“Volant Matter,” Featuring University of North Carolina School of the Arts Students

A striking, intense film, “Volant Matter” is one of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ first-ever works filmed by drone. Ashley Lindsey, UNCSA faculty and alumnus, set the work around “Elephants,” an iconic sculpture on campus, using 11 contemporary senior dance students. “The challenge is knowing that the camera is also a dancer in a sense. The camera also allows the viewer to see a much closer view, so beyond the dancing, it’s about the focus and intention of the dancers because the camera picked up on the small details,” says Lindsey about choreographing for drone. The dancers’ mix of improvisational and unison movement was captured in a 360-degree view by cinematographer Adam Witmer.