When fairy tale artist Petronella Grahn called author Päivi Tuulikki Koskela in 2019 and asked her to join as a ghostwriter for the magical world of Pomenia, neither of them knew what all the collaboration would produce. Now, three years later, three fairy tale novels, two picture books, a board game, emotional education materials, various action cards, fairy tale art, and a full-length fairy tale ballet have been released from Pomenia.

Pomenia is not just a book. Pomenia is a whole fairy tale world that manifests itself in various forms here in the human world. It’s a world that brings magic, creates excitement, and takes you along for the ride.

Päivi Tuulikki Koskela is also the director of the Sinikello Ballet School. As soon as she began her role as a ghostwriter for Pomenia, she knew that the magical world should also be brought to the stage.

The production didn’t appear out of thin air but required a lot of work. The preparation for the ballet began in 2020 with the planning of the ballet’s structure and libretto. After that, composers Rolf Gustavson and Mika Tourunen created the music for the ballet. Based on this, the teachers at the Sinikello Ballet School choreographed and directed the ballet for over 400 ballet students. Dozens of people sewed costumes and created sets for the ballet. Artist Petronella Grahn designed the visual backgrounds for the stage. Around two hundred parents of the students assisted in preparing for the performance and behind the scenes on performance days.

And so, on the grand stage of the Oulu Theater in April 2022, something magical was witnessed: the enchanting world of Pomenia came to life as a ballet. Teo the troll arrived as foretold in the magical realm, the dragon learned to fly after all, the fairies were captured and rescued, the wicked Shadow led the Dark Wizard into darkness, and as it should be, they were defeated together. When the audience, after the curtain closed, blinked their eyes and returned to the human world, they had experienced something, been somewhere else… they had been to the magical world of Pomenia. There, where the impossible is possible and the adventure is magnificent.

Indeed! All’s well that ends well!

Let’s quickly skim through and state together in one voice of a troll that children’s culture should never be “just” children’s culture. When carried out with professionalism and from heart to heart, it becomes an experiential fairy tale culture that speaks to both children and adults as a touching shared experience. Absolutely. This, if anything, is Important.

A heartfelt thank you to all participants, and towards the next adventures we go… until the next time we embark on them!