2025
Vashon Island, WA
2024
New York, NY
March 8 and 9, 2024 - 5 Angels Theater, 789 Tenth Avenue, NYC @ 52nd Street
NYC Aerial Dance Festival features Fly-by-Night Dance Theater and Invited Aerial Guests including UpSwing Aerial Dance Company performing Nordlys.
2023
Vashon Island, WA
Saturday, August 12 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Doors open at 3:30 pm.
11th Annual Open Air Aerial Festival is an afternoon of drama and delight at our annual Open Air Aerial Festival! It’s the perfect way to spend a summer day. Bring family, friends, a blanket and a picnic basket to share while you ooh and ahh to choreographed acrobatic spectacle.
UpSwing will be a guest performer in this unique, magical event proudly offered by Open Space for the Vashon community.
The excitement begins at 3:30pm on August 12 at Open Space for Arts & Community. Gates open at 3:30pm for the 4:00pm show. Guests are invited to bring food and non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy with the show. Admission is by donation online or at the door, with a suggested donation of $20 for those 13 and older. This is an Open Door event. Please leave your pets at home but bring your favorite folding chair, pillows, and comfortable blankets.
Manilla, Phillipines
Dec 10, 2022- March 18, 2023
“2092: Tale of moon trip” by Kunlin He in Manilla, Philippines UpSwing Dancer, Kiran Haithcox and Helium Valentine will be on film in an exhibit by Mainland China-born, San Francisco based artist Kunlin He. In Kunlin’s new project, "2092: Tale of moon trip”, based on the special landscapes that Kunlin finds on the Google Moon, the artist fictions a lunar tour guide to describe the fairy tale of the history of moon settlers to the tourists from the earth. The theme of the stories is about belief, visual experience, love, death, gender, environmental issues, and the local of lunar art on the moon.
Providence, Rhode Island
“2092: Tale of moon trip” by Kunlin He as part of a group exhibition MEDIUMS AND MESSENGERS, Bannister Gallery, Rhode Island College, Providence, Rhode Island
2021-2
Taiwan
Oct 30, 2021- March 6, 2022
2092: Tale of Moon Trip conceived and created by Kunlin He features performance by 2 of UpSwing dancers in the work featured in the 8 edition of Asian Art Biennial hosted by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA), Titled “Phantasmapolis”. With “Asian Futurism” and “Asian sci-fi culture” as the main themes, the Biennial re-evaluates Asia’s past and present through sci-fi perspectives by inviting thirty-eight artists/art groups from fifteen countries to re-examine topics about Asian cities, technologies, conflicts, gender and fantasies of the future, co-creating the unknown Phantasmapolis that is closest to the future.
Seattle, WA
August 7: 4 PM
UpSwing invited as guest performers at Open Air Festival, Vashon, WA. The 10th Annual Open Air at Open Space is an outdoor aerial festival that serves up a bit of circus and scoop of magic and voila!...discover alchemy in the meadow as fabulous, athletic aerial artists dance across a blue sky canvas. A delight for all ages, relax in the shade or bask in the sun and let your senses breathe in art and life and wonderment.
Location: 18870 SW 103rd Ave SW, Vashon, WA 98070
2020
CANCELLED due to Covid-19 Pandemic
san antonio, tx
Oct 3 and 4, 2020: Aerial Horizons presents UpSwing Aerial Dance Company
Location: Aerial Horizons 6203 Krempen Ave #101, San Antonio, TX 78233
Dates: October 3 @ 8 PM October 4 @ 7 PM
$20 adults $15 kids 17 years & under/ seniors 65+/Military
Join UpSwing Aerial Dance Company in Texas as we celebrate our 10th anniversary in a show “In Full Swing!” at Aerial Horizons in San Antonio, TX. With stunning performances by Kirstin Brown, Helen Fitanides, Alissa Kaplan Soto, and Helium Valentine and poetically beautiful choreography by Cherie Carson this is a show unlike any other.
Celebrating its tenth year, UpSwing Aerial Dance Company performs dynamic, original dances in the air and on the ground, using aerial rope and harness, bungee, trapeze, lyra, silks and more. Upswing has showcased its repertoire at New York Aerial Dance Fest, YELP East Bay Summer Splash, Open Air Fest on Vashon Island on Puget Sound west of Seattle, Festival of Aerial Arts in Houston TX and has workshopped aerial dance on ropes in San Antonio/Austin/Houston, TX, at the Floor to Air Festival in Santa Barbara and in Atlanta, GA.
2019
Seattle, WA
Michelle Bates Photography
August 3: 4PM
UpSwing invited as guest performers at Open Air Festival, Vashon, WA. The 9th Annual Open Air at Open Space is an outdoor aerial festival that serves up a bit of circus and scoop of magic and voila!...discover alchemy in the meadow as fabulous, athletic aerial artists dance across a blue sky canvas. A delight for all ages, relax in the shade or bask in the sun and let your senses breathe in art and life and wonderment. Location: 18870 SW 103rd Ave SW, Vashon, WA 98070
2018
Atlanta, GA
April 5-8 Atlanta Aerial Arts Festival, The Space, 4620-A South Atlanta Rd SE, Atlanta, GA 30339
UpSwing will perform in the Atlanta Aerial Arts Festival Showcase on April 6th our new aerial piece "Origin of Happiness". It is a rope & harness duet where two dancers must find a balance in their relationship while being suspended from a single rope & pulley. Performed by Helen Fitanides and Alissa Kaplan. For tix go here.
