description The Green Table (Jooss) Overview
Kurt Jooss created The Green Table in 1932 as an anti-war ballet with music by Fritz Cohen. Its expressionist staging opens with diplomats gathered around a green-covered table, then follows the human consequences of their decisions through a sequence of wartime scenes. The figure of Death moves through the action, connecting the suffering of ordinary people with the political exchanges that frame the work. This is an episodic dance drama rather than a single static scene.
Stylized gestures make its characters and conflicts legible, combining ballet technique with theatrical expression in a work associated with the development of Tanztheater. Its anti-war message gives it relevance for audiences interested in political theatre, while dancers can study how movement conveys character and moral criticism.
help The Green Table (Jooss) FAQ
Why is there a green table in Kurt Jooss's The Green Table?
The green table is where the politicians and diplomats bargain, argue, and gesture while ordinary people suffer the consequences. Jooss frames the table as a cold symbol of power, with Death moving through the scenes after the decision-makers unleash war.
When did The Green Table actually premiere?
Kurt Jooss's The Green Table premiered in 1932, not during World War I itself. It was created in Germany between the two world wars and became one of the landmark anti-war ballets of the 20th century.
Who created the music and choreography for The Green Table?
The choreography is by Kurt Jooss, and the score was composed by Fritz Cohen. Jooss made the piece for his company, Ballets Jooss, using a dance-theater style that later influenced German Tanztheater.
Is The Green Table a plot ballet or more symbolic?
It has a clear sequence of scenes, but it works more like a symbolic anti-war drama than a traditional story ballet. Characters such as Death, the Young Soldier, the Mother, and the Profiteer represent the social damage caused by war.
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