Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch is bringing one of its most celebrated works back to Seoul this week, marking a significant milestone for both the German dance company and Korea's premier performing arts venue. The company will perform "Nelken (Carnations)" at the LG Arts Center from Thursday through Sunday, followed by additional performances at the Sejong Art Center in Sejong City on November 14-15. This revival holds special meaning as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of the LG Arts Center, where the same piece premiered for Korean audiences in 2000.
The production represents a remarkable journey of artistic preservation and renewal. More than a decade after the death of founder Pina Bausch, the legendary German choreographer's legacy continues through a new generation of dancers who never had the opportunity to work directly with her. Of the 19 performers taking the stage, 17 are young newcomers bringing their fresh interpretation to the iconic work, while two veteran company members serve in special roles.
"Nelken," which premiered in 1982, unfolds on a stage covered with thousands of carnations – approximately 9,000 flowers in this production. The dreamlike landscape transforms into a symbolic battleground where dancers march, fall, and rise again, creating a powerful meditation on humanity's contradictions. The piece blurs the line between beauty and brutality, remaining one of the defining works of Bausch's pioneering Tanztheater form, a contemporary dance genre that uniquely combines movement, spoken word, and theatrical elements.
At a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday, the company's artistic and executive director Daniel Siekhaus addressed the unique challenges of reviving works so deeply connected to their creator's personal process. "Very often in the creative process with Pina Bausch, she would ask questions to the dancers, and so how the scenes were created often has to do with what happened between this very specific group of people, how they're responding," Siekhaus explained. He emphasized that "the human aspect is the most important" and that "transmission goes from an artist to an artist."
Two key figures are guiding this generational transition. Eddie Martinez, who has been with Tanztheater Wuppertal for three decades, now serves as one of two rehearsal directors. Kim Na-young, who joined the company in 1996 and performed in the original 2000 Korean premiere, returns this season as a rehearsal assistant. Martinez candidly acknowledged the weight of responsibility, saying, "It was tough in the beginning. The weight of what we were trying to achieve for the company and for ourselves as new rehearsal directors was quite a big task."
Kim reflected on the profound responsibility of preserving Bausch's artistic vision while allowing for new interpretation. "Each of us had a different relationship with Pina. We talk together, share our memories and experiences from working with her, and pass them on to the younger dancers," she said. Kim recalled Bausch's own words: "Pina always told us, 'Dance, dance, otherwise we are lost.' I believe continuing her work means allowing a new generation to understand it in their own way and to make it their own. That's how her spirit continues into the future and that was something she cared about deeply."
The company's relationship with Korea spans more than two decades and has deep artistic roots. When the LG Arts Center first opened its doors in Yeoksam-dong in southern Seoul in 2000, it was Bausch herself who suggested "Nelken" for the venue's opening, believing the piece would bring hope to the new stage. Over the following years, the company performed eight of her works at the venue, including "The Rite of Spring" and "Masurca Fogo." In 2005, Bausch created "Rough Cut," a work specifically commissioned by the LG Arts Center and inspired by Seoul itself.
The current performances mark another significant transition, as the LG Arts Center relocated to Magok-dong in southwestern Seoul in October 2022. "Nelken" represents Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch's first performance at the new venue, symbolically bridging the company's past with Korea and its future. LG Arts Center CEO Lee Hyun-jung described bringing "Nelken" back as both "inevitable and timely," noting that "this was the first work Bausch recommended to us 25 years ago."
Lee emphasized the work's enduring relevance, explaining that it "speaks about humanity, our hope, pain and resilience." She noted that today's audiences, particularly younger generations, have been specifically requesting to see the piece again. "Watching how a new generation of dancers interprets her vision for a new generation of audiences will be deeply meaningful," Lee concluded, highlighting how the production serves as a bridge between artistic generations and cultural understanding.
