in 2020, UpSwing pivoted and starting making dance for film.

AloneTogether, release date June 2020

“AloneTogether” is a dance of classic beauty, athleticism and touching poignancy; it’s also a work of art created in the time of pandemic. “AloneTogether” is a dance inspired by the limitations of isolation and possibilities of connecting without touch. From start to finish, the musical score, the choreography and the editing took less than one month.

Madras Independent Film Festival - Award Winner

Dubai Independent Film Festival - Award Winner

Hollywood International Golden Age Festival - Award Winner

Tabriz Cinema Awards - Award Winner

Beyond the Curve International Film Festival - (IMDb) Finalist

Renderyard Film Festival - Finalist

jellyFEST - Season 6 - Simi-Finalist

FROSTBITE International Indie Fest - Official Selection

FilmFest by Rogue Dancer - Official Selection

FLICKFAIR - Official Selection

6th International Short Film Festival Pune India 21 - Official Selection

Dance Camera Pandemania/Dance Camera Istanbul Festival - Official Selection

Between River Rocks and Sand, release date December 2020

The "in-between" of time, space, and the element of nature is the underlying theme that inspired this work. Created during the pandemic and adhering to social distancing protocols, we took aerial movements from UpSwing's repertoire and reinvented them for a one-time performance on this peninsula between the Russian River and the Pacific Ocean in Northern California. We scheduled and rescheduled in-between the 2020 fires that swept thru the area. Original music is by Emmy winning composer Dan Cantrell.

Between salt and fresh water, we danced.

Between rocks and sand we danced.

Between the salty air currents and ocean waves we danced our connections with the land, ourselves, each other and our ancestors.

In our isolation, in these in-between spaces and places we found connection. Connecting with the landscape and its moment-to-moment changes. We danced with the ebb and flow of the waters and experienced the dance when they came together. We found connections with the wildlife that enjoys these brackish waters. We danced in the light shimmering on the water and in our eyes. The landscape transformed the way we moved and felt.

Between "River Rocks and Sand" is not just about the landscape, being between the river and the ocean, but also it is a mindscape of our times. One day we all will be able to recognize the dance pieces created during the pandemic, conceived for the camera, performed by a few dancers, innervated by a sense of instability.

FROSTBITE International Indie Fest - Finalist

Great Asian World Cinema International Film Festival Season- 3 - Finalist

Beyond the Curve International Film Festival - Official Selection

Pune Short Film Festival - Official Selection

Hollywood International Golden Age Festival - Official Selection

Madras Independent Film Festival - Official Selection

Venice Shorts - Official Selection

Knowing Each Other, release date March 2021

Knowing Each Other" is a dance, performed on 2 ropes, set to the poem "Entanglement" by Carmen Gimenez Smith. I felt an immediate connection to the honesty in her work. The poem and this dance speaks to how entangled we are in relationships, how love shifts and changes over time. During this pandemic where people have probably spent more time together than ever before, relationships have been tested. I was working with being tangled up in thoughts, emotions and how these create physical entanglements. The dance explores the emotional complexities in relationships and in ourselves. Original music is by Emmy winning composer Dan Cantrell.

Hollywood Gold Awards - (IMDb) Silver Award for Experimental Film

San Diego Movie Awards - Award of Excellence for Best Choreography

Hollywood International Golden Age Festival - Finalist

Beyond the Curve International Film Festival - (IMDb) Finalist

Renderyard Film Festival - Finalist

Madrid Arthouse Film Festival - Semi-Finalist

Big Sur Film Festival - Official Selection

Venice Shorts - Official Selection

Golden Bridge İstanbul Short Film Festival - Official Selection

Rome Independent Prisma Awards - Official Selection

Anatolia International Film Festival - Official Selection

RAGFF Venezia - Official Selection

Your Way International Film Festival - Official Selection

Bad, release date June 2021

"Bad" is blue, achy and humanly beautiful. Life isn't perfect. There can be an edginess. It can feel like a grind. Earthy, but stretching towards the blue sky, a better day. “Bad” is choreographed on an open aerial sling to George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone” performed by Texas blues artist Carolyn Wonderland.

Hollywood Gold Awards - Award Winner for Music Video

San Diego Movie Awards - Award Winner for Best Choreography

Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival - Honorable Mention

MegaFlix Film Awards (IMDb) - Honorable Mention

Austin International Art Festival - Semi-Finalist

Auber International Film Festival - Official Selection

Onyko Films Awards (IMDb) - Official Selection

Anatolia International Film Festival - Official Selection

Golden Bridge İstanbul Short Film Festival - Official Selection

London Movie Awards - Official Selection

New York Movie Awards - Official Selection

Paris Film Awards - Official Selection

Film Fest by Rogue Dancer - Official Selection

Water Spirit, release date June 2022

"Water Spirit" is a kinetic tale of the mysteries that are revealed inside a drop of water. As icebergs melt and water transforms from frozen to liquid its spirit dances. Performance by UpSwing aerialist Helium Valentine, this aerial dance is performed inside a suspended snowglobe. Original music is by Emmy winning composer Dan Cantrell.

