Tungrodd to the Northern Lights Festival!
We at the Northern Lights Festival are thrilled to announce that Tungrodd - Rahčamuš – Raataminen is coming to Tromsø on February 19th!
Audiences were moved and inspired when Tungrodd premiered in 2026. As the Norwegian National Ballet announces new performances for the new year, we at the Northern Lights Festival are delighted to share that Simone Grøtte’s icy, wool-warm production will be coming to us as the only stop outside the Opera House (for now)!
“Simone Grøtte makes history at the Opera” - Mode Steinkjer, Dagsavisen
In an old kitchen in Finnmark
We find ourselves under the table with a seven-year-old girl, listening to stories. The kitchen clock ticks, there is a fire in the stove, and the adults are chatting over a cup of coffee. The conversation flows in Norwegian, Sámi, and Kven.
The icy, wool-warm Tungrodd – Rahčamuš – Raataminen is choreographer Simone Grøtte’s first work for the Norwegian National Ballet. With this performance, she tells a personal story rooted in her Sámi and Kven heritage from the north. Tungrodd is a tale about how different generations encounter adversity, featuring dancers from both the Norwegian National Ballet and the independent performing arts scene.
Simone Grøtte’s method
For over 15 years, Simone Grøtte has immersed herself in historical material as a foundation for new choreographic works. The oral storytelling tradition has always been strong in the north, a legacy Grøtte aims to carry forward through her work.
Her working method includes extensive interviews with eyewitnesses from Northern Norway and Sápmi. Close dialogue and consultations with historians, folklorists, and professional institutions such as the Sámi Language Centre and the Kven Institute are also vital parts of her process.
About Simone Grøtte
Simone Grøtte is a critically acclaimed choreographer from Lakselv in Finnmark, known for, among other things, the audience success GLEMT. Grøtte’s work is deeply influenced by her North Norwegian, Sámi, and Kven background, weaving these elements into a modern expression through themes, scenography, and music.
Her performances explore questions of identity and belonging with a deeply human approach. She has a unique talent for turning local history into something universal, and a special ability to transform the trivial into something exotic.
Grøtte has collaborated with institutions such as the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, Norrdans, Hålogaland Theatre, and the Arctic Arts Festival. In 2020, she created ARKIVET – ARKIIVARÁDJU for the Norwegian National Ballet, becoming the first Sámi choreographer to have a dance performance at the Opera House. In 2023, excerpts from Tungrodd, which became a full-length work in 2026, were presented as part of the Norwegian National Ballet’s performance at the Queen Sonja Art Stable. In 2025, she presented the work GLEMT on Stage 2 at the Opera House.
We at the Northern Lights Festival are looking forward to Tungrodd coming to Tromsø. It is especially wonderful to have the opportunity to showcase a dance performance of this caliber, which is also from the North and tells us so much about the soul of our region. We hope Tungrodd will create memories that live long in people’s minds, and not least, their hearts.
Tickets go on sale October 1st!