Pina Bausch’s Cafe Muller and The Rite of Spring

Cafe Muller and The Rite of Spring were both spectacular performances choreographed by Pina Bausch. Cafe Muller had me at the edge of my seat from the start when Bausch herself entered the stage in the dark where the audience could only hear the sounds of her feet shuffling and chairs moving. As an audience member, this dance challenged me because of the random movements that became repetitive overtime like a routine. For example, when the man in the suit continuously came to “fix” the position that the two dancers were in because they would keep returning to the hugging pose. I also found it interesting how the dancers would just bump into the chairs without maneuvering around them, unless they were moved for them, and how they would rush toward the walls or glass doors without hesitating. However, as these dancers interact with each other, Bausch remained at the same little corner and only went into center stage three times when other dancers were at the sides. While Cafe Muller showed us many abstract interactions between the six dancers and the stage, The Rite of Spring focused on the unity of a large group of female and male dancers, whether they were separated or together. The dancers made use of the entire space that was filled with dirt and as the dance progressed, the music got louder and so did their breathing. Initially separated, the dancers slowly came together as each female dancer meets the center male dancer until one is chosen to change into a red dress. The symbolism of the red and exclusion challenged me as I watched the performance. While The Rite of Spring focused on the choreography, Cafe Muller focused on the sounds that the dancers made as they hit the chairs, walls, and floors.