Everything began with a residency and a fortunate alignment of circumstances. Internationally renowned choreographer Akram Khan and Orsolina28 invited Joy Alpuerto Ritter and Hannes Langolf to embark on an experiment: to create a piece together within ten days. The result is the moving duet «The Fall», which artistically explores the risk of failure — inspired, among other things, by the condolence speech Richard Nixon had prepared in the event of a failed moon landing. Surrounded by countless cardboard boxes, the two choreographers conjure a captivating world in which order and chaos continuously shift. Together, they explore human fallibility and pose the question of whether failure is inherent to our conditioning.
Inspired by this striking outcome, they are venturing on another experiment for Steps 2026: once again, the artists are given ten days — this time joined by a third choreographer.
Created especially for the festival, Joy Alpuerto Ritter and Hannes Langolf further develop their outdoor project: alongside the first indoor version of The Fall, they will present a danced prologue created together with Zurich-based dancer and choreographer Sarafina Beck.
«The Fall» becomes «The Fall / Risings».
Simply put: The piece is an exciting experiment. Two artists are creating together for the first time. There are no rules or laws on stage. Chaos meets order. Together, they can imagine the future. The piece is being further developed for Steps. A third dancer from Switzerland joins them.
Info
Duration: 60 minutes total
Spoken language: Englisch, with surtitles
Age recommendation: 10+
Content warning: Partially bright light, fog effects
World premiere «Risings» (Prologue): 6.3.2026, Tanzhaus Zürich as part of Steps 2026
World premiere «The Fall»: 20.7.2024, Orsolina28 Art Foundation
Further information:
hanneslangolf.com
joyalpuertoritter.com
@sarafina_beck
Credits
«Risings» (Prologue)
Concept: Joy Alpuerto Ritter, Sarafina Beck, Hannes Langolf
choreography and Performance: Joy Alpuerto Ritter & Sarafina Beck
Sound design: Hannes Langolf
Commissioned by: Migros Culture Percentage Dance Festival Steps
«The Fall»:
Concept, choreography and performance: Joy Alpuerto Ritter & Hannes Langolf
Producer: Christine Maupetit
Developed with support of: Orsolina28 Art Foundation
Supported by: Akram Khan Company in partnership with Sky Arts
Special thanks to: Lukas Steltner und Akram Khan
Surtitles: SUBTEXT, Dóra Kapusta
Joy Alpuerto Ritter
Joy Alpuerto Ritter is a Berlin-based dancer and choreographer whose work is characterised by the masterful combination of diverse styles such as contemporary dance, hip hop, Filipino folk dance and voguing. Impressively versatile, she works with numerous international institutions and artists of various genres. She was already a guest at Steps in 2022 with her internationally successful solo «Babae». «The Fall / Risings» is her first collaboration with Hannes Langolf and Sarafina Beck. Picture © Merav Maroody
Hannes Langolf
Hannes Langolf is an internationally active choreographer, performer and educator based in London. He creates award-winning pieces for his own Moonwalking Bear Productions and for renowned theatres, film productions and dance ensembles worldwide. In 2021, he created «The Fall» together with Joy Alpuerto Ritter as part of a residency at the Orsolina28 Art Foundation.
Sarafina Beck
Sarafina Beck is a Swiss dancer and choreographer. Her artistic work is characterised by a fusion of contemporary dance and street style. She is an important part of the Basel Company MEK and realises her own choreographies. For «The Fall / Risings», she will be working with Hannes Langolf and Joy Alpuerto Ritter for the first time. Picture © Oz Jacob Tabib