Richmond Standard July 6, 2022 article “Richmond dancer, director on ‘upswing’ with film award win”

Beyond the Curve International Film Festival (IMBd) - Nominee for Best Dance

T.I.F.A. Tiete International Film Awards - Nominee for Best Experimental Short Fil/Curta-Metragem

Paradise Film Festival - Award Winner Best Experimental Film

San Diego Movie Awards - Award Winner Award of Prestige

MegaFlix Film Awards - Award Winner Best Experimental

Beyond Border International Film Festival - Award Winner Best Experimental Film

Amsterdam Freedom Independent IFF - Award Winner Best Editing

Golden Wheat Awards - Award Winner Jury Special Award

World Film Carnival / Singapore (IMDb) - Award Winner Outstanding Achievement

World Indie Film Awards (IMDb) - Award Winner Best Dance Short

San Francisco Art House Short Festival - Simi Finalist

Vienna Indie Short Film Festival - Simi Finalist

Brussels World Film Festival - Semi Finalist

Palm Springs International Film Awards - Semi Finalist

Dubai Independent Film Festival - Semi Finalist

Paris International Short Film Festival (IMBd) - Simi Finalist

Paris Women Festival - Semi Finalist

Indie Shorts Mag Short Film Festival - Semi Finalist

Palm Springs Shorts - Semi-Finalist

Onyko Films Awards (IMDb) - Official Selection

International Motion Picture Awards 2022 (IMDb) - Official Selection

All that Moves International Film Festival - Official Selection

Milan Gold Awards - Official Selection

Amsterdam Freedom Independent IFF - Official Selection Best Experimental Film

Anatolia International Film Festival - Official Selection

Iconic Images Film Festival - Official Selection

Symbiotic Film Festival - Official Selection

Latin America Film Awards - Official Selection

Golden Bridge Istanbul Short Film Festival - Official Selection

Pressure, release date August 2022

"Pressure" is a music/aerial dance film about the pressure we live under, the pressure to conform. Aerial dance is performed to to the accapella arrangement of David Bowie and Queens "Under Pressure" which is written and performed by David Worm. Aerialists are Kiran Haithcox and Helium Valentine.

Richmond Standard September 19, 2022 article “UpSwing Aerial Dance Company film “Pressure” receives Award”

London International Monthly Film Festival - Honorable Mention

Paris Film Awards - Honorable Mention

Caravan International Film Festival - Award Winner

Crown Wood International Film Festival - Award Winner

Golden Lion International Film Festival - Award Winner

Wallachia Int'l Film Festival - Award Winner

Crown International Film Festival - Award Winner

Los Angeles Cinematography AWARDS (LACA) - Semi-Finalist

8 & Halfilm Awards (IMDb) - Official Selection

New York Movie Awards - Official Selection

San Diego Art Film Fest - Official Selection

International Sound & Film Music Festival - Official Selection

Onyko Films Awards - Official Selection

Florence Film Awards - Official Selection

Anatolia International Film Festival - Official Selection

Motion Pictures International Film Festival - Official Selection

Buzz Vicious International Film Festival - Official Selection

Golden Bridge Istanbul Short Film Festival - Official Selection

Japan International Film Festival - Official Selection On Line screening March 2-5, 2023

Performance Video Samples

Here are a few videos  taken from different shows with UpSwing Aerial Dance Company.

TEARDROPS - excerpt

Teaser for "Teardrops" 50 minute aerial dance. Filmed & Edited by: A.K. Sandhu

AK's work has been published internationally in Harper's Bazaar Bride Magazine, Swooned Magazine, Ruffled, SouthAsian Bride Magazine, Grace Ormande XOBlog, MaharaniWeddings, WeddingSutra, Zardozi and various other blogs.

Origin of Happiness

performed 2018 by Alissa Kaplan Soto and Helen Fitanides

Music by Eve Beglarian

Costumes by Kitty Muntzel

Choreography by Cherie Carson

Sina

performed 2018 by Helium Valentine.

Music by Dan Cantrell.

Choreography by Cherie Carson

How Much Longer

performed 2018, Kirstin Brown and Helium Valentine.

Music by Kurt Weil, sung by Lauren Carley. 

Choreography by Cherie Carson

Inside the Circle, 2011

Performed by Ashley Foster and Kiran Haithcox

Music by Bill and John Storch

Choreography by Cherie Carson

UpSwing Performs at New York Aerial Festival, Nov 29-Dec 3. This video is from La Guardia Performing Arts Center Nov 29th.

Snowbirds, 2011

Performers Hannah Dworkin, Ashley Foster, Elizabeth Scotton, Cara Zeisloft

Music by Kevin Keller

Choreography by Cherie Carson

UpSwing performs at "SevenUp" show in Berkeley, CA

Split Focus, 2011,

Cara Zeisloft performs at "SevenUp" show in Berkeley

Music by Ela Lamblin

Choerography by Cherie Carson

"Entwined" , 2011

performed by Hannah Dworkin

Choreography and Video by Cherie Carson

Music by Bill & John Storch.

Second Annual Festival of Aerial Arts Teaser Performance, 2014

VauLt in Houston Texas

UpSwing Aerial dancers Alissa Kaplan and Elizabeth Milne-Kahn performed "Inside the Circle".