Community Testimonials
“I enjoyed working in the garden and responding to the space in a cement-full environment. It rained. I started at an orange wall across the street where I saw a model posing earlier in the day. Adama and I connected with flute drum and dance. The intense ending proved to be complex and real and I’m thankful Ximena and Shige came to support. What a good nite to recognize the deep understanding and support we developed at Earthdance.” – Esther BakerTarpaga, Outsight Artist, 2019
“Participating in the SOAK festival made me feel like an important member of a community of talented and committed artists. It was a great chance to share visions and ideas and to get valuable feedback. The atmosphere created was exactly what I entered the arts –and came to NYC– looking for. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of it!” – Rachel Cohen, Black Studio Resident, 2012
“I had a great experience attending a workshop taught by Zack Fuller at the Ludus Lab. The exercises varied from Butoh-inspired body work to physical theater movements. I really enjoyed the space and atmosphere of the Lab and would love to participate in other workshops in the future.” – Katya Popova, LEIMAY LUDUS Lab -Zack Fuller Participant, 2019
“‘Nobody’s Money‘ that is shown at CAVE residency program, is about connection between the body and the economic structure. In the insecurity of the economic situation in this world these days, I felt this theme of piece aroused sympathy from many in the audience. Also, there was so many participants of dancers in the workshop, and workshop was very significant work, because I could explore the possibility of Butoh with same theme of the performance.” – Akira Kasai, Guest Artist and Teacher
“I am consistently blown away by the creativity with which Ximena and Andrea approach and communicate movement. Classes are as mentally rigorous and inspiring as they are physically. I leave every week yearning to internalize more of LEIMAY LUDUS and to integrate its praxis with my life.” – Laura Cohen, LUDUS Community Class Participant, 2024
“I have had the pleasure to be a LEIMAY guest teacher at CAVE for several years now. When I teach at LEIMAY, I find serious, intelligent, and creative participants of all ages and backgrounds, who are eager to challenge themselves. What I appreciate is the level understanding by its directors and the community of artistic concepts often difficult to grasp and to master. I find that LEIMAY is unique as it was founded by artists and the directors continue to maintain their artistic integrity. LEIMAY’s studio CAVE has been a vibrant place of concerts, performances, and exhibitions, and it is … Continued
“Our time at CAVE home of LEIMAY has become so indispensable to the company THE MILLION UNDERSCORES. This kind of fellowship has allowed us to develop our practice and generate 5 original pieces. We love being part of the LEIMAY community, a vibrant, creative cooperative group of artists from all over the world with such different experiences and points of view.” – Nicolas Norena, Director/Actor, 2017-2018 Fellow
“The Studio has been great. I’ve had some wonderful portraits shoots in the space – which is so unique, clean, organised and in the heart of cool Williamsburg (and around the corner from my house which is also helpful ;)) I love the look on people’s faces when they first walk in and say “wow!!!”. The booking process is super fast and easy too.” – Maggie Marguerite Studios / Georgina Richardson, 2013, Photography
“SOAK provides a vital resource to young artists attempting to grow their body of work and hone their craft. Presenting in SOAK offers you both an opportunity to stage and perform work, but also a supportive community that welcomes artistic exploration, success, and failure of all kind, which is perhaps the most important thing for young artists learning their craft and finding their voice.” – Drew Weinstein, SOAK Artist and LEIMAY Fellow 2017-2018, 2018
“I honestly regret not starting LEIMAY LUDUS sooner. I’ve had a very positive experience with every class. Classes are both physically and mentally inspiring and at times, challenging. This is a very creative class where you leave your inhibitions at the door and exit your comfort zone (and I really appreciate that). The instructors rotate and are always high quality and approachable and I even made a new friend in class. Class is genuinely fun; I’m frequently laughing. Looking forward to LUDUS commencing in March! I’m definitely returning to LEIMAY’s LUDUS classes in March and really happy to do so. … Continued
