The Triadic Ballet from Oskar Schlemmer (1922)
Reconstruction & Choreography: Gerhard Bohner
Music: Hans-Joachim Hespos
Costume Reconstruction: Ulrike Dietrich
Commissioned by the Academy of Arts Berlin, 1977

New Production 2014
Stagers: Ivan Liška, Colleen Scott

A „Dance Fund Heritage“ Project
Cooperation Bavarian State Ballet & Academy of Arts, Berlin

The costumes form part of the Academy of Arts, Berlin's Gerhard-Bohner-Archive


Today «The Triadic Ballet from Oskar Schlemmer (1922)» is today considered an epochal masterpiece of the avant-garde - a milestone in theatre and fine arts alike. Like many of his colleagues at the beginning of the 20th century, Oskar Schlemmer, one of the most important Bauhaus artists, tried to rejuvenate the theatre by developing exciting tendencies in the visual arts. His "Triadic Ballet" is an unprecedented series of vivid and colourful costumes, animated by dancers who have been stylised into abstract artificial figures. Seven of the original costumes can be seen today in the Stuttgart State Gallery.

After its premiere in 1922, the work was only performed a few times. It owes its worldwide fame to the first reconstruction in 1977 by the choreographer Gerhard Bohner, the composer Hans-Joachim Hespos and the costume designer Ulrike Dietrich in the Academy of Arts in Berlin. For 12 years this ballet toured around the world. The impressive costumes were then packed into boxes and revived once again in 2014 by Ivan Liška and Colleen Scott with the young ensemble of the Bavarian Junior Ballet in Munich.

World premiere in Oskar Schlemmer's version on September 30, 1922 in the Württemberg State Theater in Stuttgart.

Premiere of the reconstruction and new choreographic version by Gerhard Bohner on September 2, 1977 at the Academy of Arts, Berlin.