Dear Vorname, 

Two eventful years of our DAAD project are coming to an end and it has been my pleasure to be able to draw from the sources of academic knowledge that each and every one of you have shared with me. We have been especially enriched during this time by the valuable articles written by our experts Rachel Jackson Weingärtner and Michael Tucker.

One thing that has struck me time and again: The point at which our interests come together is dance - a topic which offers seemingly endless possibilities of exploration. This common ground or denominator is something that is invaluable for having a network as active as ours, where people exchange ideas, collaborate on projects, make recommendations, and give valuable advice.

In this spirit, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your contributions and active participation in the alumni network. All of you have contributed to the growth and continued development of our community.

With the introduction of the column “New in the Archive” we have had the pleasure to be able to hear again the voices of former alumni and we have been generously endowed in the form of books, photographs and DVDs. These valuable objects have found their place in our archives and they will continue to enrich these permanently.

In 2023, we made personalized alumni identification cards available for our members and realized the long-awaited Alumni Day which was attended by over 80 participants whom we had the pleasure of greeting here on campus. Many of them then stayed to attend our presentation of “Palucca Tanz Studio”.

In the year 2024, we said farewell to our former Rector Prof. Jason Beechey, and our alumna, Prof. Katharina Christl, assumed the directorship of the University. Toward the end of the year and thanks to the support of our cooperation partners, the Dance Archive Leipzig e.V., the German Dance Film Institute Bremen, and the Saxon Academy of the Arts, we were able to present an exhibition in honour of the 100th birthday of Patricio Bunster as well as hold a public discussion with our alumni on the occasion of our Open Door Day.

After two successful project years, we are looking forward to welcoming you to the next event - Palucca Moves - in honour of the University’s 100th anniversary.

I wish you much joy reading and you and your family a lovely Holiday Season.

Cordially,

Minh Huyen Pietruske

Department of Strategic Development/Communication
Student Marketing & Alumni Coordinator
alumni@paluccca.eu | +49 351 25906-45

The past two project years  of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) will be completed with this retrospective. 

In 2023, we successfully organized the long-awaited Alumni Days and the closing performance “Palucca Tanz Studio”. This gave our former graduates a chance to personally watch the upcoming BA Dance programme graduates perform in the Grüner Saal. This event brought us numerous new membership registrations for the network!

In the year 2024, at the “Open Door Day” on the occasion of the 100th birthday of the choreographer Patricio Bunster, we presented an exhibition and a public discussion with former students and companions. The events were filmed by the German Dance Film Institute Bremen . The recordings can be viewed over Tanz:Digital.

Focusing further on the alumni network’s digital channels, by the end of our two project years, we have welcomed many new participants to our network.

We would like to thank our alumni and colleagues who have strengthened and promoted our alumni network and we would also like to thank the DAAD, whose financial support has made it possible to further develop the alumni projects.

The Parallels of Choreography and Poetry: Creating Art Across Forms and Writing Poems with my Mom.

In recent years, my mother and I have shared a creative journey of writing stories and poems for children. Some of these pieces have been inspired by my own choreographic work, while others may eventually plant seeds for future dance or theatrical productions. We often dream and joke about hitting the jackpot like J.K. Rowling and heading into early retirement but to be honest our creative collaboration has provided us with the true riches of life; lots of laughter and the sense of discovery that makes life wonderful. As I reflect on this process, I’ve noticed the many parallels between creating choreography and writing poetry, both of which share the essence of structure, rhythm, flow, and the ability to communicate complex ideas through simplicity.

Choreography and poetry both rely on a fundamental structure that guides their expression. In poetry, the structure is often found in the choice of stanza, rhyme scheme, and meter. These elements provide the framework within which words can resonate, play off each other, create meaning and dance with one another. Choreography, also, has a structure, whether it’s through a predetermined sequence of movements, spatial arrangements, or timing. This framework in dance allows each movement to have purpose and intention, building a coherent whole that expresses an idea. Both forms demand a respect for structure, knowing that within constraint lies infinite possibilities for creativity. 

In the same way that I would choose fitting words to create rhythm in a poem, as a choreographer I  select movements to establish a visual rhythm. In poetry, rhythm is often achieved through meter and the placement of stressed and unstressed syllables. In order to achieve this, I have become close friends with the thesaurus and rhyming dictionaries. Rhythm guides the reader's experience and evokes an emotional response, meaning that a three-syllable word can express something complete different to that of three one-syllable words. In choreography, rhythm is shaped by the timing and flow of movement, the pace of the dancers, and the tempo of the accompanying music. Each movement, like each word, plays a part in setting the cadence and emotional tone of the piece. Whether it’s the quick tempo of a joyful dance or the slow, heavy and drawn out lines of a sorrowful one, rhythm gives both poetry and dance their heartbeat.

