Density 21.5, on a score by Edgar Varese, changed the career of Carolyn Carlson (born in 1943). In 1973, on tour in Hamburg with Alwin Nikolais' company, she was noticed by Rolf Liebermann, then director of the Hamburg Opera. He offered her to create a work for a "Tribute to Varese" evening, at the place at the Paris Opera. Carolyn Carlson accepted and created Density 21.5 on a platinum flute score from Varese. All Carlson is already in Density 21.5. Long and flexible line broken by small jerky gestures of arms, verticality and spiral... Carlson's typical vibration radiates this piece stretched over the ultra-fine thread of the melody. Here again, his unique way of slipping an intimate confidence without ever departing from its abstract elegance. Behind Density 21.5 is already looming the shadow of her iconic solo Blue Lady (1983).

Source: Rosita Boisseau, INA

California-born Carolyn Carlson defines herself first and foremost as a nomad. From San Francisco Bay to the University of Utah, from the Alwin Nikolais company in New York to Anne Béranger’s in France, from Paris Opera Ballet to Teatrodanza La Fenice in Venice, from the Théâtre de la Ville de Paris to Helsinki, from Ballet Cullberg to La Cartoucherie in Paris, from the Venice Biennale to Roubaix, Carlson is a tireless traveller, always seeking to develop and share her poetic universe.

She arrived in France in 1971 the beneficiary of Alwin Nikolais’s ideas about movement, composition and teaching. The following year, with Rituel pour un rêve mort, she wrote a poetic manifesto that defined an approach to her work that she has adhered to ever since: dance that is strongly oriented towards philosophy and spirituality. Carlson prefers the term ‘visual poetry’ to ‘choreography’ to describe her work. She creates works that express her poetic thoughts and a form of complete art within which movement occupies a special place. 

For four decades, Carlson has had significant influence and success in many European countries. She played a key role in the birth of French and Italian contemporary dance through the GRTOP (theatre research group) at Paris Opera Ballet and Teatrodanza at La Fenice.

She has created over 100 pieces, a large number of which are landmarks in the history of dance, including Density 21.5, The Year of the Horse, Blue Lady, Steppe, Maa, Signes, Writings on Water and Inanna. In 2006, her work was rewarded with the first ever Golden Lion given to a choreographer by the Venice Biennale.

Nowadays, Carolyn Carlson is director of two organisations: the Atelier de Paris-Carolyn Carlson, an international centre for masterclasses, residencies and creating new works, which she founded in 1999 and the National Choreographic Centre Roubaix Nord-Pas de Calais until December 2013, which produces and tours shows all over the world.

More information: en.carolyn-carlson.com

Michel Dumoulin was born on June 19, 1935. He was a director and actor, known for Dalida pour toujours (1977), Un siècle d'écrivains (1995) and Jean Genet, le vagabond: Jean Genet, l'écrivain (1996). He died on February 23, 2015 in Marrakech, Morocco.

Source : IMdb