Carolyn Carlson was born in California with parents of Finnish origins. She studies dance at the San-Francisco School of Ballet and at the Utah University where she happens to meet Alwin Nikolaïs in 1965. She becomes the emblematic figure of his company in New York for 7 years. She travels around the world and wins the award for Meilleur Danseur du Festival International de Danse de Paris. She then joins Marie Beranger’s company as a dancer and choreographer. She creates her first piece, Rituel pour un rêve mort, presented in Avignon in 1972.
In 1974 her encounter with Rolf Liebermann is of the greatest importance. He invites her to join Opéra de Paris as choreographer-star and asks her in 1975 to direct the Groupe de Recherches Théâtrales (GRTOP). Carolyn will create more than 25 pieces between 1974 and 1980 including Density 21,5 ; The Architects ; This, that and the other; Slow, heavy and blue. From 1974, she initiates dancers to her improvisation and composition technique under the form of masterclasses. Those open classes are attended by Larrio Ekson, Caroline Marcadé, Dominique Mercy, Dominique Petit, Quentin Rouillier, Anne-Marie Reynaud…
From 1980 to 1985, she leaves for Teatro la Fenice à Venise (Undici Onde; Underwood; Blue Lady…), before coming back to Paris where she will perform in Théâtre de la Ville (Dark ; Still Waters...). In 1991-1992, Carolyn Carlson lives in Finland (Elokuu ; Syskuu ; Maa) then directs the Cullberg Ballet of Stockholm for two years (Sub Rosa). She choreographs several soli for herself, Blue Lady in 1984 (presented in over 40 countries in the world), Vu d’ici in 1995, Writings on Water aujourd’hui ; and for dancers such as Nina Hyvärinen, Talia Paz, Marie-Claude Pietragalla, Tero Saarinen…
In parallel to her creation periods, she gives performances in the form of improvisations with accomplices such as Larrio Ekson, Jorma Uotinen, Malou Airaudo, and musicians (Michel Portal, John Surman, René Aubry, Joachim Kuhn, Trilok Gurtu). In parallel, she continues to create repertory pieces for Opéra de Paris (Signes), Opéra de Bordeaux (Hydrogen Jukebox)…
Director of dance of the Biennale of Venice from 1999 to 2002, Carolyn Carlson choreographs there Parabola (1999), Light Bringers (2000), J. Beuys Song (2001), Writings on water (2002). She opens a contemporary dance academy (Accademia isola danza) and creates a festival.
In 1999, Carolyn Carlson founds the Atelier de Paris-Carolyn Carlson in La Cartoucherie, with the support of Ville de Paris. Quickly, the Atelier de Paris becomes a reference concerning the training of professional dancers. Carolyn Carlson gives masterclasses there and invites some of the most prestigious artists of the time to teach: Trisha Brown, Suzanne Linke, Ushio Amagatsu, Bill T. Jones, Wim Vandekeybus, Michèle-Anne de Mey, Lloyd Newson, Susan Buirge, Marie Chouinard… In parallel the Atelier de Paris welcomes in its studio choreographers and artists-interpreters and support them for their creation and research work. Among them, the choreographer Rosalind Crisp is artiste associée since 2003. In 2004, she creates Tiggers in the tea house.
In 2005, Carolyn Carlson becomes director of Centre chorégraphique de Roubaix Nord Pas de Calais. She choreographs Inanna, a piece for 7 women. In 2006, she creates her first piece for a young audience: Les Rêves de Karabine Klaxon, and a new solo, Double Vision, in collaboration with Electronic Shadow. In the course of the same year, she creates Full Moon together with the Korean choreographer Kim Mae-Ja.
In 07/08, she will create several pieces: Li, a duo with Chinatsu Kosakatani et Yutaka Nakata ; Eau, in collaboration with the British componist Joby Talbot. Hidden, at last, a piece for 4 dancers that will be presented in June 08 in La Cartoucherie, Paris, within the frame of the 3rd edition of JUNE EVENTS, organised by the Atelier de Paris with the Théâtre de l’Aquarium, the Théâtre du Chaudron and the Théâtre du Soleil.