Flow, also, is essential to both poetry and choreography. In a poem, flow comes from how lines and verses transition seamlessly, allowing the reader or audience member to experience the progression of thought or imagery without jarring interruptions. In dance, flow is achieved through movement quality and how one action flows into the next. Achieving flow requires attention to detail and must constantly be reevaluated at every stage of the creation process. Flow is much like an ecosystem, whereby every plant, animal, and resource plays a crucial role in maintaining balance. This balance demands an innate sense of when to emphasize or soften, when to contrast or blend, and an understanding that flow is not always about uniformity—it’s about continuity of feeling. When my mom and I write together it’s often disruptions in our schedules that take us away from our poems for a time. In hindsight, this break from the work allows us space and distance to revisit the poems and helps us to review our work with fresh eyes, ensuring that a solid flow is established throughout the narrative of the poem. Likewise, sometimes it takes a weekend away from a choreographic work to realize you’ve either created something great or it’s back to the drawing board. 

Lastly, I know full well that my choreography is not the most complex or virtuosic. I am aware of that and have chosen to lean into it rather than shy away from it. I have always been drawn and attracted to simplicity and both poetry and choreography often rely on simplicity to communicate complex ideas. In poetry, this can mean choosing straightforward language to convey profound emotions. A few carefully chosen words can capture a complex feeling, a vivid image, or an entire story. Similarly, a simple movement or gesture in dance can communicate something profound—a glance, a reach, a special type of kiss can be packed with layers of meaning that words alone may not convey. Both art forms remind us that sometimes less is more, and that simplicity, when wielded thoughtfully, can be deeply powerful. I hope you have enjoyed reading my thoughts on choreography and creation. For your entertainment and as a small “Thank you” I have provided a small excerpt of the children’s story inspired by my choreography entitled “Little Night Dreamers” 

Little Night Dreamers

As day settles down from so much play and fun light shifts to dark and it appears the day is done. A calm and a quiet sets the stage for the night. Blanketing children to sleep in delight

Cozy and warm, night time awakes
To welcome new dreams to rouse and shake.
No musts, no shoulds, only things that could. Limitless dreams of childhood

No limits you say, so what does that mean?
It means anything can happen, even unforeseen. Flit, fly, and play as you may,
For night time is day time when dreams have a say.

Stars cast out their brightest light
To dreamers exploring the freedom of flight
So ready your bike, put your flying cap on
And peddle, peddle, peddle towards your dreams and beyond

Kontakt: mic.j.tucker@gmail.com

NEW IN THE ARCHIVE - FINDINGS

Corduroy, polyester, silk - a peek inside Palucca’s closet

Garments have always played an important role in society. They protect us from the elements and serve as an expression of one’s identity, status, and group affiliation.

Germany lay in ruins after World War II. There was hardly any place for luxury and fashion during the years of reconstruction. Clothing had to be practical and needed to withstand the hard conditions following the war. The black market flourished and because new clothing was rare and expensive, many people wore improvised clothing made from recycled materials. Old military coats were re-tailored and new outfits were designed from the discarded remnants.

In the GDR, fashion was strongly influenced by the political circumstances. The socialistic ideology put emphasis on collectivism and equality and this was to be reflected in the clothes being worn. Fashion was functional, simple and affordable. Private apparel companies were taken over by the state and the fashion industry was subordinated to state planning. Clothing production was determined by needs and the limited resources which led to an overall limited supply.

With the reunification of Germany in 1989, fashions in both the east and the west changed. The sudden access to an abundance of western consumer goodsturned the East German fashion world up-side-down.  Western fashion designers conquered the market, and many East Germans experienced a sort of “binge consumption”. The traditional East German labels lost their relevance while at the same time the western fashion trends increasingly dominated everyday life.

For Gret Palucca, clothing was not only an aesthetic factor, but rather had to allow freedom of movement during training and to accentuate the body lines of the dancer so that every movement was visible. Of course, there was also a need for clothing for premiere parties, receiving awards, or travel. Some of the clothes left by Gret Palucca illustrate the abundance of simplicity, elegance, and pragmatism, and they have been categorized by types of materials and evaluated by Karolin Wallowy who is a stage and costume design student at the University of Applied Arts and also works as a student assistant in the Palucca University of Dance Dresden costume department.

Our heartfelt thanks goes to Karolin Wallowy for her material analysis.  Source: University Archive/ Gret Palucca Clothing Estate; Photos: Karolin Wallowy.

Anniversary year 2025 - 100 years of Palucca University

Since its foundation by Gret Palucca in 1925, we can look back on a rich history of dance and want to celebrate it in style!