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What are the Pina Bausch Archives?

An archive is where things are stored. All things in the Pina Bausch Foundation's archives are related to Pina Bausch. They portray dance. On stage. In the rehearsal studio. On travels.

In the archives you can find for example:

  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Interviews
  • Posters
  • Programme copies
  • Working notes of Pina Bausch

Some things are too big for the archives. Or they are still in use. For example costumes and stage sets. They are not stored in the archives. In the archives you will find a photo of a costume. Or a video of a stage set.

Photo: Sala Seddiki © Pina Bausch Foundation

There are many different things in the Pina Bausch Archives. For example, 300.000 photos, 9.000 videos. And a hippo.
The archives have been around for a long time. Pina Bausch started collecting these things. Sometimes as a keepsake. And mainly as working material. The material is used during the rehearsals. It helps the dancers to learn the roles.

To this day, the archives continue to grow. Whenever a piece by Pina Bausch is performed on stage. New things are always added.

The digital archives

All these things are stored in Wuppertal. But only a few people can visit the archives. That's why the Pina Bausch Foundation is working on a digital archive-structure. The Foundation measures stage sets. It describes dance pieces. It photographs costumes. It works with videos and sound documents. This is called digitalization and cataloguing. The Foundation started with this in 2010.

Photo: Sala Seddiki © Pina Bausch Foundation

With the digital archives, the Foundation can show things from the archives on its website. Over time, more and more material on more and more pieces will become visible on the Foundation's website. This way you can experience some parts of Pina Bausch's art. At any time. At any place.

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