The dancer, choreographer and composer Ernest Berk was born in Cologne in 1909 and studied violin and improvisation at the Rheinische Musikschule as well as dance and improvisation at the institute of the Wigman student Chinita Ullmann. After his first solo dance evening in Cologne in 1929, he quickly became an artist in demand and …
Continue reading “The Complete Expressionist – Musique Concrètre and Modern Dance”
With its first major project, the Villa Wigman für TANZ (Villa Wigman for Dance) association has taken another step on the way to preserving the former Wigman School in Dresden as a historico-cultural location as well as a rehearsal, production and transfer centre for independent contemporary dance. At Mary Wigman’s workplace and residence, the project initiators were …
Continue reading “BAUTZNER STRASSE 107, PAST PRESENT FUTURE”
The 1926 version of Mary Wigman’s solo Hexentanz 2 (Witch Dance 2) is one of the most famous works of German Expressionist Dance and it influenced generations of choreographers. The earthbound character of the dance, the rugged gestures and the opening of the legs not only offered an alternative to the ballet ideal but also …
In 2013, Städtische Bühnen Osnabrück (the municipal theatres of Osnabrück) produced an extraordinarily successful reconstruction of Mary Wigman’s Le Sacre Du Printemps, originally for 45 dancers, as part of TANZFONDS ERBE. In February 2017 the theatre was re-staging two smaller but no less important works by Wigman: Totentanz I (Dance of Death I) originally performed by …
Continue reading “RECONSTRUCTIONS OF MARY WIGMAN’S TOTENTÄNZE (DANCES OF DEATH)”
As far as historical personalities from the art world go, Harald Kreutzberg is a contradictory phenomenon: on the one hand an artistic revolutionary, on the other a Mitläufer (follower) of the National Socialist regime, although he only saw himself as committed to his art. In 1927, the New York Times described him as “the best …
Born in Dresden in 1912, Marianne Vogelsang studied dance with Gret Palucca and was one of the pioneers of German Expressionist Dance. From 1971 to 1973, shortly before her death, she choreographed Fünf Präludien (Five Preludes), which took a subtle look at Bach’s work and which she passed on to the Dresden dancer and choreographer Manfred …
Continue reading “FIVE PRELUDES BY MARIANNE VOGELSANG FROM J.S. BACH’S WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER”
Mary Wigman’s ‘Sacre’ had its premiere at the Städtische Oper Berlin when it was danced by the theatre’s ballet company in 1957. Unfortunately, all that remains of Wigman’s choreography are sketches, photos, notes and the memories of dancers who were involved in the work. This material formed the foundation for the reconstruction by Henrietta Horn, Susan Barnett and …
Yvonne Georgi (1903–1975), one of Germany’s greatest choreographers and dancers, is barely remembered by the general public today. Her life’s work reveals the fascinating history of 20th century dance: a bridge between expressionist dance and classical, between the independent scene and publicly funded theatre in cities and states, and always in connection with new music. The young …
Continue reading “Der Schrank der Georgi (GEORGI’S WARDROBE)”
In the 1920s and 1950s, the German Federal State of Baden-Württemberg was a thriving centre of expressionist dance. Today, residents have all but forgotten about works by pioneers such as Rudolf von Laban, Kurt Jooss, Mary Wigman and Oskar Schlemmer. The goal of the three-day festival TANZLOKAL – Tanzfest Stuttgart, organised by the Dance + Performance Production Centre, …
“The dance piece has its time, no different to the dancer himself who is caught in the timeframe that allows him to use his body confidently as an instrument. That is fate in dance.” Mary Wigman Using memory as an attempt to see the world in a new way: Abendliche Tänze (Evening Dances) is both …