IN MEMORIAM

With a Bow, Silence, and Respect

The news of the death of the legendary and unforgettable German
dancer and choreographer, Ms. Pina Bausch, was a bolt from the blue for
the world, especially for those individuals who live a life of modern
dance.

Ms. Pina Bausch, born in 1940, completely changed the development of
modern dance. She was influenced by her teacher, Kurt Jooss, who mixed
modern ballet with theatre, including placing naturalistic movement
and moral issues in the forefront; subsequently she began to create her
own unique dance language/expression. Dancing bodies float in her
works, their movement is effortless; as if archetypical stories of
humankind were created out of semi-dreams. These stories seduced the
crowds of loyal fans who followed her work and always came back to her
performances, leaving them weeping, emotionally shaken, and
cathartically changed. Ms. Bausch was a master at creating a space for
the individual, at instilling a sense of complete intimacy and
personally addressing Everyman; not only with a story, but also with her
manner of (physical) positioning on the stage. Hence, it does not come
as a surprise that she beguiled the great European film directors
Pedro Almodóvar and Federico Fellini, who showcased Ms. Bausch in their
films.

How very special and irreplaceable she is was confirmed by reviewers
and award juries all around the world; she was a recipient of the two
biggest awards: the Kyoto Prize (2007) and the Golden Lion (2007) for
Lifetime Achievement.

Jasmina Založnik