“CAVE has played an influential role on my path, both artistically, and personally. In 2007, I moved to New York City from Portland, Oregon to perform in the 2007 Cave New York Butoh Festival, with butoh master Akira Kasai, which CAVE made possible. From that point forward, CAVE has been a very large part of my life whether through participating in workshops, attending performances, or renting space to create work. When I think of CAVE, I think of fertile ground, a space where creativity, exploration and growth are encouraged. Since 2007, CAVE has provided a place for me (and many … Continued
“I am fascinated by the bridges between works that have been independently made, and SOAK has provided me with an opportunity to work alongside artists deep in their study. Performing with the support of the students at City Tech at Voorhees Hall allowed my work the time and technical assistance of a professional theater, which is a sparkly experience for an avant-garde artist.” – Sophia Treanor, SOAK Artist and LEIMAY Fellow, 2017-2018, 2018
“Part of my LEIMAY Fellowship involved a presentation of my work in the OUTSIGHT Series at the Dorothy Streslin Community Garden. The work that I was cultivating had, up until OUTSIGHT, lived in the LEIMAY space. The space itself is a blank canvas. White box with marley is hard to come by in NYC and having it to create both complicated my process and enhanced it. Having such a neutral space forced my work deeper inside itself, creating something even more sensual and exploratory than I had thought was possible. Being asked to then move the work from a whitebox … Continued
“I really appreciate LEIMAY’s dedication to reaching out and offering support with no strings attached. It was a surprising gift to know I would be able to take time for myself each week this fall to build on specific works and to expand into my practice in general. This small team was immensely helpful and thoughtful in what they offered and I am excited for more artists to have a chance at this program in the future.” – Incubator Artist, 2021
“I want to let you know how much I enjoyed your class!!! I have learned so much about letting go and moving the body in a way where the audience is unnecessary. ‘Dance like nobody is watching’ felt like a theme. And I truly appreciate the cost reduction, because I wouldn’t have been able to afford it without it. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of LEIMAY. I am optimistic about the future though, I would really like to take classes at LEIMAY when this pandemic ends.” – Sonia Nizam, LEIMAY LUDUS Community Class Participant, 2020
“I’m very grateful for the fellowship, and I think it allows the artists an open space to pursue their ideas with both freedom and support. The format worked well for me: having the studio allowed me to keep my practice and dive into the creative process and having OUTISIGHT to share the creation guided the process. The creation of sight-specific works is part of my previous work, and this fellowship was great to continue this ongoing research. The virtual initiatives (the workshops, the OUTISGHT IN, and our meetings) were great to keep us connected. I also thank you all from … Continued
“When LEIMAY accepted my group into its studio share program nearly three years ago, Terra Incognita Theater found more than a space to rehearse; we also found an artistic home, a community of artists with whom we can share and from whom we can learn. The commitment to art from CAVE’s founders, their personalities and their work gathers artists with similar values and true quality. Personally, I find it extremely important, supportive and encouraging. I try never to miss the performances and works-in-progress they organize because they are of the highest quality, and I always learn from them. It is … Continued
“Zach Fuller provided a well-structured glimpse into his choreographic process. Even with attending only one day, I had a great introduction to his work and to the work of those he has worked with, such as Min Tanaka. LEIMAY labs bring me from 1.5 hours away, and I don’t know of anything like it in New York City.” – Justin Collins, LEIMAY LUDUS Lab -Zack Fuller Participant, 2019
“We were visiting NY and took the opportunity to see our old friend Ben Spatz perform. We went to see his friend Maximilian, whom we met at Ben and Michelle’s wedding, perform as well, which was nice. We found both presentations engaging and professional, though I particularly liked the inter-textual, more serious bent of Ben’s piece, which reminded me of Beckett.” – Rabbi Susan Laemmle, Ph.D.
