History Quiz: Kurt Jooss
October 10, 2024

1. When did Kurt Jooss meet Rudolf Laban?

2. In 1927, Jooss began his tenure as the head of what school in Essen, Germany?

3. Why was this school innovative?

4. Jooss worked with Laban to flesh out his system for recording and classifying movement. What are the categories that served as the foundation for their classes?

5. In 1929, Jooss started creating ________, the work he is most known for.

6. Who composed the music for this major work?

7. What happened in 1933 that forced him to leave Germany?

8. Where did Jooss find safe harbor?

9. True or False: After WWII ended, Jooss returned to Germany and resumed his position at the Folkwang School.

10. Who was a student of Kurt Jooss, who continued to develop German Tanztheater?

ANSWER KEY 1. 1919; 2. The Folkwang School; 3. Its three branches—theater, music and dance—created cross-disciplinary forms of study. It was based on the notion that performers must be expressive in dance, sound and word. Also, Jooss’ curriculum was heavily based in ballet; 4. Quick, sustained, strong, light, bound, free, central and peripheral; 5. The Green Table; 6. F.A. Cohen; 7. The Nazi regime accused Jooss of harboring Jews and homosexuals in his company. He was warned that his and company members’ lives were at risk.; 8. Jooss was offered refuge at Dartington Hall in southern England. From 1934-1940, Jooss and Leeder directed a school that offered Laban-based technique classes, teacher training and Labanotation courses.; 9. True; 10. Pina Bausch

Photo courtesy the Dance Magazine Archives.