Pina Opens, a Legacy Continues

Pina Bausch was more than a choreographer, her contributions to modern dance helped redefine the art form. After studying first in Germany and next at Julliard, she went on to perform with every major dance company that was lucky enough to get her, and eventually became artistic director of the Wuppertal Opera Ballet.

It was there that she shook dance down to its most primordial, only to piece it back together as a beautiful Frankenstein of movement. Pina Bausch did more than just redefine choreography, she changed the story itself, along with how it was told.

Here's a clip from Bausch's 1978 work, Café Müller.

The film Pina began as a documentary about the master of shape-shifting, but when Bausch passed away the production was halted. It was thrown back into gear when friends, students and fans of Bausch requested the project continue and be used to showcase her legacy. What developed was Pina, a hypnotically bizarre blend of Bausch's sequences spliced up with interviews and history. The production opens in 3-D tonight at Cinemark West Plano 20 and in 2-D at Angelika Film Center.