“The training with Ximena was great, I really enjoyed what I learned from the workshops that she gave us. I found it really interesting the way she thinks about the body in terms of how to feel it and how to use it. The exercises that she taught us, I’m sure I’ll use them from now on in my warm ups, because they were great.” – Sorin Prodea, LUDUS Participant, 2019
“The training opportunity is one of a kind. Interesting people with unique perspectives on art will take you for a wild ride. Your psyche emerges refreshed and your body properly challenged to surpass the everyday uses to which it is usually put.” – Claire B, LEIMAY LUDUS Training Group Participant, 2022
“My daughter and I participated in the online classes together. We were able to get a welcome relief from the Covid19 experience by escaping into the fun and silly world of dance that LEIMAY offered. She would look forward to the next class every week, and the lessons would often transfer into our everyday life, as I could see her considering the movement of everyday objects. My favorite part was hearing the class taught bilingually. We are a bilingual family and my children are very much used to hearing things expressed twice.” – Ruxandra Raffols, LEIMAY LUDUS Online Class Participant, … Continued
“LEIMAY provides easy and accessible application process for international artists whose native language might not be English. The venue is a welcoming place that dedicate to embodied artists with LEIMAY’s tremendous generosity of time, space and artistic support. A rare gift in the art world.” -Ching-I Chang, Incubator Artist, 2024
“Participating in LEIMAY’s OUTSIGHT series was a transformative experience for Taylor and me. After six months of dedicated work in the studio, it was exhilarating to present our newest piece, CIS BOOM BLAH, to an audience beyond our usual creative space. The setting—the Dorothy Strelsin Community Garden, was picturesque, surrounded by fellow artists, friends, and family—created a vibrant backdrop that amplified our excitement. The unique blend of cheerleading’s familiar aesthetic with its dark history blended into the technique sparked a genuine curiosity about how our work would be received. The laughter and cheers from the audience were not just affirmations … Continued
“The Incubator program gave me ground to start a project in the middle of the pandemic in a very uncertain time. I could not have done without it, because I had no money to pay for a studio to work. To be able to restart working in my artistic goals, gave me support and encouraged me to keep working and applying for more opportunities. I already had a work-in-progress showing and more opportunities coming my way because I have something solid, created during the residency. Thank you LEIMAY!” – Selma Trevino, Incubator Artist, 2022
“Ximena’s Summer intensive in SOAK 2018 gave us the space to explore our physical limitations and the capacity of our imagination in relation to our bodies. Although I only attended for one day, it gave me the permission to soften back into my own practice and move again.” – Jose Rivera Jr., LEIMAY LUDUS Summer Intensive Participant, 2018
“LEIMAY artistic director Ximena said the first class I took from her that each class would be like looking at one section of an elephant, and only after a number of classes could the whole picture begin to unfold. With that in mind, each class I’ve taken at LEIMAY has a similar quality, yet shifts vastly from large to small, slow to fast, together, apart, and many different forms of rigorous. Butoh has become not simply a slow meditation, but also a vibrant, pulsing beast that falls in and out of sleep while being ever aware. Each class is a … Continued
“I feel grateful that LEIMAY provided the sound system and power that I needed and Brandon was very clear and responsive reassuring me about that as well as answering email questions promptly. I felt supported by LEIMAY as well: Ximena’s speech after my performance was very warm and Shige helped me with figuring out what was wrong with my first headmic as well as “showing me the ropes” with how to keep the rope untangled. I also felt happy that Masa and Polina were there to support and help out in a friendly way as well. Krystel marketed the events … Continued
“In terms of the performance, it was an amazing opportunity to perform such a piece of work. It was hard to do it, but it was so rewarding. Plus, working with all the amazing people that were involved during it, was an amazing and fun experience. I’m glad I did it and I’m grateful for the trust that they had in me to perform it.” – Sorin Prodea, 2019, Correspondences
“My experience with LEIMAY and OUTSIGHT was essential to both projects I am in the process for. Being awarded free studio space allowed me to remove the pressures of creating quickly and just be able to live in the process of playing, exploring, and molding a story. Collaborating with OUTSIGHT was an experience I’ve been craving, but wasn’t sure how to make it happen. It is essential for the work I’m doing to discover more ways to merge the local NYC community with my global environmental work and I believe that begins with our communal gardens.” – Kelly Ashton Todd, … Continued
