Undoubtedly an icon in the world of dance theatre since the 1970s, Tanztheter Wuppertal Pina Bausch has played a large role in changing the landscape of modern dance with a ripple effect that can be felt through contemporary dance and theatre today. The late, Pina Bausch, a maverick of the arts, through her choreography has the ability to transcend movement into an expression of the human condition which is raw and pure. The latest remounting of the pivotal piece Kontakthof by the company at Sadler’s Wells this February is an important reminder of how, truly great theatre, can transcend time and context.
Kontakthof was originally premiered in 1978 at Operahouse Wuppertal and has remained, for many, to be one of the most important pieces in Bausch’s canon of work dealing with themes of desire for contact the need to be seen, appreciation and equality. Provoked by the pandemic, social issues such as sexism, racism and cultural appropriation, have also been largely explored by the company for this latest version. Moving forward, you can’t help to think there are themes of gender too yet to be tapped into.
