“Isabel von Rittberg is in the midst of defining an art form and all the vocabulary therein. She has, in fact, created a choreographer’s dream.”
— DONALD K. ATWOOD, World Dance Reviews
 
 

About

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. AscenDance Project has given numerous performances across the nation and received international recognition in 2010 when the company reached the semifinals of NBC’s America's Got Talent. Since then, AscenDance Project has performed in venues across the globe. In 2017, they performed at the Macky Auditorium for the 2017 TEDxBoulder.

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Bringing strong words to our next show. Don’t miss it: October 12&13 @dairyarts #dance #performance #aerial #AscendWithUs #artislife #loveprevails #mlkquotes
@walldancer and @abbeyroes playing with some partner work. #dance #rehearsal #aerial
Our Shadows. Taking a break from rehearsal to watch this magnificent sunset from our door. #rehearsal #sunset
Our Shadows. Taking a break from rehearsal to watch this magnificent sunset from our door. #rehearsal #sunset
Please welcome @bizziemisslizzie to the #AscenDanceProject! This is her third time on the wall and she is definitely bringing it! Come see us live at the @dairyarts October 12&13! #meetthedancers #rehearsal #newheights
Please welcome @bizziemisslizzie to the #AscenDanceProject! This is her third time on the wall and she is definitely bringing it! Come see us live at the @dairyarts October 12&13! #meetthedancers #rehearsal #newheights (We do not own the rights to this music)
Please welcome @bizziemisslizzie to the #AscenDanceProject! This is her third time on the wall and she is definitely bringing it! Come see us live at the @dairyarts October 12&13! #meetthedancers #rehearsal #newheights (I do not own the rights to this music)
The balance between push and pull is weightless. @circuschris88 #rehearsal #training #dance #AscendWithUs 📸 @alisageiser
The balance between push and pull is weightless. @circuschris88 #rehearsal #training #dance #AscendWithUs 📸 @alisageiser
@abbeyroes brining a new warm-up still to rehearsals. #train #stretch #warmup #dance #aerial #rehearsal
“I was twenty years old when I fell in love with sandstone bouldering. It felt empowering. Climbing was a lot like dance. The movement felt familiar. I loved feeling and watching the continuous flow that allowed climbers to gracefully overcome gravity. At twenty-four, I was driving through Utah’s Virgin River Gorge at sunset. Looking at the tall, limestone walls glowing in the last light I imagined climbers moving to music. I wanted to convey this beauty and imagined starting a dance group. Climbing changed the entire course of my life.” (Isabel von Rittberg, Founder & Artistic Director) How has climbing shaped who you are? #wallsaremeantforclimbing #ascendwithus Donate today and receive a Walls Are Meant For Climbing @thenorthface T-shirt (link in bio) #bethechange #artislife
Meet @walldancer: Artistic director, founder and dancer of the company. Born and raised in Germany, Isabel started dancing ballet at a young age and soon after discovered her passion for Hip Hop, Afro Brazilian and Salsa. In college she fell in love with climbing. The vision to combine her passion for dance and climbing led her to found the AscenDance Project in 2005 in a small warehouse in Oakland, CA. #meetthedancers #artisticdirector #dancelife #aerialdance #verticaldance
Meet @walldancer: Artistic director, founder and dancer of the company. Born and raised in Germany, Isabel started dancing ballet at a young age and soon after discovered her passion for Hip Hop, Afro Brazilian and Salsa. In college she fell in love with climbing. The vision to combine her passion for dance and climbing led her to found the AscenDance Project in 2005 in a small warehouse in Oakland, CA. #meetthedancers #artisticdirector #dancelife #aerialdance #verticaldance
Senior Safety Supervisor checking the new holds for our next project. We passed the test and are en route to new adventures. Stay tuned! #AscendWithUs #wallsaremeantfordancing #dancingonwalls #tour
Senior Safety Supervisor checking the new holds for our next project. We passed the test and are en route to new adventures. Stay tuned! #AscendWithUs #wallsaremeantfordancing #dancingonwalls #tour
Detailed, tedious and hard work with hours of repetition pay off. @grahamgh nailed this piece last night on his first go in a year. #expertise #training #dancelife #performance #consistency #gymnastics #climbing #dancers
@walldancer a heel-toe cam to let the rest of her body go. Thank you for the shot Elodie Saracco! #rehearsal #AscendWithUs #dance #dancelife #aerial
@walldancer a heel-toe cam to let the rest of her body go. Thank you for the shot Elodie Saracco! #rehearsal #AscendWithUs #dance #dancelife #aerial
Meet @circuschris88, a pianist, singer, dancer, gymnast and parkourist. With his kind heart he has touched so many. Thank you for 7 years of dedication to our group. ❤️
Meet @circuschris88, a pianist, singer, dancer, gymnast and parkourist. With his kind heart he has touched so many. Thank you for 7 years of dedication to our group. ❤️
Rehearsals can be tiresome. What makes them special despite the painful skin and aching muscles is getting to spend time with the people you love, stretching, laughing and creating together. #love #community #family #create #dance #ascendwithus 📸@alisageiser
Rehearsals can be tiresome. What makes them special despite the painful skin and aching muscles is getting to spend time with the people you love, stretching, laughing and creating together. #love #community #family #create #dance #ascendwithus 📸@alisageiser
Meet @jenna_blooms, our ballerina who has danced with us since 2012. Jenna started dancing ballet at a young age and has brought her fluid and elegant style to @ascendanceproject. She successfully translates ballet movement to the wall and overcomes gravity with grace and beauty. #meetthedancers #aerialdance #dance #verticaldance
Meet @jenna_blooms, our ballerina who has danced with us since 2012. Jenna started dancing ballet at a young age and has brought her fluid and elegant style to @ascendanceproject. She successfully translates ballet movement to the wall and overcomes gravity with grace and beauty. #meetthedancers #aerialdance #dance #verticaldance
What makes this country so great are not the walls that divide us but the people that unite us. Help us continue bringing people together and donate for our @dairyarts performances October 12&13 (link in bio). You will receive a Northface ‘Walls are meant for Climbing’ t-shirt. Happy 4th of July from the backyard of our studio barn. The AscenDance Family. #4thofjuly #wallsaremeantforclimbing #thenorthface #ascendanceproject #ascendwithus #donate
What makes this country so great are not the walls that divide us but the people that unite us. Help us continue bringing people together and donate for our @dairyarts performances October 12&13 (link in bio). You will receive a Northface ‘Walls are meant for Climbing’ t-shirt. Happy 4th of July from the backyard of our studio barn. The AscenDance Family. #4thofjuly #wallsaremeantforclimbing #thenorthface #ascendanceproject #ascendwithus #donate
