Feb 9 2012

Pina

German performer and dance choreographer Pina Bausch died in 2009 at the age of 68. Before her untimely death Bausch designed and directed countless modern dance pieces ranging from sheer beauty, to deep psychological distress, to sophistication, to sensuality, to the absurd. And, just days before director Wim Wenders was scheduled to begin shooting this very documentary; Pina was overtaken by cancer. What remains now is a tribute to the dance luminary featuring footage of some of her more notable works and individual performances from her dance troupe. Cleverly assembled and almost dreamlike at times Wenders captures the essence of what made Pina so notable as a dancer and choreographer. Drawing from old file footage, set design models, recordings of Pina, and interviews with a number of her dancers we’re given a unique look into the creative mind of quite possibly the only choreographer to work a hippopotamus into a dance piece. Fans of the fine arts will enjoy this one, others may be a little confused, high marks from this untrained but appreciative eye in dance. Pina is rated PG.