10.12.2025-25.1.2026
Winter Circus Film
This winter, the much-loved and eagerly awaited circus experience for the whole family leaps into the fast-paced world behind the scenes of filmmaking. Can the Great Director bring their unruly inner gang under control, or will the entire story spiral out of hand—and straight into our hearts?
This winter, the much-loved and eagerly awaited circus experience for the whole family leaps into the fast-paced world behind the scenes of filmmaking. Can the Great Director bring their unruly inner gang under control, or will the entire story spiral out of hand—and straight into our hearts?
Winter Circus Film is a joyful, mischievous, and high-energy contemporary circus performance. Emotions and other quirky inhabitants of the mind take the stage in all their colorful glory on an arena resembling a movie studio. It reminds us that happiness can be found in the most unexpected places — and that each of us can be the star and director of our own lives.
World-class circus artists from around the globe invite the audience to join in a shared play, where the magic of the stage is built before our very eyes. Who says filmmaking can’t be a full-blown circus too?
The show features a variety of circus disciplines, including German wheel, contortion acrobatics, Chinese pole, and trapeze. As always, the performance is powered by live music and the beloved Winter Circus stars, Rat and Pig!
Now in its 31st edition, Winter Circus once again fills the Erkko Hall at Dance House Helsinki with laughter, sighs of delight and great emotions. Step into the magic of the circus, marveling together at the wonderful strangeness of being human.
Designers
Direction and choreography: Jyrki Karttunen
Circus direction: Saku Mäkelä
Composition and musical dramaturgy: Maija Ruuskanen
Set and video design: Mika Haaranen
Costume design: Joona Huotari-Andreou
Lighting design: Juho Rahijärvi
Technical design: Petri Mäkelä
Puppet maker: Helena Markku
Planning of audience outreach work: Pauliina Aladin
Performers
Renata Moura Barcellos Borges (Brazil): dance trapeze
Julietta Birkeland (Sweden): juggling, Chinese pole
Christopher Hartwig (Germany): trio trapeze
Joonas Kinnunen (Finland): drums, percussion
Annika Koljonen (Finland): handbalance, dance acrobatics
Sofia Motturi (Finland): juggling, circus trainee (also Birkeland’s understudy)
Anna-Maija Nyman (Finland): Chinese pole
Karina Peisker (Germany): German wheel
Kalle Pikkuharju (Finland): contortion, handbalance
Alizé Poitreau (France): swinging trapeze
Jouni Aslak Raatikainen (Finland): bass, guitar, percussion
Aliisa Rinne (Finland): dance trainee (performing turns with Saraste)
Pauliina Saraste (Finland): dance trainee (performing turns with Rinne)
Milena Schwenkenberg (Germany): trio trapeze
Xander Taylor (Canada): trio trapeze
Riina Tikkanen (Finland): puppeteer
Mari Vuolahti (Finland): trumpet, baritone horn
Arvi Yrjölä (Finland): dance acrobatics
Dress along performances 13.12. and 20.12.
Welcome to Winter Circus Film‘s dress along performances in December! Dressing up according to the theme is completely optional and you can come and see the performance without any special clothing. For more information, see Winter Circus Film‘s Audience outrech tab.
Ticket prices
Shows on weekdays Mon-Thu by price category A / B
Adult 38 € | 33 €
Child (0–17 yrs) 25 € | 22 €
Pensioner 35 € | 30 €
Family package (2 adults and 2 children) 116 € | 100 €
Discount ticket (student, unemployed, civil servant, conscript) 25 € | 22 €
Theatre professional (1 ticket per card, available one week before the performance) – | 22 €
Shows Fri-Sun and public holidays by price category A / B
Adult 45 € | 39 €
Child (0–17 yrs) 32 € | 28 €
Pensioner 41 € | 36 €
Family package (2 adults and 2 children) 132 € | 116 €
Discount ticket (student, unemployed, civil servant, conscript) 32 € | 28 €
Theatre professional (1 ticket per card, available one week before the performance) – | 28 €
Morning shows at 10 AM (duration approx. 1 h)
15 €
Delivery costs will not be added to the ticket price. The price is based on the time of the show and the location of the seats. Tickets can be purchased at the Hurjaruuth online shop or at the information point in the Glass Courtyard of the Cable Factory (Kaapeliaukio 3) during its opening hours.
Group tickets for school children are only available from Hurjaruuth Customer Service 09 565 7250, liput(at)hurjaruuth.fi.
Tickets for assistants are free of charge. Tickets for wheelchair assistants are available online. Other assistance tickets are available from the Hurjaruuth customer service or the information desk in the Glass Courtyard.
More information on ticket sales.
Map of the stage
The two opposite stands are:
Stand A: left from the door, rows 1-6. Stairs starting from row 1
Stand B: right from the door, rows 1-12. Accessible to row 1. Stairs starting from row 2
Entrance to both stands from the main door.
The stage is divided into two price categories. The different price categories are marked in different colors,
Category A: orange
Category B: green
In the online store wheelchair spaces are marked in purple and assistant spaces are marked in yellow.
The sign language interpretation space is located in the 1st row of stand B, approximately in front of seat 1. Those coming with an interpreter are recommended to choose their seats from rows 1-6, seat numbers 1-8. If you are coming with an interpreter, please contact our customer service.