@phay221 and @ethical_chaos working on their first duet, becoming more comfortable on the wall every time. Grateful for these two passionate movers to be performing with us at the @dairyarts #performance #rehearsal #dance
@phay221 and @ethical_chaos working on their first duet, becoming more comfortable on the wall every time. Grateful for these two passionate movers to be performing with us at the @dairyarts #performance #rehearsal #dance
@grahamgh has been with our troupe since our first day in Boulder in 2012. Growing up he was a wild one and fast on the ice. @grahamgh has brought his incredible strength, body control and graceful movement he acquired in years of gymnastics to our wall. The photo speaks for itself. #meetthedancers #strength #grace #gymnastics #dancersofinstagram #aerialdance
@grahamgh has been with our troupe since our first day in Boulder in 2012. Growing up he was a wild one and fast on the ice. @grahamgh has brought his incredible strength, body control and graceful movement he acquired in years of gymnastics to our wall. The photo speaks for itself. #meetthedancers #strength #grace #gymnastics #dancersofinstagram #aerialdance
Same same but upside down. Our dancer @kara_masaki started gymnastics and acrobatics when she was 6. That’s when she knew she wanted to dance. She has always felt extremely comfortable upside down. Kara loves the aesthetics of dance and creates innovative cutting-edge choreography. #upsidedown #dance #gymnastics #aerialdance #fitness #strength #choreography
Same same but upside down. Our dancer @kara_masaki started gymnastics and acrobatics when she was 6. That’s when she knew she wanted to dance. She has always felt extremely comfortable upside down. Kara loves the aesthetics of dance and creates innovative cutting-edge choreography. #upsidedown #dance #gymnastics #aerialdance #fitness #strength #choreography
Bringing strong words to our next show. Don’t miss it: October 12&13 @dairyarts #dance #performance #aerial #AscendWithUs #artislife #loveprevails #mlkquotes
@walldancer and @abbeyroes playing with some partner work. #dance #rehearsal #aerial
Our Shadows. Taking a break from rehearsal to watch this magnificent sunset from our door. #rehearsal #sunset
Please welcome @bizziemisslizzie to the #AscenDanceProject! This is her third time on the wall and she is definitely bringing it! Come see us live at the @dairyarts October 12&13! #meetthedancers #rehearsal #newheights
Please welcome @bizziemisslizzie to the #AscenDanceProject! This is her third time on the wall and she is definitely bringing it! Come see us live at the @dairyarts October 12&13! #meetthedancers #rehearsal #newheights (We do not own the rights to this music)
Please welcome @bizziemisslizzie to the #AscenDanceProject! This is her third time on the wall and she is definitely bringing it! Come see us live at the @dairyarts October 12&13! #meetthedancers #rehearsal #newheights (I do not own the rights to this music)
The balance between push and pull is weightless. @circuschris88 #rehearsal #training #dance #AscendWithUs 📸 @alisageiser
@abbeyroes brining a new warm-up still to rehearsals. #train #stretch #warmup #dance #aerial #rehearsal
“I was twenty years old when I fell in love with sandstone bouldering. It felt empowering. Climbing was a lot like dance. The movement felt familiar. I loved feeling and watching the continuous flow that allowed climbers to gracefully overcome gravity. At twenty-four, I was driving through Utah’s Virgin River Gorge at sunset. Looking at the tall, limestone walls glowing in the last light I imagined climbers moving to music. I wanted to convey this beauty and imagined starting a dance group. Climbing changed the entire course of my life.” (Isabel von Rittberg, Founder & Artistic Director) How has climbing shaped who you are? #wallsaremeantforclimbing #ascendwithus Donate today and receive a Walls Are Meant For Climbing @thenorthface T-shirt (link in bio) #bethechange #artislife
Meet @walldancer: Artistic director, founder and dancer of the company. Born and raised in Germany, Isabel started dancing ballet at a young age and soon after discovered her passion for Hip Hop, Afro Brazilian and Salsa. In college she fell in love with climbing. The vision to combine her passion for dance and climbing led her to found the AscenDance Project in 2005 in a small warehouse in Oakland, CA. #meetthedancers #artisticdirector #dancelife #aerialdance #verticaldance Senior Safety Supervisor checking the new holds for our next project. We passed the test and are en route to new adventures. Stay tuned! #AscendWithUs #wallsaremeantfordancing #dancingonwalls #tour
Detailed, tedious and hard work with hours of repetition pay off. @grahamgh nailed this piece last night on his first go in a year. #expertise #training #dancelife #performance #consistency #gymnastics #climbing #dancers
@walldancer a heel-toe cam to let the rest of her body go. Thank you for the shot Elodie Saracco! #rehearsal #AscendWithUs #dance #dancelife #aerial Meet @circuschris88, a pianist, singer, dancer, gymnast and parkourist. With his kind heart he has touched so many. Thank you for 7 years of dedication to our group. ❤️ Rehearsals can be tiresome. What makes them special despite the painful skin and aching muscles is getting to spend time with the people you love, stretching, laughing and creating together. #love #community #family #create #dance #ascendwithus 📸@alisageiser Meet @jenna_blooms, our ballerina who has danced with us since 2012. Jenna started dancing ballet at a young age and has brought her fluid and elegant style to @ascendanceproject. She successfully translates ballet movement to the wall and overcomes gravity with grace and beauty. #meetthedancers #aerialdance #dance #verticaldance What makes this country so great are not the walls that divide us but the people that unite us. Help us continue bringing people together and donate for our @dairyarts performances October 12&13 (link in bio). You will receive a Northface ‘Walls are meant for Climbing’ t-shirt. Happy 4th of July from the backyard of our studio barn. The AscenDance Family. #4thofjuly #wallsaremeantforclimbing #thenorthface #ascendanceproject #ascendwithus #donate @phay221 and @ethical_chaos working on their first duet, becoming more comfortable on the wall every time. Grateful for these two passionate movers to be performing with us at the @dairyarts #performance #rehearsal #dance @grahamgh has been with our troupe since our first day in Boulder in 2012. Growing up he was a wild one and fast on the ice. @grahamgh has brought his incredible strength, body control and graceful movement he acquired in years of gymnastics to our wall. The photo speaks for itself. #meetthedancers #strength #grace #gymnastics #dancersofinstagram #aerialdance Same same but upside down. Our dancer @kara_masaki started gymnastics and acrobatics when she was 6. That’s when she knew she wanted to dance. She has always felt extremely comfortable upside down. Kara loves the aesthetics of dance and creates innovative cutting-edge choreography. #upsidedown #dance #gymnastics #aerialdance #fitness #strength #choreography
 

