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Warm-Up

Difficult Times

Artistic upheaval in Wuppertal: Boris Charmatz’s early exit and the uncertain future of Tanztheater Pina Bausch

by Marion Meyer

Difficult times are looming for dance in Wuppertal. Yet again. Boris Charmatz, artistic director of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch since 2022, is ending his engagement at the end of the season. His contract, originally scheduled to run until 2027, was terminated by mutual consent, and the parties agreed to maintain confidentiality regarding the reasons for the termination, according to a press release at the end of February.

Although there had been rumors of this kind, it was not to be expected that the artistic director would leave Wuppertal, where he has never felt at home, so quickly. Especially since the Frenchman had started with the momentum of last year: His rousing Liberté Cathédrale was nominated for the "Der Faust" theater award and named "Production of the Year" in the tanz yearbook critics' survey. He was also celebrated as an "artiste complice" at the Avignon Theater Festival.

So, another artistic director has failed in Wuppertal. After the unpleasant separation from Adolphe Binder in 2018, the company was pleased that the rifts at the Tanztheater had somewhat smoothed over. With Charmatz, a dance personality was brought to Wuppertal who possesses his own artistic style while still cultivating and keeping Pina Bausch's legacy alive — a complex matter, as is now becoming apparent again. Boris Charmatz wanted to "carry the pieces forward" through experimentation, as he put it, and open up new perspectives. That's exactly what he dared to do with Forever, the seven-hour loop of Bausch's signature piece Café Müller in Avignon — to great success with the audience, but with mixed reactions from the ensemble.

Salomon Bausch, the choreographer's son and founder and chairman of the Pina Bausch Foundation, seems to dislike such experiments. Forever wasn’t even to be performed in Germany. Only what the rights holder of her legacy has intended is performed at Pina Bausch's place of activity (and on tours). Furthermore, the foundation can contract Bausch's pieces to other companies, as recently with Adagio to the Hamburg Ballet or Blaubart to the Paris Opera. Ultimately, the lawyer Salomon Bausch decides under what conditions the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch operates. A difficult starting point for any artistic director who is always dependent on him for artistic decisions. So it is certainly understandable when Boris Charmatz says in the press release that he wishes "for Pina Bausch's great artistic work only the very best in independence and freedom." Salomon Bausch himself has not commented on the Frenchman's departure.

The company is currently grappling with a massive generational shift. It remains attractive to young dancers from all over the world. However, they often move on quickly, no longer identifying as strongly with Wuppertal as they once did. This is especially true when years follow without a new production. Future joint projects with Charmatz's collective Terrain, however, do not appear to be off the table. As of August 2025, this will be decided by Managing Director Daniel Siekhaus who is also the company's Deputy Artistic Director.

A new artistic director will not be sought until a decision has been made regarding the — yet to be built — Pina Bausch Zentrum. Since the city council has not yet approved this decision, which is not expected until after the local elections in fall 2025, it will likely take some time before a new director is appointed. Even if the dance center were approved by the end of 2026, it would likely mean a stalemate until the 2027/28 season.