Cold Response 2026
Held across the snowbound forests and fells of Finnish Lapland, Cold Response 26 brought thousands of NATO troops to the Rovajärvi training area for the largest Arctic exercise the alliance has run in years. Soldiers from Finland, Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Italy gathered for weeks of joint training in deep snow and sub-zero conditions on NATO's northern flank.
Shot for the Associated Press.
Shot for the Associated Press.
Salla Reindeer Race
Held in northern Finnish Lapland near the Russian border, the Salla Reindeer Cup has been a winter fixture since the 1950s. What started as an informal end-of-season tradition among local herders, who raced their animals when the reindeer were at peak condition and snowmobiles hadn't yet taken over the forest, has grown into a regulated competition drawing spectators from across Europe.
Trained reindeer sprint down a kilometer-long track, pulling their handlers behind them on skis, with the fastest animal taking the win. Between races, crowds warm up with reindeer soup and local pastries.
Shot for the Associated Press.
Syndicated by The Washington Post, ABC News and others.
Trained reindeer sprint down a kilometer-long track, pulling their handlers behind them on skis, with the fastest animal taking the win. Between races, crowds warm up with reindeer soup and local pastries.
Shot for the Associated Press.
Syndicated by The Washington Post, ABC News and others.
SWEAT (anthem)
Endurance is not only stamina and sustained effort, it is also a radical gesture to stay alive, alert and hopeful amidst fatigue, fracture and exhaustion. Between tension, release and play, the performance celebrates the courage to keep dancing and turn exhaustion into a collective rhythm; an anthem of defiance and joy.
SWEAT (anthem) highlights the tension between vulnerability and strength, singular ambition and collectivity, asking how to persevere, remain emphatic and keep moving in times of unrest.
Created with the Dance On Ensemble and four emerging dancers, the performance pays tribute to the ensemble’s long, compelling careers and the combined strength of a multigenerational collective.
Milla Koistinen & Dance On Ensemble.
Premiere on the 18th of December 2025 at Tanzfabrik Berlin BÜHNE in Uferstudios 14.
SWEAT (anthem) highlights the tension between vulnerability and strength, singular ambition and collectivity, asking how to persevere, remain emphatic and keep moving in times of unrest.
Created with the Dance On Ensemble and four emerging dancers, the performance pays tribute to the ensemble’s long, compelling careers and the combined strength of a multigenerational collective.
Milla Koistinen & Dance On Ensemble.
Premiere on the 18th of December 2025 at Tanzfabrik Berlin BÜHNE in Uferstudios 14.
Supporting Girls in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leonean girls are returning to education with the support of microloans provided by the Red Cross.
The BRIDGE project empowers rural communities in Bo and Pujeuhun district by educating them about women's rights and offering microloans to help enroll teenage moms back in school. One of them is Magdaline—a 17-year-old teenage mother whose parents initially didn't see the need for her to continue schooling. Now, with assistance from young women's group and microloans, Magdaline and her peers are actively pursuing education.
Shot for The Finnish Red Cross (01/2024).
The BRIDGE project empowers rural communities in Bo and Pujeuhun district by educating them about women's rights and offering microloans to help enroll teenage moms back in school. One of them is Magdaline—a 17-year-old teenage mother whose parents initially didn't see the need for her to continue schooling. Now, with assistance from young women's group and microloans, Magdaline and her peers are actively pursuing education.
Shot for The Finnish Red Cross (01/2024).
Zainab’s Story — Supporting Teenage Mothers in Rural Sierra Leone.
Filmed & edited by Aino Väänänen.
Filmed & edited by Aino Väänänen.
Ice Fishers
The ice fishers of the Bay of Bothnia use various techniques for their catch: fishing nets, jigs and hake traps placed under ice. For the non-professionals the joy of fishing and a day out is often more important than the catch itself.
Shot for Kodin Kuvalehti Magazine (02/2023).
Shot for Kodin Kuvalehti Magazine (02/2023).
