In honor of their 25th season, DANSE DANSE in collaboration with the PINA BAUSCH FOUNDATION, ÉCOLE DES SABLES and SADLER’S WELLS are happy to present:
The Rite of Spring / Pina Bausch + Common ground[s] / Germaine Acogny, Malou Airaudo
This OCT 5. 6. 7. 8, 2022 / 8 P.M. at Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts
In this outstanding collaboration, 31 dancers from 14 different African nations will perform The Rite of Spring by Pina Bausch as a tribute to her unmatched talent.
With its incredible telluric intensity, Stravinsky’s pagan ritual masterpiece is a symbol of modernism and has influenced countless choreographers up until today.
This “huge pagan sacred ceremony,” in the words of the composer, marked a turning point in Pina Bausch’s creative output.
For the first time in its history, the Pina Bausch Foundation has shared one of the choreographer’s works with another company.
A team of artists from Tanztheater Wuppertal collaborated with performers drafted from 14 different African nations for several months at the École des Sables, south of Dakar, to revive and convey the essence of the Rite, a monumental dance piece created by Pina Bausch in 1975.
Male and female dancers clash and engage in a ferocious and poetic conflict on the completely dirt-covered stage, which leads to the ultimate sacrifice of the Chosen One.
*** The performances will mark the North American debut of the École des Sables and its impressive performers!
The opening act : “Common Ground[s]” witnesses the meeting between Germaine Acogny, first lady of contemporary African dance and founder of the École des Sables, and Malou Airaudo, an icon of the first hour of the Tanztheater Wuppertal troupe.
These two women’s destinies and two dance traditions intertwine in a sensitive and moving duet, reflecting their connection and rich respective histories.
– Post-performance talk with the artists will be held Wednesday, October 5 and Friday, October 7, 2022.
Teaser video :
For more information on the show and the up-coming performances for the 25th season of DANSE DANSE please visit :