Tero Saarinen Company

What Tero Saarinen Company does

Tero Saarinen Company (TSC) is a Helsinki-based contemporary dance company founded in 1996 by dancer-choreographer Tero Saarinen and operated by the Finnish non-profit association Into liikkeessä ry (Y-tunnus 1750370-4). The company creates, produces, and tours contemporary dance works built around Saarinen's proprietary Tero Technique — a movement methodology blending ballet, contemporary dance, and Asian butoh traditions — across 40+ countries, while serving as a programming partner at Dance House Helsinki (Erkko Hall). The core creative and technical staff numbers 17 full-time employees with additional seasonal freelancers.

TSC's product surface spans four interlocking lines. (1) Dance productions, including Saarinen's own works and guest-choreographer commissions, premiered at home and on international tour (notable recent works include Study for Life, 2025; Macbeth, 2024; Room 7, 2024). (2) TSC Studio, a ~200 m² rehearsal facility at Helsinki's Cable Factory equipped with a Harlequin Liberty sprung floor, mirrors, projector, and a proprietary 22-speaker Genelec immersive audio system designed by resident sound designer Tuomas Norvio, rented to other dance companies and available for residencies. (3) Tero Technique training, delivered as weekly morning classes (€12/session), class passes (5-class €50, 10-class €95), and workshops (€18–65). (4) The TSC Friends membership programme (Friend €200, Supporter €1,500, Patron €5,000) providing rehearsal access, premiere invitations, and patron-only events.

Revenue is generated through ticket sales (€16–68 with discounts for students, seniors, groups, and Pay-What-You-Can options), studio rental (€32.92–53.35/hour with subsidized rates for dance professionals), training fees, international co-productions and touring fees, and annual memberships, supported by public funding from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and the Jane and Aatos Erko Foundation. Go-to-market operates through touring and festival bookings (enterprise channel), the Tixly-powered online store and Cable Factory box office (consumer channel), and community programs including residencies and the membership ladder. Customer segments span performing arts presenters, professional dancers and students, local Helsinki audiences, and high-net-worth cultural patrons.

Name

Tero Saarinen Company

Legal name

Into liikkeessä ry

Website

https://terosaarinen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Tero Saarinen Company (TSC) is a Helsinki-based contemporary dance company founded in 1996, producing and touring original works across 40+ countries. It operates TSC Studio, Tero Technique training, residencies, and a tiered Friends membership serving dancers, audiences, presenters, and patrons.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Dance Performance

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Dance Companies (71112)

akta.pro primary industry

Dancers, Choreographers & Dance Troupes Booking (HSACAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tour & Artist Management Services (HSACAHAN), Rehearsal & Pre-Production Studios (Rehearsal Rooms, Backline) (MPAIAHAK)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance performances
• Movement technique training
• Dance studio rentals
• Artist residency programs
• Performing arts membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Performance Ticket Sales: Revenue from performances at Dance House Helsinki (Erkko Hall) and international touring. Ticket categories range from €16-68 depending on audience segment and seating category.
2. Training Classes and Workshops: Weekly morning classes (Tero Technique, Pilates, contemporary dance) at €12/session, workshop fees ranging €18-65, and class passes (5-class €50, 10-class €95).
3. Studio Rental: TSC Studio rental to other dance companies, choreographers, and organizations. Hourly rates €32.92-53.35 depending on user category (subsidized for dance professionals).
4. TSC Friends Membership: Annual membership program with three tiers: Friend (€200), Supporter (€1,500), and Patron (€5,000), offering access to rehearsals, premieres, and exclusive events.
5. International Touring: Co-productions and guest performances at international venues and festivals across 40+ countries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tero Saarinen Company creates, produces, and tours contemporary dance works choreographed by Tero Saarinen and guest choreographers, presenting them at Dance House Helsinki and on international stages across 40+ countries. The company also operates TSC Studio (a rehearsal/event rental space with Genelec immersive audio), teaches the proprietary Tero Technique methodology through weekly classes and workshops, and runs artist residencies and a tiered membership programme.

Product overview

Tero Saarinen Company (TSC) operates as a contemporary dance company offering a unified portfolio of live performance productions and training services. The core offering consists of dance productions (choreographed by Tero Saarinen and guest choreographers), TSC Studio (a rehearsal and event rental facility at Helsinki\'s Cable Factory), and Tero Technique (a proprietary movement method taught in weekly morning classes and international workshops). Supporting services include studio and audio residencies for visiting artists, a tiered Friends membership programme, and online ticketing for performances at Dance House Helsinki. The company tours productions internationally across 40 countries, maintaining its home base at Dance House Helsinki as a programming partner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dance Productions Contemporary dance productions choreographed by Tero Saarinen and guest choreographers, presented at Dance House Helsinki (Erkko Hall) and toured internationally to 40+ countries. Productions integrate movement expression, visualization, and live music, addressing universal themes of love, friendship, and spiritual power.
• TSC Studio Rental Nearly 200 m² dance rehearsal studio at Helsinki's Cable Factory, equipped with heated Harlequin Liberty sprung floor, mirrored walls, Genelec immersive 22-speaker sound system, projector, and movable ballet barres. Rented to dance companies, choreographers, schools, and for corporate events at hourly rates €32.92-53.35 depending on user category.
• Tero Technique Training Proprietary movement technique developed by Tero Saarinen, blending ballet, contemporary dance, and Asian traditions such as butoh. Emphasizes holistic body-mind awakening, sensory awareness from the soles of the feet, and individual expressive frequencies. Taught weekly in morning classes at TSC Studio and in workshops internationally (€12/class, €18-65/workshop).
• Artist Residencies Studio residencies for performing arts artists at TSC Studio, including movement-based residencies and audio residencies leveraging the Genelec immersive 22-speaker sound system. Includes artistic and production mentorship from TSC staff. Includes partnership with Amos Rex Generation triennial residency programme.
• Training and Morning Classes