On April 7th, UpSwing Artistic Director, Cherie Carson, will teach with UpSwing Company dancers, Helen Fitanides & Alissa Kaplan, a rope and harness workshop called "Dynamic Duo". This is a rope & harness workshop that explores variation & contrast in force & intensity, balance & counter-balance while working with a partner. Do not have to sign up with a partner to participate. Class will cover equipment safety, warm up and skills. Please bring your own harness if you have one. Imagine different floating movements, twirls, swings in every plane of motion —the possibilities are endless.
Aerial rope & harness dancing is based on harnessing energy when the rope is moved away from the plumb line. The body accesses energy through circular or pendulum forces, balances and your imagination. It is super fun!
To register for the workshop go here
2017
Seattle WA
August 26: UpSwing invited as guest performers at Open Air Festival, Vashon, WA FREE performance produced and presented by Open Space. The 7th Annual Open Air at Open Space is an outdoor aerial festival that serves up a bit of circus and scoop of magic and voila!...discover alchemy in the meadow as fabulous, athletic aerial artists dance across a blue sky canvas. A delight for all ages, relax in the shade or bask in the sun and let your senses breathe in art and life and wonderment. Location: 18870 SW 103rd Ave SW, Vashon, WA 98070
ATLANTA, GA
Jan 22: Cherie teaches Rope and Harness workshop at The Space, 4620-A South Atlanta Rd SE, Atlanta, GA 30339
2016
SANTA BARBARA, CA
March 21-25 - Cherie Carson, UpSwing Artistic Director, is guest teacher in the 2016 Santa Barbara Floor to Air Festival, Sunday, March 13 thru Friday, March 25. Floor the Air Festival celebrates the contemporary and boundary-pushing genre of aerial dance.
The first festival in California to highlight the organic relationship between floor and air movement, FAF unites professionals, students, spectators, and supporters for a one week professional artist residency and collaboration, four days of exclusive workshops in a multitude of approaches, intimate soirees, and a culmination performance and gala at the historic Lobero Theatre. Company members will also be in attendance. For more information, to register to take the workshops go to 2016 Santa Barbara Floor to Air Festival.
SAN ANTONIO, TX
June 16 - Fundamentals of Rope and Harness taught by Cherie Carson, 6:30-8:30 PM, For more information call: (210) 908-7816, Aerial Horizons
Cherie teaches aerial rope and harness workshop in which upper body strength is not required. Develop core strength the fun way as you learn to flip, swing and circle while dancing in the air. Workshop covers basics of equipment safety, warm up and skills. Please bring your own harness if you have one. Imagine different floating movements, twirls, swings in every plane of motion —the possibilities are endless. Aerial and Harness dancing is based on harnessing energy when the rope is moved away from the plumb line. The body accesses energy through circular or pendulum forces, balances and your imagination. No experience necessary.
AUSTIN, TX
June 15 - Fundamentals of Rope and Harness taught by Cherie Carson, 6-8 PM, Four Elements Austin
2015
SAN ANTONIO, TX
July 20 – UpSwing Director, Cherie Carson, teaches 2 evening workshops at Aerial Horizon at 108 Blue Star, San Antonio, Texas For more information: (210) 908-7816
“Look Ma No Hands” is an aerial rope and harness workshop in which upper body strength is not required. Develop core strength the fun way as you learn to flip, swing and circle while dancing in the air. Class will cover basics of equipment safety, warm up and skills. Please bring your own harness if you have one. Imagine different floating movements, twirls, swings in every plane of motion —the possibilities are endless. Aerial Harness dancing is based on harnessing energy when the rope is moved away from the plumb line. The body accesses energy through circular or pendulum forces, balances and your imagination.
2014
Stockton, CA
Sept 27: Women's Conference Wild & Free Conference 10 AM- 4:30 PM to benefit a women's shelter. Location: 1282 East Bianchi Road, Stockton CA 95210
Houston, TX
July 18-20: Upswing invited to perform in Festival of Aerial Arts, The VauLt, Spring TX. July 20th Rope & Harness workshop. http://www.festivalofaerialarts.com
A teaser concert performed by professional aerialists from across the globe kicks off the festival on Friday and Saturday evening, July 18-19, 2014, at 8:00 PM. The Festival closes with an informal showing of works by workshop participants on July 26, 2014, at 8:00 PM. This year’s festival features classes and performances by Cherie Carson /UpSwing Aerial Dance Company (California) – Workshop on Sunday, July 20 only, Lee Claydon (Ireland), Liz Cooper (Canada), Molly Graves (Tennessee) and Rachel Strickland (California).
2013
Elizabeth and Cara performing "Snowbirds"
Seattle WA
August 17: UpSwing invited as guest performers at Open Air Festival, Vashon, WA
2012
Seattle WA
July 28, 29: UpSwing invited as guest performers at Open Air Festival, Vashon, WA.
July 29: 10:30-12 (noon) Rope and Harness workshop
Ashley and Kiran performing "Inside the Circle"
2011
New York NY
Dec 2 & 3: Manhattan Movement Arts Center, NY - performing "Inside the Circle"
Nov 29: Laguardia Performing Arts Center, NY - performing "Inside the Circle"