Created in 2008 for Camilla Spidsøe Cohen and Daniel Proietto, And… Carolyn is a duet choreographed by Alan Lucien Øyen, set entirely to the original audio track from the film American Beauty - featuring Thomas Newman’s haunting score and Alan Ball’s existential monologue. By preserving the complete cinematic soundscape and stripping away the visuals, the choreography becomes a visceral, physical response to what is absent. It unfolds as an abstract continuation of the film’s emotional undercurrent, where movement fills the space left by images.

The result is a quietly devastating portrait of memory, beauty, and longing - a distilled essence of cinematic emotionality. The piece invites the audience into a state of contemplation, mirroring the monologue’s themes of disconnection, perception, and invisible love.

Over the years, the duet has been interpreted by many remarkable dancers. This year, And… Carolyn was performed by Clémence Gross and Julien Guillemard of the Paris Opera Ballet during the Gala Ballet for Life - held at the Admiralspalast, Berlin - bringing the work to a stage dedicated to art and solidarity. Most recently, Daniel Proietto reprised the duet alongside Paris Opera Ballet étoile Ludmila Pagliero in the 100 Years of Ballet Estable gala at the Teatro Colón, not only bringing the piece home for the two Argentine dancers but also celebrating a century of the company’s history.