Islands – A deal with instinct

For this 2023 creation, Carolyn Carlson has chosen to work with Yutaka Nakata, who has been collaborating with her for 15 years. Drawing her inspiration from nature, Zen Buddhism and the martial arts, the choreographer wishes to evoke the animal instinct that lies dormant in each of us and the symbolism of the mountain. Playing on the energies and principles of mindfulness, Yutaka, experienced in Tai-chi and Qi Gong techniques, will invoke the powers of the tiger or the snake to represent the search for balance in the instability of today’s world. After the resounding success of the trio created in 2004, Tigers in the Tea House, the culmination of Carolyn Carlson’s relationship with Eastern cultures and Zen Buddhism, the great lady once again invites us to a broad and deep exploration between East and West, meditation and action, balance and instability, strength and delicacy, immobility and absolute movement: a visual Haiku.

Choreography | Carolyn Carlson
Interpretation | Yutaka Nakata
Music | Aleksi Aubry-Carlson
Lighting | Guillaume Bonneau
Duration | 15 minutes
Production | Carolyn Carlson Company
Coproductions | Quartier Libre Productions, Le Théâtre de Fontainebleau, Le Carré-Bellefeuille, Boulogne-Billancourt