German choreographer Pina Bausch, born in 1940 and founder of the ground breaking Tanztheater Wuppertal whose dance theater style met with wide international acclaim, died in 2009. Her theater, her dance and her art was a brilliant blend of classical dance, improvisation, performance, pantomime, acrobatics, song and the spoken word. A spoken word forever expressed in several languages, reflecting the various nationalities of the company member and Pina Bausch’s talent for listening, looking and loving.
Fellow German director, producer, screenwriter and photographer, Wim Wenders, born in 1945 – director of “Alice in the cities” (1973), “Wrong Move”, (1975), “Paris Texas”, (1984), “Wings of Desire”, (1987) and,among others “Buena Vista Social Club”, (1998) – was profoundly moved by Pina Bausch’s “Café Müller” he saw for the first time in 1985. A friendship quickly developed between the two artists, inspiring Wim Wenders to direct a movie about her. It wasn’t until the evolution of 3D movies that Wim Wenders finally found the expression most adapted to capturing her ephemeral movements on screen.
He began working with Pina Bausch in 2008. Together they selected four choreographies, “The Rite of Spring” (1975), « Café Müller » (1978), « Kontakthof » (1978) and « Vollmond » (2006) that Pina Bausch revived during the 2009/2010 season to rework with her company. After 6 months of intensive work, Pina Bausch died suddently on June 30, 2009. Wim Wenders stopped the work in progress, convinced the film couldn’t continue without her. The influence of Pina’s family, friends and dancers persuaded Wenders to rekindle the project. “Pina” was relased in 2011.
The sublime result is an homage to the choreographer and her dancers, revealing her philosophy, her relationships with the men and women in her company and her movements.
Donata Wenders, German photographer born in Berlin in 1965 and married to Wim Wenders, covered the making of “Pina” and the Tanztheater Wuppertal for many years. The book « Pina, Der Film und die Tänzer » published by Schirmer/Mosel features pictures of performances, intimate back stage scenes, dancer’s portraits and outdoor shots taken during the film’s shooting.
The book features 33 dancers with 25 original comments printed in their original spoken languages, German and English. Among them, these quotes:
« Meeting Pina was like finding a language, finally. Before I didn’t know how to talk. And then she suddenly gave me a way to express myself. When I began, I was pretty shy – I still am – and after many months of rehearsing she called me and said: « You just have to get crazier! ». (Ruth Amarante, Brazilian dancer in the company since 1991)
« I am working with angels. You are an angel, you are beautiful! » she said. You always had the impression you were more than just a human being when you were working with Pina.» (Malou Airaudo, French company dancer since 1973)
Donata & Wim Wenders
« Pina – Der Film und die Tänzer »
Text Wim Wenders – Photographs Donata Wenders
256 pages, 152 pictures.
ISBN 978-3-8296-0590-8.
Prix :
€ 39.80 (A) € 41.-; sFr 59.90