Services
Coatroom: The Dance House Helsinki coatroom is located in the basement which is accessible through the Dance House lobby. An accessible coat stall is located in the Dance House lobby. NB! Our theatre is not responsible for any items or clothes left in the coatroom.
Refreshments: Intermission refreshments are available through Dance House Helsinki’s restaurant Traba. Bookings and more information here (in Finnish) or tanssin.talo@restel.fi, phone 041 731 6911.
Toilet facilities: Combined accessible toilet and childcare room as well as unisex toilets are located in the lobby.
Strollers: If possible, we recommend arriving to Winter Circus without strollers. If necessary, the personnel will guide you on where to store the strollers.
Location and accessibility
Performances are at the Erkko Hall of the Dance House, Kaapeliaukio 3, Helsinki.
Dance House is located within the Cable Factory, a well-known cultural centre. Access to the Dance House is via the main entrance of Cable Factory and the Glass Courtyard.
The first floor of the Dance House, where the Erkko Hall, lobby and unisex toilets are located, is completely accessible.
Read more about Dance House and accessibility.
In Erkko Hall, the first row of the B-stand seats are accessible. Please note that otherwise Erkko Hall’s stands are steep and contains stairs.
There is an induction loop available for those using a hearing aid.
The sign language interpretation space is located in the 1st row of stand B, approximately in front of seat 1. Those coming with an interpreter are recommended to choose their seats from rows 1-6, seat numbers 1-8. If you are coming with an interpreter, please contact our customer service.
We are a Disability Card venue, and an assistant can be brought to the performance free of charge. If you use a wheelchair, you can get wheelchair and assistant seats from our online store (wheelchair seats are marked in purple on the auditorium map and assistant seats in yellow). In other cases, assistant seats can be ordered from Hurjaruuth customer service.
Please do not hesitate to contact our customer service if you need further information about our accessibility!
Date
10.12.2025-25.1.2026
Duration
Approx. 2 h, incl. intermission; morning shows at 10 AM 1 h, no intermission
Tickets
33-45 € / 22-32 €
Venue
Erkko Hall, Dance House Helsinki
Suggested age
For all ages (3+)
Other
The show is wordless.
The show may include strong theatrical light and smoke effects. Viewers with sound sensitivity are advised to wear hearing protectors. The Erkko Hall’s auditorium is steep and contains stairs.
Please note that elements of danger are characteristic of circus performances. Therefore, it may be necessary to make some unannounced changes to the overall structure of the show for safety reasons.
Dress along performances in December!
Dress up as your favorite movie character! The dress-along shows celebrate the entire spectrum of the circus and film world. Dressing up according to the theme is completely optional and you can come and see the performance without any special clothing.
Winter Circus Film’s dress along -performances:
Sat 13.12. at 17.00
Sat 20.12. at 13.00
Winter Circus, the warm-spirited show for the whole family, has been delighting viewers since 1994. It is an annual Christmas season tradition for many families, but it also reaches new audiences every year.
Many spectators remember these winter circus shows with nostalgic feelings: Vega, Tähti/Star, Taika/Magic, Kuusi/Spruce, Sirius, Nauru/Laughter, Lumi/Snow, Aika/Time, Poro/Reindeer, Valo/Light, Tuike/Sparkle, Sika/Pig, Nenä/Nose, Afrikka/Africa, Kosmos/Cosmos, Uni/Dream, Matkalla/Journey, Muisti/Memory, Play, Rakkaus/Love, BAU, Vauhti/Speed, Ilo/Joy, Super, Fantasia…
Winter Circus has been both critically acclaimed and popular among audiences, and many have found a particular favourite among the numerous shows. The Winter Circus has received the Sirkuksen Lumo award, and in 2012, the leading Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat named Winter Circus Africa among “the tops of the year”, meaning it was one of the most memorable and touching art experiences of the year.
The masterminds behind the Winter Circus tradition are director/choreographer Arja Pettersson, who was Director General of Hurjaruuth until 2019, and her long-term work partner, costume designer Kirsi Manninen. Petterson has directed 18 out of the 27 Winter Circus shows, thus establishing the foothold of modern circus in Finland. Manninen created the look for such iconic characters as the Pig, the Elves with French fries for beards, the Rats, and many more. She worked in Winter Circus productions until 2014.
Winter Circus shows have also had visiting directors: Liisa Risu, Sanna Silvennoinen, Davide Giovanzana, Hannu Raatikainen and Maksim Komaro. The performances have featured hundreds of professional circus, dance, theatre and music artists from Finland and abroad.
Winter Circus has been a springboard for several Finnish circus artists, and renowned international artists have also been seen in the Winter Circus arena. Music for the shows has been played by several wonderful bands, such as Trio Bordurka, Cleaning Women, Nieminen ja Litmanen, Valtteri Pöyhönen, Petteri Rajanti, Peloton, Kuukumina, and Ninja Beat.
Many families come to see Winter Circus in groups of several generations: grandparents, parents and children. The show also attracts young people and groups of adults for workplace recreational events and Christmas parties, for example. Thanks to the non-verbal storyline, Winter Circus is accessible for everyone, including viewers who don’t know Finnish. Physical accessibility has also been taken into account, and there is room for spectators in wheelchairs.
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