Architecture as Dance, Dance as Architecture: Black Label Movement

In a one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary performance at Taliesin, award-winning Minneapolis dance company Black Label Movement explores the idea that architecture can move—and that movement can design and construct space. 

The evening begins at 5:30pm with site-responsive activations at Hillside. Black Label Movement dancers will be responding directly to the geometry, materials, and atmosphere of two distinct spaces, transforming Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture into a living choreography and inviting audiences on an immersive journey through design, movement, and community. 

The performance continues in the intimate Hillside Theater at 6:00pm with a dynamic conversation-in-motion between Black Label Movement Artistic Director Carl Flink and University of Minnesota architecture professor Thomas Fisher. Inspired by the idea that architecture is slow choreography and choreography is fast architecture, the two will explore Wright’s architectural principles through the expressive potential of moving bodies in real time. 

The evening also features striking contemporary dance works from Black Label’s repertoire that echo the spatial dynamism and emotional depth of Wright’s philosophy of organic architecture. The program culminates in the premiere of an original choreography and musical composition inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Work Song, created especially for Taliesin. 

Set within one of America’s most iconic architectural environments, this immersive evening invites audiences to experience Wright’s ideas not just through buildings—but through the energy, physicality, and human connection of dance.

Schedule of Events

5:15pm Parking opens at Hillside
5:30pm Site-responsive activations at Hillside
6:00pm Seated featured performance in Hillside Theater 

About Black Label Movement

Black Label is a Minnesota dance company that makes wildly physical, naturally virtuosic, intellectually and emotionally engaging movement-driven art and embodied activities that examine and engage the human condition to inspire vivid lives. They create intensely physical, socially critical contemporary dance; develop movement-centered presentations on "Big Ideas," and collaborate with unusual partners within the artistic community and beyond.

Carl Flink is the founding artistic director and primary choreographer of the award-winning contemporary dance company Black Label Movement, based in Minneapolis. Featured in Dance Magazine, his work is recognized for its intense athleticism, layered physicality, and deeply humanistic themes. Flink’s choreography often bridges disciplines, exploring big ideas through movement and collaboration across the arts and sciences. 

 
Thomas Fisher, a graduate of Cornell University in architecture and Case Western Reserve University in intellectual history, was previously the Editorial Director of Progressive Architecture magazine. Recognized in 2005 as the fifth most published writer about architecture in the United States, he has written 12 books, over 60 book chapters or introductions, and over 450 articles in professional journals and major publications. Named a top-25 design educator four times by Design Intelligence, he has lectured at over 50 universities and over 150 professional and public meetings. He has written extensively about urban design, system design, and ethics. His newest books include The Architecture of Ethics (Routledge, 2019) and The International Geodesign Collaboration, Changing Geography by Design (ESRI Press, 2020), which he edited with Carl Steinitz and Brian Orland. 

Accessibility Information 
 
Taliesin Hillside Theater has limited ADA seating availability. If you have any specific needs, please contact us in advance at programs@taliesinpreservation.org. Taliesin events take place on the historic estate and include walking outside on uneven terrain and gravel walkways and often include stairs with no handrails. 
 
New in 2026, Hillside Theater is equipped with an Auracast BluetoothLE assistive listening system. 
 
If you or someone in your party would like information about accessibility, mobility access, or assistive listening features at Hillside Theater, please review our accessibility document. 

About Taliesin Preservation

VISION
Taliesin is acknowledged as the embodiment of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright's commitment to the creation of exceptional environments that harmonize architecture, art, culture, and the land.

MISSION
As stewards, Taliesin Preservation's mission is to preserve the cultural, built, and natural environments that comprise the Taliesin property and to conduct public educational and cultural programming that provides a greater understanding of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture and ideas

Photo Waiver 

Photography, videography, and audio recording are not allowed during the program. Photography and short-form videos up to 30 seconds, without archival footage and for personal use only, are allowed before and after the program. Equipment, such as tripods and selfie sticks, is not permitted. No other reproductions may be created for commercial use in any way without the express, written consent of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. 
 
While on the property, you may be photographed or videotaped for use by Taliesin Preservation or the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. By purchasing a ticket to this event, you agree that Taliesin Preservation has full permission to use your photograph, or likeness, for any promotional purposes that they deem appropriate. These purposes may be for internal or external use and may include collateral materials, newsletters, advertising, marketing, publicity, or other uses

Cancellation Policy

Taliesin programs are non-refundable. With 24-hours notice, we can provide a credit for the value of the event, excluding fees, or transfer your ticket to another person at no additional cost. In the unfortunate event that Taliesin Preservation cancels the event, guests will be notified in advance and offered a credit or full refund to the original payment method. Taliesin is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, and all ticket sales support our mission to preserve its cultural, built, and natural environments.