizo Stories” by Helena Jónsdóttir - Tjarnar Theatre, Reykjavik
• 1997 “Steps” by Olof Ingólfsdottir - Tjarnar Theatre, Reykjavik
• 1999 “Gymnastrada”, Choreographer for the Icelandic contribution for Gymnastrada dance Festival in Sweden.
• 1998 — 2000 Choreographer for the “Junior Company” of The Icelandic Ballet School
• 1995 Dancer with the Art ´92 group in; “O you two” by Hany Hadya and by Lára Stefánsdóttir - City Theatre, Reykjavik
• 1991 Dancer in “Midsummer Nights Dream” - City Theatre, Reykjavik
• 1990 Dancer in “Concerto for 7” - by Terry - The Icelandic Opera
• 1987 Dancer in “20 min. late” - by Ingibjörg Björnsdóttir, The National Theatre, Iceland

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THEATRE and MUSICALS

• 2000 Choreographer and ass. director in “Picasso´s wifes”, National Theatre, Iceland
• 2000 Choreographer and ass. director for “Children´s Opera”, The Icelandic Opera
• 1999 Dancer/singer/dance Caiptain in “Carmen Negra”/ UK Production at The Icelandic Opera House
• 1999 Directed “Cabaret” with National known Actors in Comedy at Inter. Theatre
• 1998 Showcase for pop singer Svala Björgvinsdóttir for Tour for 2000 - 2001
• 1997 “Skeyk” the musical, Fareo Island,Guest Director and Choreographer.
• 1997 Choreographer/staging/dancer in “French Nights” - Inter. Theatre
• 1996 Choreographer/staging “The years of the Beatles” - Inter.Theatre
• 1996 Director/Choreographer in “Keflavík Nights” - Stapinn Keflavik
• 1995 Choreographer/staging “HE/SHE” a Opera - City Theatre
• 1995 Choreographer/staging “JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR” - City Theatre
• 1995 Writer/Director/Producer/ DAGUR - “24 hours” - City Theatre
• 1995 Dancer/singer/dance Caiptain in “WEST SIDE STORY” -The National Theatre
• 1994 Dancer/singer in “HAIR” - The Icelandic Opera House
• 1994 Choreographer/staging “The years of Bo Hall” - Inter. Theatre
• 1994 Choreographer/staging/dancer danceshow for “50 th anniversary” of Iceland’s Independance Inter.Theatre
• 1991 Choreographer/writer/staging in: “Rock in Heaven” - Inter.Theatre
• 1991 Choreographer and dancer “Love me tender” - Inter.Theatre
• 1991 Choreographer and dancer “The night Shift ” - Inter.Theatre
• 1990 Choreographer/dancer in “Rock Opera” - Inter.Theatre
• 1989 Dancer in “The Beatles Show” - Inter.Theatre
• 1989 Dancer in “Guys and Dolls” - Inter.Theatre
• 1988 Dancer in “Rockshoes and Beatles’ Hair” - Inter.Theatre
• 1987 Dancer in “The story of KK” - Inter.Theatre
• 1984 Dancer on Broadway (Reykjavík) “Miss Iceland” with Cornelius Carter
• 1984 Dancer and actor in “Pippi Langstromp” - The National Theatre
• 1981 Dancer and actor in “Pinoccio” - The National Theatre–

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TEACHER

• 2002 CAL ARTS, Valencia L.A./USA Dance Short Films, guest teacher.
• 2000 Jazz Modern and videodans at the Dansforum in Gothenburg, Sweden
• 1998 — 2001 The National Ballet School of Iceland. Director of the Contemporary Movements - Jazz - Modern and Dance for camera.
• 1998 — 2001 Working for the Icelandic Dance company - History of dancec for children - City Theatre
• 1998 — 2000 Choreographing for Gymnstics - program’s for International competition’s
• 1993 — 1995 Jazz - modern at the Dance Studio Soley – Reykjvík
• VARIOUS SHOWS
• 1995 Director in Intercoiffure Shows in Iceland
• 1994 Stage Director of the Icelandic Aerobic Contest
• 1992 — 93 Director in Cabaret/ Off Brodway
• ALSO: Perfomance in over 80 TV Programmes, over 20 MusicVideos, over 10 Broadway musicals Shows, staging and acting in over 30 Commercials. Founder of two theatre groups; The Battu Dance Company 1993 and the Happy Trash in 1995.

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