Event

Beyond Gravity

AscenDance Project presents their first home season at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Avenue in Berkeley this spring in a series of performances beginning on March 5, 2010. Andy Schmeder, Lara Mercurio, Elena Cochran, Martha Hazel, Susan Owen, Ryan Gaunt and Isabel von Rittberg will be performing 'Beyond Gravity' March 5, 6, 12 & 13 at 8 PM and March 14 at 3 PM. General Admission: $25 ($20 Sunday only), Students and Seniors: $20, Kids under 12: $10. For information contact: info@ascendanceproject.com

AscenDance Project was founded in January 2006 by German-born performance artist and mountaineer, Isabel von Rittberg. Her work explores the aesthetics of rock climbing with dancers performing on a vertical stage. Performing entirely without the use of ropes, their work exhibits strength and grace enhanced by the effects of gravity on the dancers and their ability to overcome it. Using a 24 ft long and 12 ft high climbing wall, AscenDance artists move through three dimensions, using time and space as inconsistent and unpredictable variables.

Von Rittberg's aspiration is to create a sense of detachment and lightness, to offer a completely new stage perspective and to appeal to a collective appreciation of rhythm and movement.

Following their well-received world premier of 'Levitate' at the San Francisco International Arts Festival 2008 on Union Square in San Francisco, AscenDance Project was invited to perform at the 2009 International Aerial Dance Festival in Boulder, Colorado. After two weeks of teaching dance-climb fusion to students from all over the country, their participation ended with two sold-out performances. Having created a local following through fundraisers and classes, choreographer von Rittberg is ready to contribute to the community which she is proud to be a part of.