Raimund Hoghe

Raimund Hoghe (12 May 1949 – 14 May 2021) was a German choreographer, dancer, film maker, journalist, and author. Because he was born with scoliosis, his early efforts were focused on journalism. His writings explored the human condition; a documentation series won him an award by the age of 24. For the weekly "Die Zeit", he portrayed personalities, the well-to-do, the less fortunate, and those shunned by society. After meeting Pina Bausch while profiling her, he served as dramaturge and chronicler of her Tanztheater from 1980 to 1990. He made his choreographic debut in 1989, then worked independently. His first solo production, "Meinwärts" in 1994, was related to AIDS. He was awarded the Deutscher Tanzpreis in 2020, and is regarded as "one of the protagonists of German contemporary dance theatre".
Life.
Hoghe was born and raised in Wuppertal, the son of a single mother. He was born with severe scoliosis, therefore he was short and hunchbacked. He dreamed of theatre, but thought that performing was no option for him because of his body. He worked as a journalist, and was awarded the Theodor Wolff Prize for a documentary series about Bethel written when he was age 24. He wrote as a free-lancer for the weekly "Die Zeit" profiles of people, of prominent performers such as Bruno Ganz, Rex Gildo and Freddy Quinn, as well as of less-known persons such as the photographer Helga Paris and , and outsiders such as cleaners, AIDS patients and sex workers. His profiles were also published in several books.
When he profiled Pina Bausch in the late 1970s, she liked his article and engaged him to write program notes for a production of her dance company in Wuppertal, later called Tanztheater Wuppertal. From 1980 to 1990, Hoghe was dramaturge for the company, writing also two books about it. Beginning in 1989, he developed his own productions there, with dancers and actors. From 1992, he collaborated with the artist and scenic designer Luca Giacomo Schulte. He produced his first solo, "Meinwärts", in 1994, followed by "Chambre séparée" in 1997 and "Another Dream" in 2000, as a trilogy about the 20th century. His works deal with political circumstances, such as the situation of refugees in Europe, and, in the 1990s, the beginning of Aids which was a topic in "Meinwärts".
Hoghe directed several films, also for television, such as a self-portrait "Der Buckel" ("The Hunchback") for the WDR in 1997. His books were translated into several languages. His productions were presented in France, Germany, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom and U.S., among others. He received awards including the Deutscher Produzentenpreis für Choreografie in 2001 and the Prix de la critique Francaise for "Swan Lake, 4 Acts" in the category "Best foreign production" in 2006. In 2008, Hoghe was named "Dancer of the Year" by the reviewers of the "Tanz" magazine. In 2019 he became an officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He received the Deutscher Tanzpreis award in 2020.
Raimund Hoghe lived in Düsseldorf. He died there on 14 May 2021 at age 72.
Publications.
Hoghe's publications include:
Productions.
Hoghe's productions include: