With her choreography Pina Bausch, born in Solingen in 1940, died in Wuppertal on 30 June 2009, has led dance out of its old forms and has coined a new term of dance theatre as the head of the Wuppertal Dance Theatre. From 1955-58 she completed her dance studies at the Folkwangschule in Essen under the direciton of Kurt Jooss. 1959-62 dance studies in the USA, including works with Paul Taylor and Antony Tudor. Upon the request of Kurt Jooss she returned to Germany in 1962 and became a dancer in the Folkwang-Ballett that he had just founded. Her first choreography for the Folkwang-Ballett followed in 1968: "Fragment". From 1969-73 she was artistic director, choreographer and dancer in the Folkwang Dance Studio (1971 "Aktionen für Tänzer", 1972 "Thannhäuser", "Bacchanals"). 1980 first cooperation with the set designer Peter Pabst. From 1983 artistic directorship of the Folkwang Dance Studio. From 1983-89 Pina Bausch directed the dance department at the Folkwang University in Essen. In 1973 Pina Bausch was appointed direction of the Ballett der Wuppertaler Bühnen [Ballet of the Wuppertal Stages], since renamed Tanztheater Wuppertal [Wuppertal Dance Theatre], a position she held until her death. Dominique Mercy and Robert Sturm, both very close colleagues of Pina Bausch, take over the artistic direction of the ensemble from now on.
