October 12 & 13 - Three performances
Gordon Gamm Theater, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St, Boulder With AscenDance Project, founder and artistic director Isabel von Rittberg gives birth to a new genre of dance that fuses rock climbing, music and choreography performed on a vertical wall. Without ropes or suspension, dancers use sheer strength to overcome gravity with grace, beauty and artistic prowess. This performance is centered around the idea that while contemporary political zeitgeist suggests walls are necessary to separate those of differing backgrounds or ideologies, this wall is designed to inspire connection and hope. Each piece tells stories of struggle, hardship and solitude that eventually melt into connection, love and trust. Each piece builds to the final dance featuring all performers on the wall. Von Rittberg grew up in Wuppertal-Beyenburg, a small historical village in Western Germany. Her father is German; her mother was born in Montana. As a child, she danced ballet, played the piano and spent more time on horseback than on foot. Isabel graduated with a BA in Latin American/Iberian Studies and a French minor from the University of California, Santa Barbara. There she also began climbing. The grace of rock climbing captured her attention. Eventually, the urge to convey the beauty and fluidity she saw in climbing led her to start the AscenDance Project in 2006. Isabel has created a genre that unites climbing, dance and music, performed on a vertical wall. Since the founding of AscenDance Project, her troupe has given numerous performances throughout the United States. After their appearance on national television in 2010 (America’s Got Talent) AscenDance Project has gained international recognition. BCAA is proud to be the Fiscal Sponsor for AscenDance. Our Fiscal Sponsorship program entitles individual artists and cultural organizations without 501(c)(3) status to apply to funders and solicit tax deductible donations under the auspices of Boulder County Arts Alliance, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Fiscal Sponsorship is essentially a re-granting program for grant awards and contributions to specific pre-approved artists or organizations intended for purposes directly related to BCAA's purpose: To provide leadership and resources for arts organizations, artists, educators, and the community of Boulder County. Refer to the guidelines on our website for more information and then contact us to schedule a brief coaching session prior to submitting your application. Image courtesy of Ascendance |
