Helena Jonsdottir

Icelandic filmmaker and choreographer, Helena Jonsdottir presented Birgir, a short film about a plumber and handyman from her native Reykjavik who felt inspired to dance beside the water's edge. Birgir learned of Helena’s profession and was anxious to share his creative ideas with her as he was taking dance classes himself. The film was the result of a collaborative project fuelled by the spark that was initially felt between the two artists. This film was projected onto one of the large waterway buildings from the banks of the Trent and visible from the Boat Launch on Sunday 1 October, 2006.

Passengers aboard the Hinterland Boat Launch viewed this film as a large scale projection and saw a very different landscape to the one that surrounded them on the Trent.  Birgir was inspired to dance by glacial lakes and volcanic rocks, and this projection provided a portal to this unusually barren wilderness, common in Iceland.

Helena Jonsdottir studied at the National Theatre Ballet School of Iceland, and at Alvin Ailey, New York. She has performed in and choreographed countless productions for television, film, music videos and the stage, including the memorable video “Theme from Gutbuster” for Bentley Rhythm Ace with Hammer and Tongs.  She won the IV. Videotanzpreis 2003/2004 of SK Stiftung Kultur in Cologne, and is recognized internationally for her work in Scandinavia, UK and USA. In recent years she has featured in the Galway Arts Festival and at Reykjavík City Theatre and was nominated as Best Choreographer at the Music Video Production Association Awards, Los Angeles.