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Pina Bausch is one of the most significant choreographers of the 21st century. After setting up her company in 1973, she created 42 pieces in a career spanning 36 years before her untimely death in 2009. She left behind a peerless legacy of having popularised a renewed brand of dance theatre around the world, continuing to inspire choreographers in every discipline of dance. A signature work by Pina Bausch, Nelken (Carnations) is a pinnacle in Tanztheater Wuppertal's repertoire. Amplified by a new generation of performers, this bouquet of dance is an ode to the beauty of dancing bodies. In the history of dance, few creations bear the stamp of genius. Nelken, premiered in 1982, is one of them. In a huge field of 8000 carnations, the ensemble deploys the seasons, moves from chair to chair, displays its virtuosity with a nod to classical forms. The work conveys a world view that is tragic and cruel, but also tender and overflowing with a humanity that has touched audiences all over the world. Certain passages, such as the "Nelken Line," have become iconic. Beauty blossoms here at every moment.