Nazi
Germany
The
Holocaust
On the brink of World War II, German choreographer Kurt Jooss arrived in New York with his company to perform. Before curtain, Jooss learned that some black audience members had been barred from their seats. Jooss told the theater administration that unless they amended their whites-only policy, there would be no show. The theater obliged and the show went on. It was this sense of injustice that fueled Jooss’ artistry and led to a new form of dance theater, which paved the way for the work of Pina Bausch and choreographers working today, like Suzanne Linke and Mats Ek.
After WWII ended, Jooss returned to Germany and resumed his position as dance director of the Folkwang School, and he remained there until 1968. During this period, he added ballet to the curriculum and hosted like-minded teachers Antony Tudor, Alfredo Corvino and Pearl Lang to give classes and set choreography. He established a post-graduate program with a focus on performance and composition. It was in that program that Pina Bausch presented her first choreographic work. Today, the Folkwang University of the Arts continues to be a major center for dance education, and students from all over the world come to study the elements of Tanztheater.
Joose is a very powerful and brave since he was willing to perform for black audiences during the period. I think these black audiences also inspired him due to Joose could learn different culture from these black audiences.
ReplyDeleteI understand that Jooss created the most famous ballet, that was an expressionistic view of the origins of war. Leaving Germany after the rise of Hitler, he worked in England with his Ballets Jooss and toured in many European and American cities, returning to Germany after the war. He have influenced the development of psychological themes in ballet.
ReplyDeleteI understand that Jooss created the most famous ballet, that was an expressionistic view of the origins of war. Leaving Germany after the rise of Hitler, he worked in England with his Ballets Jooss and toured in many European and American cities, returning to Germany after the war. He have influenced the development of psychological themes in ballet.
ReplyDelete