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The annual Luminato arts festival is on right now, and I found out a few months ago that they were bringing Pina Bausch's dance company, Tanztheater Wuppertal, to perform one of her longer pieces, Kontakhof. I'd adored what I'd seen of Bausch's choreography in Wim Wender's documentary, Pina, so I got us tickets for tonight.

It was brilliant.

The performance was nearly three hours with intermission, and it never flagged once. I was funny and playful and shocking and fascinating. It's set in a dance hall, with men and women in formal dress who play off each other in interesting ways, and is as much theatre as dance.

( It doesn't do it justice, but have some video: )