Quantifiable outcome

• Performances in 40+ countries across all continents
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Urban Taidetanssin tuki ryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-production partner for Sonya Lindfors' Wild Is the Wind, commissioned for TSC's 30th anniversary triple bill.
• Het Muziek (formerly Asko|Schönberg ensemble)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Dutch contemporary music ensemble collaborated with TSC on Study for Life, performing Kaija Saariaho's music. Partnership with Holland Festival and Bregenzer Festspiele for premiere.
• Centre chorégraphique national de Rillieux-la-PapeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-production partner for Carolyn Carlson works including Room 7, along with Atelier de Paris, Civitanova Danza, and Carolyn Carlson Company.
• Amos RexminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for the Generation exhibition (triennial) residency program. TSC hosts residency artists with movement interest from the Generation exhibition at its studio. 4 artists/groups selected in 2026 for week-long residencies.
• Into liikkeessä rycoreOthers · 1 January 1996Non-profit association that maintains and develops Tero Saarinen Company. The association's purpose is to promote and develop high-quality contemporary dance hobby activities.
• GeneleccoreTechnology or IntegrationGenelec provided the immersive audio system for TSC Studio, including 22 speakers and two calibration systems. The system's design enables TSC to create immersive sound experiences for performances and residencies. Sound designer Tuomas Norvio designed the system in collaboration with Genelec.
• Dance House Helsinki (Tanssin Talo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSC is a programming partner of Dance House Helsinki, producing its own seasons and also facilitating international guest performances. TSC's main venue for performances is the Erkko Hall in Tanssin Talo.
• Tampereen Työväen Teatteri (TTT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Macbeth (2024), a multidisciplinary performance combining dance, theater, and juggling. Co-creation between TSC and TTT.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Candoco Dance Company: UK-based inclusive contemporary dance company integrating disabled and non-disabled dancers, with comparable scale and an active education/community workshop program. Useful smaller-scale peer for benchmarking TSC's training and community engagement verticals.
• Rambert: One of the UK's leading contemporary dance companies, combining a permanent ensemble of comparable size, an extensive international touring schedule, in-house training programs, and a London-based studio with public-facing classes and rental — a near-analog in scope to TSC's offerings.
• Akram Khan Company: UK-based, choreographer-led company built around Akram Khan's signature fusion of Kathak and contemporary dance. Highly comparable to TSC in scale, signature methodology, international touring footprint, and education/workshop vertical.
• Hofesh Shechter Company: UK-based choreographer-led contemporary dance company producing touring repertory works and associated artist development. Mirrors TSC's combination of distinctive choreographic voice, international co-productions, and educational outreach.
• Batsheva Dance Company: Israeli contemporary dance company founded around the same era as TSC, known for a signature movement methodology (Gaga) and extensive international touring. The closest structural analog to TSC's combination of proprietary technique, choreographer-led identity, and global festival presence.
• Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT): Premier Dutch contemporary dance company with two resident ensembles (NDT1, NDT2) that tour internationally. NDT1 has performed Saarinen's works in its repertoire, and NDT operates a comparable model of high-profile international touring alongside repertory development and education programs.
• Kidd Pivot: Crystal Pite's Vancouver-based contemporary dance company, producing critically acclaimed touring works (e.g., 'Dark Matters', 'Flight Pattern'). Comparable as a choreographer-anchored company with a modest permanent ensemble that scales with freelance collaborators for productions.
• Ballet de l'Opéra national de Lyon: French opera-house ballet company with a strong contemporary identity, which has commissioned and toured works by Tero Saarinen. Comparable as an internationally touring ensemble that blends classical and contemporary repertoire with co-productions.
• Ballet Hispánico: New York-based Latinx contemporary dance company with a comparable footprint: a permanent ensemble, international touring, in-house training and education programs, and community engagement initiatives. Closest US structural analog to TSC's multi-revenue operating model.

Regional players

• Finnish National Ballet: Finland's national ballet company, co-producer of TSC's 'Kullervo' (2015) and a regular presenter of Saarinen's works. Direct Finnish counterpart and frequent commissioning partner, providing a useful geographic benchmark for company scale and repertoire strategy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/terosaarinencompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/terosaarinencompany
• Xx.com/terosaarinenco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tero-saarinen-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tero Saarinen Company