What if you could experience physical movement the same way a dancer does? Screendance director Alicia Ross introduces this unconventional art form that combines dance and cinematography, bringing the audience even closer than front row seats. Her original screendance “in the void” follows, performed by Nicole Smith with music by Fieldhead.

This presentation was filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with only a limited live audience of cast and crew members. While applause has been added to the beginning and end of the video, all other aspects have intentionally remained as filmed to honor the struggle and loss experienced globally during 2020. Alicia is a Salt Lake City based dance artist focused on performance, choreography, and filmmaking. She recently graduated with a BFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah. Throughout her college career she worked with choreographers such as Luc Vanier, Steve Koester, Anouk van Dijk, Satu Hummasti and more. Her latest choreographic work, a solo entitled Introspection, was showcased at the University of Utah’s Fall Student Concert 2019. Through her studies she also found a love for screendance, the collaboration between dance and cinematography. Her first film, entitled Peace Will Come, was screened at ACDA Northwest Conference, the University of Utah’s Spring Student Concert 2019, and LINK by Salt Contemporary Dance. Her second and newest film, in the void, premiered at the University of Utah’s Spring Modern Student Concert and the ASUU Inauguration 2020. She is now a freelance artist looking forward to a career that celebrates humanity through dance in all of its forms. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx