By using the Expressionistic feature of repetion of one movement or an action, Ms. Bausch provoked the audience to really see what went on as we interact with another human being. The evening dresses and formal suits, for the men, were like a trade mark in her performances. The high standards of a dress code also served as an identification of a corporate world that formalizes our social behavior. From the most preposterous situation of throwing water all over the place, as we would do at times, like taking the tie off and running from a boring meeting, to the most lyrical moment of an embrace, we were able to look at ourselves as if in a social mirror.
Not many artists have been able to grasp the inner nature of human behavior as poignantly as Pina Bausch. I will be forever indebted to the lessons I learned from each performance I had the privilege to attend both in New York and in Lisbon. Ms. Bausch was more than an artist who dealt with movement. She was a true anthropologist by exposing human behavior in all social aspects.
