How to Dance in Ohio

Alexandra Shiva : 2015

In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage – a spring formal dance. They spend 12 weeks practising their social skills in preparation for the event at a local disco. Working with their psychologist, they take the challenges expressed in their respective therapy groups from one level to the next: picking dates, dresses, and ultimately, a King and Queen of the Prom. We get to know this community through three girls transitioning into adulthood. The film takes us into their group therapy sessions, their relationship to their families, and into their private thoughts, as they navigate and struggle to understand and accept the social rules that surround this universally fraught experience. Through their stories, and a chorus of other young women and men confronting similar issues, these girls reveal the hard work, perseverance and resilience it takes to be a part of contemporary society, along with the extraordinary challenges of being different. Alexandra Shiva's documentary premiered in competition at Sundance Film Festival 2015.