Pina Bausch (1940–2009) striking choreographies combined classical dance with theatrical and artistic elements, performance arts, pantomime and song into a new art form that captured the spirit of the times: dance theatre. She is widely renown as one of the great pioneers and innovators of dance in the second half of the 20th Century. With the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch she founded and directed, Bausch became a cult figure of the international dance scene, which she helped define through the radical parameters of her artistic approach.
 
Wim Wenders dedicated his film Pina to her, a highly emotional homage to his great artist friend. The innovative and lavish film won both the German Federal Award and the European Film Award 2011 as best documentary, and was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Documentary Feature in 2012. Donata Wenders accompanied the filming as photographer and continued traveling with the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch for a few years afterwards.