The ground-breaking Tanztheater Wuppertal makes its London return with a double celebration of choreographer Pina Bausch’s work at Sadler’s Wells next month – marking the company’s 40th anniversary and the venue’s 15th year in its current location.

To cement the relationship between these two establishments, Sadler’s Wells’ artistic director Alistair Spalding has announced that the visit signals the beginning of a new relationship with the company which will see it return to the Rosebery Avenue theatre in Finsbury every year.

This year’s joint venture offers its UK audience the chance to see some of Pina Bausch’s lesser performed works on the UK stage for the first time – the touching and sensual Vollmond (one of her last works) and Two Cigarettes in the Dark (1985).

Pina Bausch, once the director of Tanztheater Wuppertal, is a sacrosanct figure in the world of dance, credited with establishing the dance theatre genre and consequently being decisive in the path that dance took in the 20th century. The experimental choreographer created a radical catalogue of work that was initially divisive.

Characterised by its non-linear narrative style, performers act out extreme and sometimes violent body language against the impressive backdrops of stage designer Peter Pabst.

And the success of the Tanztheatre Wuppertal has gained it supreme international recognition that extends beyond the world of dance.

The impressive Vollmond (Full Moon) was featured in Wim Wenders’ Oscar-nominated tribute film dedicated to Bausch and is recognisable to the choreographer’s aficionados for its evocative set – a shallow pool of water offset by an imposing giant rock.

This is a powerful setting for a performance looking at male-female relationships is in contrast to the lighter-in-tone Two Cigarettes in the Dark, which focuses on the mundanity of life and emerged from a six-week workshop in which Bausch asked her dancers to perform 150 different situations.

Two Cigarettes in the Dark and Vollmond will be performed at Sadler’s Wells between Thursday, February 14 and Monday, February 25 February. Performances start at 7.30pm and tickets are priced £15 - £60.

To book call 0844 412 4300 or see www.sadlerswells.com. Please note that Two Cigarettes in the Dark contains some nudity and may not be suitable for younger audiences.