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Pina Bausch has cemented her stature as one of the seminal choreographers of the 20th century by expanding the possibilities of modern dance. In 1962, she joined the Folkwang Ballett Company as a soloist and assistant. She eventually succeeded Kurt Jooss to become artistic director of the company, a position she still holds today.
Her influence is evident not only in those such as William Forsythe and Maguy Marin, who have consciously followed her lead, but in practically every corner of the dance world where overtly theatrical elements have simply been absorbed into the idiom: "She has basically re-invented dance," says William Forsythe. "She is one of the greatest innovators of the past 50 years. Pina needs to examine the world this way. She is a category of dance unto herself. Dance-theatre didn't really exist before she invented it."
-The Guardian UK
