Pina Bausch, a dancer and choreographer, was born on July 27, 1940, in Solingen, Germany. She passed away on June 30, 2009. She studied dance at the Folkwang Academy of the Arts. She then studied at the Juilliard School in New York, working with Paul Sanasardo and Donya Feuer. After graduating, she joined the Metropolitan Opera, but returned to Japan after receiving an offer from international choreographer Kurt Jooss. She joined the Folkwang Dance Studio, which he ran in Germany. Initially working as a dancer, she eventually became its artistic director. Her 1969 work, In the Winds of Time, won first place at the Cologne International Choreography Competition. In 1973, she became artistic director of the Wuppertal Ballet (later known as the Wuppertal Tanzstellung). Around this time, Pina began exploring new approaches to directing, incorporating theatrical elements into German Expressionist dance. Her overly innovative work initially drew criticism from critics, but her reputation was transformed with the release of "The Rite of Spring" in 1975. Her newly reinterpreted choreography was lauded by audiences for its "physical appeal." The following year, "The Seven Deadly Sins: Don't Be Afraid" was also a huge success, bringing Pina's name to worldwide recognition.

In 1986, she spent an extended period in Rome, co-producing "Victor" with a local theater. This led to her embarking on her "World Cities Series," featuring overseas cities as motifs. She also had close ties to Japan, and the Wuppertal Dance Company has performed here many times. Her experiences in Japan inspired the creation of "Tenchi," one of the "World Cities Series." In 1999, she also appeared in Ryuichi Sakamoto's first opera production, "Life." She was also close friends with fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto and was known to wear his clothes. She was Yamamoto's muse. When she went to perform in Japan, many of the audience members were seen wearing black.

In recognition of these achievements, she was awarded the Praemium Imperiale in 1999, and in 2006 she received the Laurence Olivier Award, Britain's most prestigious award.