TEDXSalem speaker Nicole Malinoff is a professional bellydancer, dance instructor and teaching assistant from Eugene.
When she isn’t shimmying to Middle Eastern music or teaching dance at Celebration Belly Dance and Yoga, she loves to cook, eat, explore interesting places, hike, swim and rest. Her household consists of “three humans and two dogs.”
One random fact about Nicole is that she is “a film school drop out.” She is also an actress and production manager at a small theater company (more on that in a minute).
We are excited to welcome Nicole as one of our many talented speakers for TEDxSalem 2020.
What was your first TED experience? Sitting at home watching Scott Dinsmore’s How to Find and Do Work You Love. I was unemployed and feeling really lost. His talk gave me hope and something of a plan. I watched it several times after that and made everyone I know watch it.
Do you have a favorite TED Talk? How has it impacted your life or perspective? Fashion Styling for People with Disabilities by Stephanie Thomas. As someone who benefits from the privilege of being able to find clothes anywhere, it brought the issue of clothing accessibility into my awareness, and introduced me to the vibrant world of disabled beauty and fashion.
What does this year’s theme “Vision” mean to you? I feel like the theme kind of encompasses what TED is all about: New, world-changing ideas, perspectives and insights from people we don’t often get to hear from. In all honesty, I’m just so shocked that I’m a part of this that I haven’t really considered the theme.
What do you feel most grateful for in your life? Having all of my immediate needs met so that I have the luxury to fantasize and dream about what I want for myself and the world.
Do you have any community activities? Tell us more about them…I belong to a Science Fiction theatre company called Trek Theatre. We mostly do Star Trek episodes, but dream of branching out. We’re entirely volunteer and donation run, so our shows are free to the public. I just became their production manager, but I also act.
Make one change in the world? I would have everyone in power take climate change seriously, so we could have a shot at avoiding this impending mass extinction.
Greatest fear? Heights, bodily harm, physical pain, death (I can’t pick just one)
TEDxSalem VII
TEDxSalem VII is an all-day event featuring talks, performances, refreshments, lunch and a swag bag. It takes place from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, at the Salem Convention Center. Click here for tickets. Follow us on Facebook for the most up-to-date news from our community, and check our website regularly for new information. You can also reach us at info@tedxsalem.com