Expanding the Boundaries of Dance - Pina Bausch and the German Dance Theatre
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18533/zw8pxt91Keywords:
modern dance, dance theatre, Pina BauschAbstract
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, pioneers of modern dance challenged the constraints of classical ballet, advocating for spontaneous, unrestricted bodily expression over codified technique. This shift foregrounded the dancer’s body as an autonomous medium capable of conveying emotion, social meaning, and individual subjectivity. Building on this foundation, the 1970s saw the emergence of Tanztheater (dance theatre), a form popularised by Pina Bausch at the Wuppertal Dance Theatre. This study examines the development of German dance theatre and Bausch’s innovative choreographic methods, which integrated movement, spoken text, objects, and theatrical imagery through collaborative and improvisational processes. Using a practice-led and analytical approach, the article explores how Bausch’s work emphasised embodied presence and social engagement, transforming the performer’s body into a vehicle for lived experience rather than technical virtuosity alone. Key findings reveal that her methodology reshaped the possibilities of theatre dance, establishing a model in which physicality, narrative, and socio-cultural commentary coalesce. The study highlights Bausch’s influence on subsequent dance and physical theatre companies, demonstrating how her work continues to inform contemporary approaches to movement-based performance, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the creation of socially resonant theatrical experiences.
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