Papa

Under a gigantic cloud hovering above the stage, Halla and Sindri have an endless conversation on the topic of fathers.

The conversation spills into the audience, creating a soft world of imaginary dads. Papa is a duet that drifts through memories, fantasies and shifting identities. Across a spectrum of father figures, a collage of scenes unfolds as dance and jokes collide. Dad jokes, bad jokes, or simply sad jokes. Halla and Sindri have very different relationships with the father figures in their lives: Sindri with daddy issues; Halla being the so-called daddy’s girl. Through storytelling and conversation, they share their personal mythologies, tracing the outlines of masculinity, power, desire and care.

Papa is a lighthearted performance with a queer integrity that reaches out to anyone who has a relationship to a present or absent father. Ólafsdóttir/Runudde approach the performance as an exploratory trip, where the encounter with the audience is just as important as the artistic expression. Caretaking is a concept often linked to female gendered professions" or considered being a feminine trait. The duo wants to explore shared bodily practices based on the idea of caretaking, specifically exploring what patriarchal nurturing entails or could become. Papa seeks to create a soft space through an ongoing playful conversation that spills into the audience space, creating room for reflection and resonance.

Through Papa, the duo wants to experiment with how identity is shaped in relation to role models and how we might redefine ideas of power and love in today’s society.

Soft audience interaction does occur, through sound, gentle touch and parts of the show are live audio described by the performers, which makes the performance suitable for people with visual imperiment.

Papa is a duet that drifts through memories, fantasies and shifting identities. Across a spectrum of father figures, a collage of scenes unfolds as dance and jokes collide. Dad jokes, bad jokes, or simply sad jokes. Halla and Sindri have very different relationships with the father figures in their lives: Sindri with daddy issues; Halla being the so-called daddy’s girl. Through storytelling and conversation, they share their personal mythologies, tracing the outlines of masculinity, power, desire and care.

Soft audience interaction occurs, through sound, gentle touch and parts of the show are live audio described by the performers.

Halla Ólafsdóttir, Icelandic choreographer and dancer based in Stockholm, works collectively from a feminist perspective, she explores how materials shift meaning across art and popular culture, using conventions and clichés to challenge established forms.

Sindri Runudde, Swedish dancer and choreographer, whose multisensory practice approaches the body as a living archive. Moving between sound, visual art, and performance, they explore perception through musical and auditory methods. Together, they have collaborated internationally and toured their own works in Sweden and abroad.

Choreography, dance & text by Halla Ólafsdóttir & Sindri Runudde.

Music by Planningtorock.

Lighting Design by Jonatan Winbo.

Scenography and Costume by Tove Dreiman.

Photography by Chrisander Brun, Thomas Zamolo & Tove Dreiman.

Assistance and Rehearsal Director Eli Eli. Outside Eye Stina Nyberg.

Internship & Outside Eye María Kristín Jóhannsdóttir.

In Collaboration With Nordberg Movement.

Administration by Interim Kultur.

Co-production: MDT – Moderna Dansteatern, Norrlandsoperan & DansIt.

Support by The Swedish, Arts Council, Stockholm Region & Stockholm Stad.

The performance is part of the Reykjavík Dance Festival program. The festival program can be found at

https://www.reykjavikdancefestival.com/