RIP Pina Bausch

another one :(

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009/jun/30/pina-bausch-dies-dancer
http://blogs.wnyc.org/culture/2009/06/30/pina-bausch-rest-in-peace/

Oh no fucking way. If I ever meet this death guy, I will tear him limb from limb.

The German choreographer and dancer Pina Bausch died this morning at the age of 68, five days after being diagnosed with cancer.

Holy fucking god, enough of this already.

seriously.

I'm really only familiar with her via Almodovar's Talk to Her, but that was powerful stuff. RIP.

she was usually at BAM every fall. i know they LOVED her. that org must be so sad today :(

it is :/

i guess it's lucky that i got to see her piece last december! i did not love it overall but there were moments in it that still take my breath away when i think of them

Woah shit shit, a friend of mine just saw a show of hers over the weekend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXVuVQuMvgA

Got dragged to see Bandonéon in Paris the other summer by my then-girlfriend's parents purely on account of the Almodovar link and it was amazing even for an uncultured idiot like myself.

::smacks own head::

Oh, this sucks. Can't believe I just found this out. :(

In 1991 I raced down a hallway inside the Paris Opera to make damned sure Nick and I got some returns to see her perform there; we just happened to be in the city. I can't remember which pieces we saw, but all were phenomenal, and there was a weird juxtaposition between the Chagall and the dancers, one thing sinewy and the other frosting-tipped.

Anyone seen the film?

I am anxiously awaiting seeing it, but would like to hear what people think as well!

(saw Kontakthof in March this year in Wuppertal... amazing...)

Watching ballets c de la b end of this week, thought I could go see the film before this but may not get the time.

The UK distributors had a day of screenings to 3D equipped cinemas on 26 April so my wife and I managed to see it locally. I came to it as much more of a Wenders fan than Bausch; I was aware of the broad strokes of her career and had seen bits of Café Muller and her stuff in Talk To Her, but had never seen a live perf.

I enjoyed it very much. The use of 3D is, at times, staggeringly effective and there are some terrific choices of location for the performances so that there's a real feeling of depth and beauty in the staging. The voiceovers by company members didn't go much beyond "she told me nothing but 'be braver'", but I guess they show how taciturn her style of leadership was. I didn't come away thinking that I knew much more about Bausch herself, although I think Wenders made a choice that the work would speak for itself and when the excerpts are given time to breathe (esp. in the embracing, lifting and dropping sequence from Muller) I was absolutely mesmerised. Some of the company members are cool beyond words too, such incredible artists.

It certainly made me want to see more ballet and dance stuff live, and if you get a chance to see it in 3D then I'd recommend it without reservation. I suppose some of the immediacy might be lost by 2D, but it is *very* well staged and shot so the beauty of the imagery and work of the dancers would definitely stand up.

Thanks Bill, that's greatly appreciated. Because the thing I was most 'concerned' about was the 3D thing, in that the mere use of 3D could override the actual documentary. Reading your words about it, it seems like it most certainly hasn't.

Seeing Pina Bausch' company perform Kontakthof in her own theater in Wuppertal last March was mind-blowing. I've not seen a lot of dance performances either, and to experience it like that was highly moving and special.

(fun thing of note was that director Domionique Mercy was in the seat *right behind us*, so by his sighs or whispering of words, and laughs, we could gather not only how he experienced it but also what he did and didn't appreciate [most was defo positive though], so that was a nice bonus!)

np, LBI, very glad to be able to contribute. I can well imagine that seeing them perform (especially in Wuppertal) would be incredible - whilst watching the film I made a mental note that if they ever make it to Manchester then I'd definitely attend.

I'm no stan of 3D cinema in general, but enjoy it when it's used effectively (Up etc) and was intrigued to see what Wenders would do with it. Although the tech has really come on it's still problematic, imo at least: motion blur, the necessity of focussing on a fixed point in close up shots, hokey out-of-the-screen antics. Luckily Wenders avoids most of this. Some of the camerawork is set up like the viewer is simply looking at a stage from the audience, as if the screen is an extension of the auditorium. In other instances, he and the dp compose the shots with multiple layers of focal points so you get a dizzying sensation of depth. There's also some very effective use of close up lending the performers an almost hyperreal appearance - I think the best thing that the 3D does is highlight and emphasise their physicality, whether that's as part of a composed wide shot, or in tighter focus. It made me feel quite an emotional connection with them at several points, which I hope would be true to Bausch's intentions too.

Finally got round to seeing, not in 3D tho'. Still mesmerising, my fave piece was Cafe Muller.

I got the impression of a strong theme, namely that of a struggle against nature. Which brings this incredible physicality to the dances, which was best demonstrated by the dance in the desert followed by the climb up the hill.

For a movie where so little was said I also have to say I got quite an insight: the dancers are v cool, technically you felt like they could do anything - classical or otherwise - but chose to follow this prophet who would seemingly rarely talk, but when she said something would make such an impression that you felt like they would take her words to their graves. And if you are not signed up 150% to their art -- and not that I'm not, I'd love to see a piece of hers, and am still wading my way through contemporary dance -- but cynical me is thinking of a somewhat cult-ish aspect to their adoration of her.

Also this is one of the greatest sundtracks of all time right? Incredible range of music. At many points I wanted to shut my eyes and just listen in...