Carolyn Carlson and Tero Saarinen have collaborated since the 1990s when Carlson created works for the Finnish National Ballet and Helsinki City Theatre. Their partnership deepened with the solo pieces Travelling (1998) and Man in a Room (2000). In 2008, Carlson passed her iconic Blue Lady [Revisited] to Saarinen, which was performed accross Europe and Asia. Room 7 pays homage to the long and fruitful collaboration between the two artists.
Room 7
Room 7 takes a journey into the human psyche and its mysteries – embodying various archetypes and explores the mind games that shape our perceptions. Room 7 is a choreography by Carolyn Carlson, created for Tero Saarinen. The piece premiered in the summer of 2024 at the Civitanova Danza Festival in Italy. In April 2025, the work was performed in both Switzerland and Italy.
Duration
30 minutes
Premiere
4 July 2024, Teatro Rossini, Civitanova Danza
About the creation
Reviews
"Closing the program was Room 7, the evening’s most compelling piece – one that truly reflected Carlson’s choreographic spirit. Performed by Tero Saarinen, this solo transcends language, unfolding as a visual poem that narrates a dynamic journey steeped in the absurd. Tero Saarinen, renowned for his distinctive movement language, was outstanding."
"Transcending all linguistic barriers, the performance becomes a universal experience, a compelling exploration of the human psyche. Saarinen channels a multitude of archetypes, traversing the tragic, the absurd, and the labyrinths of the mind with a stage presence that captivates and mesmerises."
"The dancer, embodying the convergence of concept, command of craft, and overall impact, draws spatial coordinates with his fingers — as if weaving an invisible cage, a mental architecture. He becomes the conductor of the music, which seems to emanate from within him --"
Creative team
Choreography: Carolyn Carlson
Dance: Tero Saarinen
Lighting Design: Guillaume Bonneau
Costume Design: Carolyn Carlson, Erika Turunen
Choreographer’s Assistant: Colette Malye
Music: Compilation (René Aubry, Aleksi Aubry-Carlson)
Production
Tero Saarinen Company In collaboration with: Centre Chorégraphique National de Rillieux-la-Pape (France), Atelier de Paris (France), Civitanova Danza (Italy), Carolyn Carlson Company (France)
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