“The SOAK Festival was a gathering of artists and community in a supportive setting. A chance to see what other local artists are interested in and creating. It was a diverse blend of performances and workshops, which felt very grassroots and authentic. I made new connections with people I didn’t know were here, and now have relationships with them. Also, I shared my own interests and creations with artists who had never seen my work before. I had a memorable and valuable experience at The SOAK Festival.” – Stephanie Lanckton, LEIMAY Collaborator, 2012
“Trust in human beings is the one I feel strong when I collaborate with CAVE. This is basic of Butoh and is connected to a variety of human beings. I think it is a strength of CAVE activities, and it is inseparable from solid will which is the sustainability of their high sensitivity. It is not easy to explore more broadly and deeply, but I can see the possibility in CAVE. New wine for the new leather bag. New wave of art may be born in this NY. I would like them to go forward without being afraid.” – Yukio … Continued
“We are extremely grateful to CAVE for the support of our work through an artistic residency from 2010 through 2012. In addition to providing us with regular rehearsal space at subsidized rates, CAVE offers a warm and professional environment in which we encounter other theatre and dance artists as well as potential collaborators and audience members. CAVE is one of the only places in New York City where it is possible to find regular, year-round rehearsal space at a price that emerging artists and ensembles can afford. Our ongoing work is made possible to a great extent by CAVE and … Continued
“Bringing SOAK to the stage in collaboration with LEIMAY and City Tech was a gratifying experience in collective artistic production. The myriad tasks of producing the (very diverse) performances were accomplished by the Fellows and the staff of LEIMAY in a remarkably efficient way. As a long-time artistic producer myself, I was impressed at the thoroughness of the vision and the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect that characterized the entire effort.” – Judith Barnes, SOAK Artist and LEIMAY Fellow, 2018
“My experience with LEIMAY’s community class was tremendously inspiring and filled with so much joy and wonder. After training with LEIMAY, I feel that my awareness and relationship to space and movement has transformed. I will continue to come back to class to explore LUDUS, to be part of a creative community, to question the possibilities of mind, body, and voice, and to take a leap into the unknown. I think LEIMAY’s community class is a beautiful garden of play that cultivates the growth of imagination and exploration—I cannot wait for Spring!” – Veda Rouze, LEIMAY LUDUS Community Class Participant, … Continued
“CAVE is one of the most remarkable arts organizations in New York and unique in the atmosphere of congenial and yet truly advanced artistic development it has created. I have had contact with many rehearsal spaces in New York, none of which serves as a true center of creativity as CAVE does; none of them fosters the same high level of artistic integrity and supportive and open community for other artists that CAVE does. In the midst of the New York Showbiz whirlwind, CAVE provides a serene, stimulating and fertile field for the growth of artistic development. What Ximena and … Continued
“Working with Tadashi Endo at LEIMAY deepened my understanding of Butoh in ways I truly hadn’t expected. I came to the workshop looking to reconnect with my movement in preparation for creating a piece for voice, dance and electronics. So I wasn’t sure what I hoped to get out of it except to increase my vocabulary and to be challenged. Tadashi surprised me with his very particular approach to Butoh; I’ve studied Butoh with several different dancer-educators, but had somehow missed the depth to which the form requires us to go in our imagination. I found myself allowing myself to … Continued
“CAVE has been Terra Incognita Theater’s creative home since February 2009 – and it really has been a home. Unlike so many of the impersonal rehearsal spaces in NYC, CAVE is an oasis of community, incredibly diligent professional work, and unfailing support for artists. Our work for the past six years would not have happened in the same way without the support of Ximena, Shige, and their team who champion the Fellows’ process and products in a way few others do. We are grateful for the time we’ve spent so far at CAVE and look forward to what the future … Continued
“The LEIMAY Fellowship and Outsight performance program undoubtedly grew and challenged my work as an artist, outside of the bounds that I imagined. The community building expertise, practice, and support provided by LEIMAY staff and Ximena and Shige conceptualized and grounded my work in integrity with myself. I was able to realize my work as not simply a dance performance, but as something informed by and in conversation with the community around me, and therefore inspiring change in those who witnessed me. The professional development workshops around community building and public performance gave my work the space I did not … Continued
