Hello everyone!

We are shaking things up this year by kicking off the next season in July 2024! That’s right, we will be dancing up a storm at the Festival d’Avignon, from the get-go to the grand finale. And guess what? It wasn’t even on our program last year!

The Festival d’Avignon holds a special place in the history of Tanztheater Wuppertal, just as Tanztheater has left its mark on the festival. Personally, I have a deep connection to this unique event, so it fills us with joy to be returning to Avignon after eighteen years. What we bring there is like a snapshot of life here in the Bergisches Land: a mix of fiery past, emotional present, and a sensual, curious, adventurous future. We are in constant motion!

You are familiar with the popular song: «sur le pont d’Avignon, on y danse, on y danse, sur le pont d’Avignon, on y danse tous en rond…» ?! With support from the Pina Bausch Zentrum, the Kunststiftung NRW and the Stadtsparkasse Wuppertal, we are starting off with a big workshop, a kind of first attempt for our September happening, CERCLES, set to take place on the Oberbarmen soccer field!

Following that, we will present Liberté Cathédrale, created right here at the Mariendom in Neviges, and Forever, a special project to delve into Pina Bausch’s Café Müller, with gracious permission from the Pina Bausch Foundation. Also on our Avignon agenda: a Pina film marathon; plus Elizabeth Diller, the visionary architect behind our future Zentrum, will be joining us to discuss this exciting project for our company and the entire city of Wuppertal.

We are still riding high on the success of our inaugural season with the association Terrain, fresh from an unforgettable five-week stint in Paris: Nelken was a dream, as were Club Amour and Viktor…

So, yes, well, los, prima, find here what is in store for the next season:

•          First and foremost, CERCLES. The team is raring to go: an XXL ensemble comprising our Ensemble, students from Essen, Köln and enthusiasts who are anything but amateurish: dance aficionados, who will whirl in circles until the world rights itself.

•          We are privileged to present an extensive series of performances of Kontakthof, produced in collaboration with the Pina Bausch Foundation.

•          Also on the agenda is the revival The Seven Deadly Sins, directed by Jo Ann Endicott and Julie Shanahan, with the support of the Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal. It is an ambitious endeavor, but here in Wuppertal, we are not afraid of big challenges: they are part of our history, and we embrace them.

•          We are taking over every nook and cranny of the Opernhaus for the project 20 Dancers for the XX Century and even more, showcasing solo performances spanning the 20th and 21st centuries (from Chaplin, Forsythe, Isadora Duncan, and Krump, to Valeska Gert, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Balanchine, and, of course, Pina Bausch).

•          Last but not least, we are bringing back Viktor to accommodate those who missed out on tickets in June 2024, as well as Água for an enchanting series of performances.

All of this demands immense energy, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in our company: the dancers, rehearsal directors, and administrative and technical teams. Without their dedication and enthusiasm, these exhilarating tours wouldn’t be possible: Adelaide and Vienna with Club Amour; Luxembourg and Taipei with Liberté Cathédrale; London and Paris with Vollmond; Nelken in Lille and Vienna; and Kontakthof in Denmark. I also want to express my appreciation to our guests - old, seasoned, and young - who keep our company vital and open. My repertoire is also on tour with the association Terrain, traversing Metz, the Hauts-de-France region, Brussels, Madrid and other places. We eagerly anticipate your presence - both on and off stage - for Pina’s iconic performances and her pioneering spirit that propels us to act, to breathe, and to embrace the emotions that sustain us.

See you soon,

Boris Charmatz