9, 10 July 2004. The Finnish-born dancer/choreographer Saarinen began his career as a dancer at the Finnish National Ballet in 1985, where he soon gained attention as a soloist. Despite his success he left the ballet in 1992 to search for new influences studying traditional Japanese dance and butoh. Although Saarinens work displays features of classical ballet, butoh and Western contemporary dance, he has created a unique style of his own. He is rightly regarded as one of the most brilliant and interesting dancer/choreographers of his generation.