Upon first glance, Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring may be perceived as an atypical modern dance piece. While the inception of modern dance was intended to challenge many of dance’s traditional aspects, The Rite of Spring is still a jarring surprise to the audience. The guttural, primal, violent repetitions of movement counter conventions of dance as being graceful, controlled, and silent. The spreading of soil on the stage is a tool that in addition to serving the scene and nature of the piece, shocks and intrigues the audience. However, The Rite of Spring is more rooted in traditional modern dance than younger counterparts of Bausch’s pieces of “Tanztheater.”
Tanztheater (dance-theater, in German) may be described as “the union of genuine dance and theatrical methods of stage performance, creating a new, unique dance form,” (Stanford University). Bausch is one of the most internationally celebrated choreographers of Tanztheater, which is reflected and justified upon witnessing Café Müller. The piece is choreographed similarly to how a play may be structured. In contrast to the traditional ensemble of corps and soloists in The Rite of Spring, Café Müller consists of distinct featured characters who each fulfill a specific and important role in relation to one another. For example, two women sleepwalk while a man moves obstacles out of their way, preventing them from hurting themselves. The dance is structured theatrically in that there are separate tracks and stories that an audience may follow. I, personally, found it difficult to decide on whom to focus. The dance becomes an entirely different performance based on whom the audience decides to place their primary focus, which I find similar to a piece of theater. One can apprehend the trajectory and evolution of Bausch’s approach to choreography as her execution of Tanztheater moves increasingly into theatrical territory.
I completely agree with your assessment of both portions of the performance, but notably that of Cafe Mueller. Cafe Mueller was a piece that was certainly a lot more challenging for me and as you mentioned, lacked a clear plot. It seemed as if, over time, the lead character of the dance was constantly shifting as motion picked up and slowed down among others. The Rite of Spring was also something that, for me, was incredibly engaging and something that really created a stirring feeling. However, I think it would be shortsighted to say that the plot was clear in either case. I think this was likely due to the more organized structure and recognizable dance patterns in the second dance piece.