“Being a part of SOAK for the third time was such a wonderful experience to share the work we have been developing in the studio with a very diverse audience. It is a pleasure to perform amongst such different genres such as performance art, dance, opera and experimental theater.” – Nicolas Norena, SOAK Artist and LEIMAY Fellow 2017-2018, 2018
“SOAK is an incredible opportunity to explore new work in a professional and supportive environment. Shige and Ximena strike a great balance between encouraging experimentation and providing insightful critique to strengthen the work while staying true to its original intention. Presenting with a community of other artists platforming their own incarnations truly enriches the experience.” – Derek DiMartini, SOAK Artist, 2017
“LEIMAY’s staff/teachers care about all bodies’ needs and made accommodations when I registered for the LUDUS training class— due to my physical disability, I wanted to give a try for the first class to see if it would be suitable for me. LEIMAY offered me a free first class and a discounted rate when I decided to register for the full course. And their teachers are responsible and make students feel so welcome as we are from all levels and diverse backgrounds. And they are also planning to install some facilities to assist people with disabilities practice in the studio.” … Continued
“Nuevo espacio sagrado para explorar cómo se encuentra mi cuerpo danzarín. La verdad siempre siento cierta incertidumbre al empezar un nuevo reconocimiento de lo que tengo dentro. Vuelve a mi mente esa frase que debo ser honesta con mi propio movimiento y con lo que realmente deseo comunicar. Mi cuerpo migrante ha sufrido muchos cambios y demasiada información acumulada. Siempre agradecida de tener la posibilidad de aprender y replantear mi trabajo como artista del movimiento. Hoy empieza un nuevo viaje bajo la guía de una nueva maestra Ximena Garnica en mi vida, quien ya se robó mi corazón por su … Continued
“I appreciate the fact that LEIMAY is a very intimate and familiar place where everyone is involved in the process of making things happen with rigor and joy. I also admire the questions Ximena asks us and her provocations to the projects, not imposing, but opening other ways to look at it. . . I admire LEIMAY and all its actions – their activity as an organization and their creative work. It’s a great joy to be one of the garden fellows and have the opportunity to be closer to them and also get to know the other fellows. LEIMAY … Continued
“I attend LEIMAY classes as a way to connect with fellow artists while simultaneously expanding my own personal creativity. Taking LEIMAY classes allowed me to explore my imagination in a profoundly deep and engaged way… something I don’t think I had done in YEARS. This informed my movement as a dancer and brought me immense joy as a person. I took part in the Becoming series of classes in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic and always left class feeling better than when I had come in. It was grounding, enlightening, and truly a delight to come to class every … Continued
“Returning to CAVE to offer a two-day LEIMAY/LUDUS Lab in Voice as Movement this January was a wonderful opportunity and a true joy. Having continuity between being a guest teacher there in 2016 to the present has created the consistency and familiarity that make a space feel like a home. I have been able to grow my teaching and research by working with new people from a range of backgrounds, ages and ethnicities, and to meet collaborators for my own creative work. To me, that represents one of the best gifts of living in New York and the welcoming atmosphere … Continued
“I was so happy to be able to perform in such a beautiful space! It was inspiring to the work itself. And it was lovely to meet people who gathered around this space as a space of peace within the neighborhood. I was very happy to work with Kayleigh, Ximena, and Shige, expectations were clear, and I felt taken care of as a performer. I feel like my work as an artist has grown from this experience and I am grateful to have been a part of this series.” – Emily Smith, Outsight Artist, 2019
“LEIMAY LUDUS Summer Intensive cultivated that mysterious chemistry that is present in all good relationships, both within and among participants. Ximena’s teachings quickly brought us into breath with cosmic imagination, enlivening all directions within the body. I faced myself continuously, witnessed my habits and boundaries, and through demonstrations of effortlessness was repeatedly dared to move beyond them. Together we danced the inner dance whose motivation is deeper than aesthetics, it is the dance that seeks multi-sensory physical and spiritual receptiveness and integration.” – Katherine Hreib, LEIMAY LUDUS Summer Intensive Participant, 2019
