45 years on… Pina Bausch’s Kontakthof reunites original cast from 1978
Sadler’s Wells, Pina Bausch Foundation and Tanztheater Wuppertal PinaTanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch to tour a major new encounter with Pina Bausch’s Kontakthof, reuniting the original cast from the 1978 production.
Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78 is a new encounter with Pina Bausch’s seminal work, conceived and directed by Meryl Tankard, who was one of the main characters in 1978. Tankard will reunite with other members of the original cast for this production, which receives its world premiere at the Opernhaus Wuppertal, Germany in November 2024. Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78 will then tour internationally from 2025, with performances at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London in Spring 2026.
Tankard said,
Watching recordings from the premiere in ’78, I was struck by the simple, but powerful and timeless quality of the footage that Rolf Borzik [who designed the set and costumes] captured. It made me consider to how to approach this project. Forty-five years on, we are older, a few of the original cast members are sadly no longer with us and there are limitations as to what we can do physically. But this is where the interest lies. Rather than replace our dear friends, I want their absence to be felt. We will play and dance with projections of our younger selves using the archival footage to bring these echoes of ’78 to the fore. Kontakthof, as with so many of Pina’s works, has such enduring relevance. It’s a privilege to return to this iconic work.
Kontakthof is one of the most important pieces in Bausch’s repertoire, created at a time when her work was beginning to receive international recognition. It is a key example of her long-standing collaboration with Rolf Borzik, who designed the set and costumes.
During its creation, it is said that Bausch often mused on the idea of seeing her original cast dance the piece when older. Now, 45 years after the premiere of the original production, Kontakthof – Echoes of ’78 features interactions between past and present.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
