program 2027
Tungrodd - Rahčamuš – Raataminen
A story from a small village in the arctic
The audience was moved and inspired when Tungrodd had its world premiere in 2026. Now, Simone Grøtte’s ice-cold, wool-warm dance performance for the Norwegian National Ballet is coming to the Northern Lights Festival – as its only stop outside of Oslo.
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.
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 own Sámi and Kven heritage from the north. It is a tale of different generations encountering adversity, featuring dancers from the Norwegian National Ballet and the independent performing arts scene.
“When I was little, one of my favorite things to do was sit under the kitchen table and listen to the elders talk. Stories about nature, traditions, people, and encounters with the inexplicable.
Sometimes they would switch to Sámi. Back then, it was annoying because I could no longer understand what they were saying. As an adult, I have wondered why they did that.
In Tungrodd, we explore what was said in hushed tones, in another language – or what perhaps wasn’t said at all.”
- Simone Grøtte
A star-studded soundtrack from the north
The soundtrack for the performance is also deeply inspired by Sámi and Kven culture and life in the Arctic. You are invited into the kitchen for an intimate experience conveyed through dance and authentic audio recordings of lives lived in the north.
The music is composed by Herman Rundberg , who has created a musical score for the performance based on his own Sea Sámi and Kven background.
The recording features an all-star cast of musicians, and you will recognize the voice of none other than Mari Boine, hear Hardanger fiddle virtuoso Ragnhild Hemsing (Festival Artist for the Northern Lights Festival 2026), and enjoy Romssa Sámi Mánáidkoarra / Tromsø Sámi Children's Choir accompanied by the chamber orchestra of the Arctic Philharmonic. Together, they create a rich and diverse soundscape rooted in Arctic traditions.
We look forward to welcoming you to an icy yet cozy performance on February 19, 2027!
Tickets on sale from October 1st