KEKSI Kollektiivi is a collective and creative community of seven women in Oulu, founded in 2015. We produce events and offer possibilities in the street dance field mainly in the Oulu region. One of the main goals for KEKSI Kollektiivi is to maintain and develop the street dance culture in Oulu, which is well-known also in the Finnish context. This is implemented by supporting local dance and dancers and as well by bringing knowledge and new ideas from both Finland and abroad.
Within the years KEKSI Kollektiivi has been active, the collective has managed to acquire a rich CV with multiple projects. KEKSI has been producing club nights, battles, jams, workshops, performances and also weekly practices. KEKSI has been co-operating for example with the Oulu Theatre, University of Oulu, Jojo – Oulu Dance Center, UrbanApa, Arts Promotion Centre Finland and Sade Ry.
Members of KEKSI have wide knowledge and experience on different dance styles. The range includes for example Hip Hop, Waacking, Locking and House, but also other styles as modern dance, show dance and Latin dances. The members of KEKSI have been performing for example in festival stages, clubs, business events and music videos. Besides these, their skillset also includes teaching and organizing events. This is why KEKSI Kollektiivi is always open for new co-operation ideas.
Most notable events:
Oulun Katutanssit 10th Anniversary 1st to 3th of July 2016
Katutanssinäyttämö 21st to 22nd of March 2017
Swag Lessons: Connect with Hip Hop, November 2017
Hip Hop weekend 20th to 22nd of July 2018
C.R.E.A.M ”Choreographic Redirection of Educational and Aesthetic Methods”, November 2018
Weekly dance practises
Board members
Marja aka Berry has worked within the event industry in various roles for over 10 years. Living in Jyväskylä Marja got familiar with the dance scene and in 2017 after living a few years in Oulu she got asked to be part of KEKSI Kollektiivi. Marja is also participating in SADE ry and working as a producer for Call out Suomi events in the Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu area. She is currently living in Oulu and the chairlady in Keksi. Marja has always been interested in dance in general and has tried various styles but the biggest love has always been house dance. As her main job Marja works as a paramedic.
Anu aka Ryti aka Ryticat started dancing in her home town of Raahe when she was 9 years old. She started with latin dances and a few years later she started to get interested in Hip Hop and later also in other styles of street dance. While Anu was studying in Seoul, Korea, she got some unforgettable memories when she got to train with the university’s Hip Hop crew. Nowadays Anu likes to concentrate especially on waacking, hustle and latin dances. Her day job is in marketing, but she has also worked as a professional event producer. Anu is one of the founding members of KEKSI Kollektiivi.
Jenni aka “Jensson the Carrot” joined KEKSI Kollektiivi in 2019. Dancing has been present in Jenni’s life in a form or another since she was 9 years old, but the dance style closest to her heart at the moment (and has been for long already) is house. Through house music she has lately also got excited about DJeing. Jenni enjoys dancing a lot in different kinds of jams and battles and especially sharing with others in cyphers is the best! Jenni is the secretary of KEKSI Kollektiivi.
Viivi aka Vivendo, Vivo or Waiwai is a dancer and dance producer from Oulu. Her passion and curiosity for dance and movement has led her to travel and widen her understanding of different forms and cultures of dance practises. Dance, sharing and creating platforms has always been meaningful for Viivi. She lives and studies currently in Stockholm, Sweden, but is closely working with KEKSI Kollektiivi at her roots in Oulu. Viivi is one of the founding members of KEKSI Kollektiivi.
Milla aka Funky Teacher is dancer, dance teacher and art oriented primary school teacher from Oulu. She lives in Helsinki. Milla loves to dance locking and waacking. In her sparetime Milla organizes workshops and dance events. Milla became a member of KEKSI kollektiivi in 2019.
Riina aka Rine has been part of KEKSI Kollektiivi since day one. She worked many years with dance in Oulu by organizing events, teaching and dancing herself. Especially working with youngsters, teaching and creating opportunities for them has always been important to her. Riina is teaching and focusing on her own dance career in Helsinki at the moment but Oulu is still very close to her heart.
Sara is a multifaceted professional in the field of dance. Over the past 10-years she has been working as a dancer, a choreographer, a dance teacher and a producer for both dance events and artistic productions. She is native to Oulu, however, she currently resides in London, UK. Before moving to London Sara spent 4-years studying various urban dance styles in New York City where she also picked up a new passion, the partnering dance hustle. In addition to all things dance, Sara also works as a yoga and mindfulness teacher. She is the freshest addition to KEKSI Kollektiivi.