Dominique Mercy

Dominique Mercy (born 1950) is a French contemporary dancer and choreographer. He was a long-time member of the Tanztheater Wuppertal company of Pina Bausch, and was co-artistic director of the company following Bausch's death in 2009 to 2013.

Biography Mercy was born in 1950 in Mauzac, France. He started dancing when he was six years old and received his education in classical dance.

At the 1972 Saratoga Summer Festival, Mercy met Pina Bausch who was working with the Sanasardo Dance Company. Bausch invited him to join her new company in Germany, Tanztheater Wuppertal, in 1973 . Though he left the company twice in, in 1975 and 1978, founding the company Le Main in Paris with , Héléna Pikon, Jacques Patarozzi, and Dana Sapiro in 1975, and to work with Carolyn Carlson, he returned and was a member of the Tanztheater until 2018.

Together with Bausch's assistant Robert Sturm, he was elected unanimously by the ensemble in place of Pina Bausch in October 2009, serving for four years.

Mercy taught at Folkwang University of the Arts from 1988 to 2009.

Personal life Mercy had a daughter with Airaudo, Thusnelda Mercy (born 1977), who is also a dancer with Tanztheater Wuppertal.

Awards and Honors 2001: Chevalier des Ordre des Arts et des Lettres 2013: Legion of Honour 2023: Deutscher Tanzpreis with , Josephine Ann Endicott, and

Major choreographies

As interpreter 1974: Iphigénie en Tauride 1975: Orfeo ed Euridice 1978: Café Müller 1980: Bandoneon 1983: Nelken - Carnations 1989: Palermo, Palermo 1995: Danzón 1997: Der Fensterputzer - The Window Cleaner 1998: Masurca Fogo 1999: Petit psaume du matin (Little morning psalm) written for Dominique Mercy by Josef Nadj.

As choreographer Pina Bausch assistant for a major part of the creations since 1974. 2000: Ça ira mieux demain written for Guesch Patti

Documentary film Dominique Mercy dances Pina Bausch by Régis Obadia, France, 2003, 52 min., producer