Mandala (Short Story)

Carolyn  Carlson’s solos showcase her spiritual and existential approach to  dance. She describes them as ways of sharing the state of solitude that  is peculiar to the human condition.

Mandala is  an incarnation of the human heart beat, a constituent of the space  universally shared by every being, from the beginning to the end of our  existence. Here, lived time takes the form of the ensō, the circle of  Zen Buddhism that symbolises both the universe and artistic perfection,  which can only be achieved by a totally free spirit.

The  circular patterns found in crop fields are another source of  inspiration. They remain without explanation, like a message from a  spirit force or from elsewhere, whose unexpectedly beautiful shapes  leave a visual mark deep down in the soul. A similar mark is left by  Michael Gordon’s powerful music. It carries the energy of the movements  and strengthens them with the insistent undulation of a beat.

Sara  Orselli gives substance to a piece that represents a culmination of the  complicity established between Carolyn Carlson and her dancer over more  than a decade.

Source: Carolyn Carlson Company

More information: carolyn-carlson.com