Mandolion is an ensemble within Dandelion Dancetheater, directed by Eric Kupers. We are gathering as people who identify as “men” to deconstruct, explore, and perhaps reconstruct what it means for each of us to be a man. We are using dance, music, story, and ritual to question and learn together.
Here’s video excerpts from our first cycle of explorations on the Rite of Spring journey:
Mandolion & the Flowing Wand
In lieu of public performances of Mandolion’s Rite of Spring in May 2023, which were postponed due to an ensemble member’s COVID infection, we gathered to explore questions about sacred masculinity in a looser, more informal way. Here’s some of what we discovered:
EARLIER ITERATIONS OF MANDOLION’S RITE OF SPRING:
Mandolion is constantly evolving. The core ensemble includes Eric, Michael Armstrong, David Davis, Fernando Miguel, and Michael Rowley. The extended-family-ensemble includes Sebastian Grubb, Nol Simonse, SNJV, Bruce Bierman, Gilberto Melendez, Bill Bombria, Nils Jorgensen, Beni Avalos and more.
We’re working with questions around initiation, transition into manhood, the blurriness of identities, where gender lives in our bodies, the nature of “sacred masculinity,” performance as rituals to help us through each of our journeys, and what it means to create ensemble in the midst of pandemics.
Stay tuned!
And meanwhile, please check out excerpts of some of our work so far:
Mandolion Doing Research on Something Important!
First Rehearsal Attempt of the YOPANUS Ritual with Eric and Nils
Second Rehearsal Attempt of the YOPANUS Ritual with Eric and Nils
Mandolion Tricycle Experiments #2
Mandolion Begins a Rite of Spring Tricycle Journey