Background and studies
Before studying dance Oinonen went to Kuopio Senior High of Music and Dance. As a teenager he also started training karate which eventually led to international competitions with Finnish national team. In 2006, after four years of studying at the Kuopio Academy of Music and Dance, Oinonen got a degree in Dance pedagogy (BA). However, already while studying dance pedagogy, he was engaged in professional dance productions with the Routa Company – with the works of both Sanna Myllylahti (After All – Kaiken jälkeen) and Heli Meklin (Granny Smith). Oinonen’s dance studies’ internship at the Dance Theatre MD in Tampere was so appreciated that the theatre wanted to continue working with him immediately after his graduation.
Career as a dancer
For approximately half of the time Oinonen has worked as a professional dancer, he has danced in the Dance Theatre MD (2006–2009 and 2014–2017) in pieces by many well-known Finnish choreographers e.g. with Ari Numminen and Tero Saarinen. Rest of the time he has worked as a freelancer, and this has taken him e.g. to Sweden to work with Helena Franzén and the award-winning dance company Art of Spectra. After starting as a freelancer in the year 2009 Oinonen first worked with Glims & Gloms Dance Company and Karttunen Kollektiv, a company led by Jyrki Karttunen. As a result of working as a dancer both in Finland and abroad has given Oinonen more than forty credits in pieces ranging from stage productions to music videos. He has worked with choreographers such as the above-mentioned as well as e.g. with Kosei Sakamoto and Anu Sistonen.Throughout his career Oinonen has deepened his knowledge by training with e.g. Louise Lecavalier, Rootlessroot, Ultima Vez, Andonis Foniadakis and Julyen Hamilton. Occasionally Oinonen also works as a teacher himself for example in places like TROIS C-L Centre de Création Choréographique Luxembourgeois.
Present
Oinonen is at the moment exploring the art as a freelance artist. Oinonen has received multiple working grants for artistic work, the latest being from Arts Promotion Centre Finland 2023. 2018 premiered a project called The Days Project which was started with dance artist Maria Nurmela and created in collaboration with British choreographer Theo Clinkard. The work still tours internationally.
What intrigues he as a dance artist is the range of qualities in presence and physicality as a vessel of expression, the dance that communicates human matters – whether tactile or unseen.
