  Understanding star formation in galaxies requires resolving the physical
scale on which star formation often occurs: the scale of star clusters. We
present a multiwavelength, eight-parsec resolution study of star formation in
the circumnuclear star cluster and molecular gas rings of the early-type spiral
NGC 1386. The cluster ring formed simultaneously ~ 4 Myr ago. The clusters have
similar properties in terms of mass and star formation rate, resembling those
of H II regions in the Milky Way disc. The molecular CO gas resolves into long
filaments, which define a secondary ring detached from the cluster ring. Most
clusters are in CO voids. Their separation with respect the CO filaments is
reminiscent of that seen in galaxy spiral arms. By analogy, we propose that a
density wave through the disc of this galaxy may have produced this gap in the
central kpc. The CO filaments fragment into strings of dense, unresolved clouds
with no evidence of a stellar counterpart. These clouds may be the sites of a
future population of clusters in the ring. The free-fall time of these clouds,
~ 10 Myr, is close to the orbital time of the CO ring. This coincidence could
lead to a synchronous bursting ring, as is the case for the current ring. The
inward spiralling morphology of the CO filaments and co-spatiality with
equivalent kpc-scale dust filaments are suggestive of their role as matter
carriers from the galaxy outskirts to feed the molecular ring and a moderate
active nucleus.
