Joonas Tagel
HAPPY DAYS

The starting point of this work has been inspired by Philoctetes and his time on the island of Lemnos in combination with the act of celebration. In the process, I have been looking at how humans have been able to create an environment in which we are the fastest and strongest. The reality, where we can hide our fragility. The reality, where we are continually waiting to experience something special. The reality, which is obsessed with things happening faster and faster. “Happy days” is trying to ignore this reality and start with nothing. And then wait… 

“Happy days” is a homage to patience. 

Joonas Tagel is a performance artist from Estonia. After graduating high school, he continued his studies in Dance Arts at the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy (UTVCA) where he obtained his BA degree. During this period he also studied a year as an exchange student at Palucca Hochschule für Tanz (Dresden, Germany). Following graduation in 2014, he continued developing his craft by working on his artistic practice while participating in various workshops in Germany, Austria and Belgium and started working at the UTVCA teaching contemporary dance. As a maker and performer, he has been collaborating with many inspiring international companies and artists in around 15 productions. At the moment he is working as a contemporary dance teacher in Tallinn Ballet School, touring as a performer with performances “Fluids” (WAUHAUS & STL) and “Celebration piece” (Tallinn Dance Theatre). 

Premiere on 1st February 2020 in Von Krahl Theatre (Tallinn)