ABSTRACT
The metaphor of the labyrinth has been used since classical antiquity to describe situations of disorientation and confusion. The labyrinth is believed to have originated on Minoan Crete during the Neolithic Age, from 3000-2000 bc onwards. The motif of the labyrinth, in a variety of shapes and sizes, featured in many medieval churches, in North Africa, Italy, and especially in France. Hence, the labyrinth no longer offered the rhythmic cadence of a unicursal path but had become decidedly Mannerist, a maze of choices, false paths, error, and disorientation. The relationship between the labyrinth and the mandala is highly complex, given that the latter is sometimes represented with a labyrinthine structure and in some regions is used in dance. With regard to dance, the themes of identity, subjectivity, and the body are not only highlighted by geographical discourse, but also feature strongly in contemporary choreographic practices.