“I keep coming back to community classes and labs because I’m fascinated by the elements that make up LEIMAY’s practice. As someone who doesn’t have a performing background it’s wonderful to have a passage into such a singular and rich body of work. Ximena and company members create a warm and inclusive space in a way that feels both freeing and rigorous. Thank you LEIMAY!” – Michael Mangieri, LEIMAY LUDUS Community Class Participant, 2019
“Throughout the Tadashi Endo workshop at the LEIMAY studio, I kept seeing and hearing new strange things that I knew in my heart were familiar. Instead of showing the audience how beautiful our movements are, he said real beauty came from the pain deep within ourselves. Instead of dancing a sad dance with sad music (which is essentially feeling sorry for ourselves), he said to be happy and appreciate our sadness, and the dance will come. This workshop has shaken me up from my roots and altered the way I experience my relationships. Thank you so much.” – Joan Wada, … Continued
“My 2020 tarot card spread told me that last year was all about love and connection. I know that most of this was achieved through the LEIMAY Fellowship for their Outsight series. Ximena and Shige not only offered an amazing space to connect with my dancers, the freedom to work through the creative process with only solicited feedback, and filled the cohort with intelligent individuals to work with, but the Fellowship is a wonderful space to focus on community and how it is cultivated. With my research and performance, I grew immensely in my practice through the connections over the … Continued
“The main benefit I am getting out of my LEIMAY fellowship is that of a structure. Having to show up to a studio every single week and create has made my practice grow. Knowing that the other fellows are showing up and creating as well gives me a sense of community even if I don’t always see all of them physically. Creating can feel very isolating and through this fellowship I have gotten to further understand myself as an artist and to connect to other fellows too.” – Mariana Taragano, Choreographer, 2017-2018 Fellow
“Discovering that CAVE was within walking distance of my apartment stripped away all of my excuses to not come and see what was going on there. What I have met with –and still meet with– in CAVE is an astonishing, refreshing kind of education that I don’t think I would have found at any other performance establishment in New York City.” – Theresa Magario, LUDUS Participant
“The training proposed by LEIMAY is very interesting because it works on a fundamental aspect when we talk about contemporary art. In my opinion being able to recognize the artistic work as belonging to the universe of the game and therefore giving it two main connotations (the focus, the play for the purpose of playing, as an act of joy, and the LUDUS, the participation inside of a series of rules to success) becomes important when we define a performative act. The type of work proposed by LEIMAY has a very strong physical component, moving from the concrete control of … Continued
“The Incubator program by LEIMAY was very special – the space is cozy and feels totally detached from the hectic NYC energy. The skylight connects us to the sense of time and I enjoyed being in the space in both darkness and light. I benefited from the fact that it was a process-based program, yet the organizers were very supportive in sharing our works-in-process and any showings we may have. Very grateful for the summer I spent there and hope to find myself in the space again soon!” – Yoko Murakami, Incubator Artist, 2021
“The workshop with Tadashi Endo was an outstanding experience, challenging and intense, physically and artistically demanding! I was stretched to my limit in more ways than one. There were many unique exercises designed to expand movement vocabulary and help us to find that elusive space in between our previously known reality. It really can’t be put into words, but Tadashi was our guide, prodding us to explore and find something new in ourselves. I’ll never forget his teaching that “each movement carries a question that is never answered.” It was a privilege to be included in his creative process, and … Continued
“I am so grateful to have been provided this time and space through LEIMAY. It allowed me to have a safe space to explore and create without physical limitations such as a couch or dining room table, as well as without mental limitations such as roommates interrupting. It was so nice to begin and end my days in a space to process, reflect and grow. The community created and provided through the Incubator Program is something that I will cherish moving forward.” – Ari LaMora, Incubator Artist, 2022
“I am a video, installation and performance artist. My work deals with the perception of being present in any given moment. To stay fully conscious and present in the moment, I suggest the human condition through a discipline of patient meditative actions, and silence. My first encounter with Ximena was ‘Floating Point Waves’ at ‘Here Arts Center.’ It brought me to find the LUDUS workshop. Her workshop helped my flexibility and core strength through, breathing, walking, crouching, and rolling exercises. Our simple movements, to understand our body, became dance. Even seeking absolute stillness became a dance. It was a great … Continued