News

Featured
The Ascent of AscenDance | YellowScene Magazine

Boulder-local Isabel von Rittberg is both a dancer and a rock climber, and she remembers the precise moment, during a drive to Montana to visit her Grandmother, that she first thought of combining the two disciplines. “I was driving through the Virgin River Gorge in Utah, listening to music and looking at the towering rock walls, and I had a vision so clear and so strong that there was no way I could have ignored it,” she says. “I told my Grandma, ‘I’m going to build a climbing wall and dance on it.’”

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AscenDance Project at TEDx Boulder

Ascendance Project was thrilled to perform at TEDxBoulder this year! Working from the event’s theme of “Climate & Change,” this piece is choreographed to highlight our country’s modern divisions, and demonstrate how love is the key to understanding and union. Don’t build walls. Dance on them.

Link to Video

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AscenDance: A Fusion of Climbing, Music and Dance | UK Climbing

By Natalie Berry

A video has been doing the rounds on social media recently - receiving over 26,000 views so far - featuring a troupe of dancers using a climbing wall as an apparatus upon which to choreograph a dance routine. Isabel Rittberg is the founder, artistic director and a dancer within the group AscenDance - based in Boulder, Colorado in the United States.

Combining climbing moves, dance elements and music, Isabel has created a new art form which focusses on the more graceful and gymnastic aspects of climbing - there's no grunting or powerscreaming here!

I asked Isabel a few questions about her project...

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