Hagar Malin Hellkvist Sellén
ChoreographerHagar Malin Hellkvist Sellén is a Swedish choreographer with roots in Västerbotten, where she has been living and working again for the past two years after many years based in Stockholm. Last year, she premiered her choreographed exhibition Vi rör oss mot slutet (We Move Towards the End), which is her most extensive work to date, lasting nearly six hours. For three weeks, visitors at Västerbottens Museum in Umeå could experience the exhibition’s choreographic immersion. We Move Towards the End was selected for the Swedish Performing Arts Biennial, which took place in Östersund.
For two decades, Hellkvist Sellén has been a powerful voice in contemporary choreography. Early on, she introduced queer perspectives, themes, and expressions into dance art, and through her works, she has both challenged and embraced audiences. Each piece seeks its own unique format, moving between thematic deep dives, documentary storytelling, and poetic physicality. She has created works for dancers, actors, and individuals with no prior stage experience. Through her work, Hellkvist Sellén redefines the boundaries of what is possible.
Born in 1978, Hellkvist Sellén trained in choreography at the University College of Dance (now Stockholm University of the Arts). Among her most acclaimed works are Bättre folk (Better People), Rosa löften (Pink Promises), Missionären (The Missionary), and Flottarkärlek (Raftsman’s Love), where she has highlighted themes such as lesbians within revivalist movements, physical labor, and Swedish folk culture. She has toured both nationally and across the Nordic region, and her works have been presented at venues such as Dansens Hus, MDT, Dansstationen, and Norrlandsoperan, among others. Hellkvist Sellén has received several awards, including the Swedish Theatre Critics’ Dance Prize and the IRIS Prize from the Swedish Directors’ Association.