In my mind the word “choreographer” is linked to a Rome-based choreographer named Fiorella who used to come every few months to my ballet school and work with us on the end of the year show. She was a rather interesting character with a perfect hairstyle and a penchant for two things, gold charm bracelets that tinkled at every movement she made and animal printed leotards (especially leopard printed leotards…). I must have been 8 or 9 years old when I first saw her and I immediately filed her under the “extravagantly tacky yet pleasant” category, where my memory affectionately left her.
I think what I particularly appreciated about her was the fact that she managed to perfectly and almost easily coordinate us even though we were a bunch of giggling, unruly and uncoordinated girls.
As the years passed and I grew up, I became acquainted with the work of important choreographers and every time I read their bios or articles about them I wondered if they had the same problems Fiorella used to have with us. One of the choreographers I always liked was the influential Pina Bausch, so I was a bit shocked when I heard on yesterday’s news that she had died.
Born in Solingen in July 1940, Philippine “Pina” Bausch enrolled as a teenager in the Folkwang Academy, directed by the founder of the free dance movement, Kurt Jooss.
It must have been much better than just going to your average ballet school since the Folkwang Academy was not just about dance, but there were all sorts of artists there and this environment obviously influenced young Bausch.
Bausch then moved to New York where she started performing. Going back to Germany in the early 60s, she started choreographing her own work around 1968 and took over a dance company in the early 70s, that she renamed Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.
If you are into creative arts, you know how difficult it can be to find your own language and express what you feel. Bausch managed to do it through starkness and bleakness: her pieces were indeed dramatic and theatrical, at times almost terrifying, and often explored themes of alienation and frustration.
One of my favourite works by Bausch remains the 1978 ballet “Café Müller”, inspired by her childhood memories of growing in her parents’ restaurant and playing around the tables.
Her minimal costumes even inspired the world of fashion: as you may remember, Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy Haute Couture collection (S/S 09) was indeed inspired by a mix of Bausch, Alma-Tadema and bondage.
I hope legendary Bausch is now slowly and poetically dancing her way among a sea of pink carnations, like the dancer in her ballet "Nelken".
The Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch will present "Bamboo Blues" this weekend at the Spoleto Festival. The dance section of this year's festival will be dedicated to the memory of Pina Bausch.
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I also support the theme Tribute to Pina Bausch. Thus she will be able to get her back with the extreme confidence.
Posted by: Gold Charm Bracelet | September 28, 2010 at 06:52 PM