Aida Vainieri

Aida Vainieri was born in Potenza in Italy and attended art school in Treviso. She studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice and trained in contemporary dance in Venice, Verona, Milan and Turin, before working with the choreographer Raffaella Giordano for one season.

She then joined the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen as a visiting student for one year, followed by another year of dancing and touring with the Folkwang Tanzstudio. Pina Bausch invited her to join the ensemble of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch in 1990, first as a guest artist and then as a permanent member of the ensemble. Aida Vainieri has danced in 28 of Pina Bausch’s pieces, as well as in the more recent productions by the Tanztheater Wuppertal, choreographed by Theo Clinkard, Alan Lucien Øyen and Mark Sieczkarek. She also appeared in Pedro Almodóvar’s film Talk to her and Wim Wenders’ documentary PINA. In April 2019 she designed the stage set for Daphnis Kokkinos’ choreography Sacre at the National Theatre in Athens. Besides her work as a dancer, she illustrates children’s books and comics, paints and creates sculptures, installations, stage designs and decorative works. She teaches workshops and choreographs for professional dancers and amateurs of different ages and backgrounds.

Her motivation in life and art is to discover new things, be creative and inspired, and to work with people from all different walks of life. She is full of respect, love and gratitude for what Pina and her colleagues have given her.