Cast and Creative Team
Hagar Malin Hellkvist Sellén (b. 1978) works as a choreographer and artistic director for Västerbottens Koreografiska, based in Umeå. She has been working in contemporary choreography for 25 years. Ever since her debut, she has been at the forefront of the development and assertion of contemporary choreography. A tireless worker, she has cultivated a bold and curious artistic practice with an ear attuned to our present, as well as to our history and future. Always faithful to the artistic vision and trusting in the choreographic creative process and her fellow artists, Hellkvist Sellén has followed her own inner voice with integrity, and her works have found their very own forms. She trained in the choreography program at the Stockholm University of the Arts.
Photo: Elin Berge
Pernille Holden (b. 1979) is a performing and creative dancer active in the independent dance scene, based in Oslo. Holden trained at Spin Off’s Preparatory Program in Dance and the School of Contemporary Dance. Since 2005, she has worked on collaborative projects focusing on collectivity, musicality, and the body’s potential, including with Ingri Fiksdal, Helle Siljeholm, and Ingeleiv Berstad. She is a member of the Actors’ and Dancers’ Alliance (SKUDA). Holden has collaborated with Hellkvist Sellén for many years and appeared in several of her works, most recently *Vi rör oss mot slutet* (2024).
Photo: Sofia Runarsdotter
Elin Hallqvist (b. 1999) is a dancer, performer, and choreographer from Lund. She holds a bachelor’s degree in dance from ArtEZ in the Netherlands and was an intern at Cullberg during the 2023–24 season. Hallqvist is a co-founder of the interdisciplinary collective Wolfa Collective and also creates her own works, most recently the solo piece TARTINI’S DREAM GIRL. In her artistic practice, Hallqvist enjoys blending different disciplines and exploring their interrelationships to challenge what appears to be reality.
Photo: Ella My Blomdahl
Anna Levander (b. 1992) is a musician and composer based in Umeå, performing with the band Dolce and under her own name. In addition to playing in bands, she has experience producing and composing music for theater, film, and advertising. Levander is inspired by contrasts and duality and enjoys blending electronic elements with more acoustic ones. In her work, Levander approaches each project with a spirit of exploration and enjoys working at the intersection of music and other art forms.
Photo: Magnus Petersson
Erik Westerlund (b. 1967) is a lighting designer whose primary interests lie in light as a means of creating space and in developing visual expressions that enhance the choreography. He trained at the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts and created some 60 lighting designs for dance and theater in the early 2000s. Hellkvist Sellén and Westerlund began collaborating in the late 1990s, and *Driv Hunger* is the eleventh work they have created together.
Photo: Lis Kjær
Anne Koutonen (b. 1977) works as a producer at Västerbotten Choreographic and has extensive experience in contemporary performing arts. She studied at institutions including the Stockholm University of the Arts and the Theater Academy in Helsinki. Koutonen moves between production, strategy, and artistic development, with strong roots in the independent cultural scene. She works closely with artistic processes where care, clarity, and curiosity are central driving forces, and has collaborated with a wide range of artists, both nationally and internationally.
Photo: Akseli Kaukoranta
Nadja Nilsson (b. 1991) works as a producer for Västerbottens Koreografiska, based in Umeå. With 10 years of experience working in the field of dance, she is deeply rooted in the independent cultural scene in northern Sweden. She is driven by artistic production, cultural policy, and advocacy for change. Kindness, queer perspectives, and growth are some of the guiding principles in Nilsson’s work. She received her education at Luleå University of Technology and Kulturverkstan, among other institutions.
Photo: Petra Älvstrand