Dance evening with choreographies by Stefano Giannetti and Kurt Jooss as part of the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus

With his choreography Der Grüne Tisch (The Green Table), Kurt Jooss made a name for himself in the history of dance in 1932. Der Grüne Tisch is considered one of the most important anti-war ballets, an indictment of violence and war. Ten gentlemen meet at a conference table to negotiate, seemingly diplomatically.
Elegantly dressed in black tailcoats and accompanied by cosy piano music, they decide the fate of millions of people far away from the battlefield. However, the cruelty of war is not hidden from the audience. With violent chords, the piano sounds conjure up death. And in oppressive scenes of suffering, the Grim Reaper fulfils his task.

The influence of Oskar Schlemmer’s Triadic Ballet on Jooss’ expressionist dance movements is undeniable. Ultimately, the two were not only friends, but also sought new paths for German dance together. With this “dance of death”, Jooss takes up the clear formal language of the Bauhaus and reduces movements, gestures and figures to their essentials.

In contrast to this are Maurice Ravel’s Valses nobles et sentimentales and La Valse, the latter composed under the impression of the First World War, a musical reflection on transience. Initially enthusiastic about the war, Ravel became a driver in the military medical service in 1915 and had direct contact with wounded soldiers.