FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RICHMOND, Va. (July 25, 2018) – Choreographer, media artist and performer Kate Sicchio, Ph.D., is joining the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts a new hybrid professor—an artist whose work crosses disciplines and departments. Sicchio will serve as assistant professor of dance and media technologies in the departments of Dance and Choreography and Kinetic Imaging.
“Kate embodies our belief in deep cross-disciplinary collaboration and creative inquiry, as well as our commitment to teaching students powerful skills that integrate new techniques and technologies,” said Shawn Brixey, dean of VCUarts. “She will help us fuel the frontier of artistic discovery by invigorating the curriculum in inspiring and pioneering ways — not only for her home departments, but throughout the School of the Arts and the university.”
Sicchio’s work explores the interface between choreography and technology with wearable technology, live coding and video systems. Her works take the form of videos, installations and performances at galleries, the stage and unconventional sites.
“The Department of Dance and Choreography is thrilled to welcome hybrid artist and scholar Dr. Kate Sicchio to our program and through her hire, to be engaging with the Department of Kinetic Imaging more intentionally,” said Courtney Harris, interim chair of the department. “The synthesis of her experiences in dance and technology are broad, forward-thinking and innovative, including knowledge of screendance, livecoding, wearable technologies and open source resources.”
Sicchio’s doctorate degree focused on the use of real-time video systems within live choreography and the conceptual framework of “choreotopolgy.” Her research has been published in numerous journals and she co-edited the book “Integrating Art and Technology in Practice: Techne/Technique/Technology” with media artist and researcher Camille C. Baker, Ph.D.
“Kate will be a fantastic addition to our faculty,” said Stephen Vitiello, chair of the Department of Kinetic Imaging. “She brings a wealth of experience from her projects and teaching. She also offers a 21st century skillset that will be vital to our undergraduate and graduate students who share her interests in coding, performance, interactivity, sound and video. We’re also excited to have such a unique faculty member to help us bridge new collaborations with VCUarts’ exceptional Dance department.”
Her work has been shown internationally and she has presented work at conferences and symposia including the International Society of Electronic Arts, ACM Creativity and Cognition, Digital Research in Humanities and Arts, Congress On Research in Dance, and the Society of Dance History Scholars. Sicchio has been invited to speak at the European Parliament, Eyeo, Resonate, Node Code and numerous universities and events across the globe.
Most recently a visiting assistant professor at New York University in the Tandon School of Engineering, Sicchio has taught interactive technologies, choreography and many subjects in between to both undergraduate and graduate students in the United Kingdom, Malta, Germany and the United States.
CONTACT
Suzanne A. Silitch, APR
VCU School of the Arts
Phone: 804-828-6819
Email: sasilitch@vcu.edu
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