“I know you said, don’t try to make sense of it, and so of course, the entire time I was trying to make sense of it. . . I had a whole script in mind that was happening. Basically, a birthing of these beings. . . And they started to communicate a little bit. So then when the monkey [song appeared]. . .What is that? Because they’re in the primordial soup! It was interesting to try not to make sense of it, and then to have my mind blown by that!” – Audience member at Hurleyville Arts Centre, 2019
“At the Outsight performance we had the opportunity to share a work, on the one hand with NYC artistic peers, but also with the community surrounding the garden. It’s great to have people walking by and joining a performance experience, it’s what the experience of performing at the Dorothy Strelsin Memorial Garden can provide. We were able to use some materials that we found on the site, like stone bricks, or the sound created by feet on the stone soil. Designing the path on the already set pathways of the garden was a superposition of two tracks, a performative one … Continued
“I enjoyed my experience, even though it’s really physically difficult work (at times)! It challenges me on so many levels and that’s why I come, but it’s also really fun to be there with the LEIMAY company. I learn a lot from all of you. I especially enjoyed the development of the string –from an actual string to an imaginary string. Perhaps that string took new forms in the subsequent days. I think I learned things from excercises that I can build on in my own way and capacity.” – Abbey Klotz, LEIMAY LUDUS Summer Intensive Participant, 2018
“As a performer living in New York, living in CAVE’s housing space has proved to be an absolutely invaluable resource for me. Aside from having the luxury of being enmeshed in a vibrant atmosphere full of other artists, I also have access to rehearsal space that is literally around the corner from my bedroom. I get to live minutes away from Manhattan in one of the finest and most burgeoning areas of Brooklyn, all on an artist’s budget. The staff and housemates at CAVE are welcoming and respectful; it is a space where performers can support each other and strive … Continued
“LEIMAY’s fellowship program allowed me the chance to build a consistent studio practice, something I’ve never had in NYC. The OUTSIGHT series gave me the opportunity to build a work in an environment I believe in and experiment with creative aspects typically adjacent to my performance-based work.” – Rebecca Fitton, Outsight Artist, 2019
“This class is the highlight of my week, I love it! In a welcoming, non-judgmental setting, physical elements are carefully attended to while the mind and spirit are revitalized. It is an honor to explore with members of this amazing company their butoh-derived movement practice called LUDUS.” – Claire B., LEIMAY LUDUS Online Class Participant, 2021
“Finding and renting a rehearsal studio when creating choreographies has been a significant burden, so LEIMAY’s incubator program was very helpful in my creative process. The studio is in a convenient and trendy location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The studio with a sprung floor and a beautiful ceiling window was like my dream rehearsal studio. The staff at LEIMAY was very friendly, supportive, efficient, and quick to respond to any of my questions. Thanks to LEIMAY’s Incubator program, I could develop my practice of body movement and Zen meditation relationships. Thank you.” – Anonymous, Incubator Artist, 2024
“The Outsight event was incredibly refreshing with the perfect garden setting, beautiful live performances, and the opportunity to connect with such a wonderful and welcoming community. It was my first time going to a LEIMAY event, and it felt like such a safe space.” – Victoria Guest, Outsight Artist, 2023
“I recently completed a 3-day LUDUS Winter Workshop at LEIMAY that was centered around the exploration of Hijikata’s Butoh-Fu. It was my first time at CAVE and thoroughly enjoyed my experience. Ximena + Andrea were excellent teachers, very knowledgeable and regardless of our previous experience, made all of us feel very welcome. As someone who doesn’t have a strong movement background, they were very encouraging and reminded us it’s not about perfection, simply participation and most of all to have fun and stay curious. I look forward to attending their drop-in classes on Wednesday in the future and keeping an … Continued
I saw the performance of Butoh Master Ko Murobushi and his company and the work of Ben Spatz. I am most impressed by the dedication and focus of the CAVE Art Space and its Directors. CAVE provides an excellent environment for presenting performance art – as a savouring of beautiful experience. This is how cultural experience should be. – John Seaforth, English Theatre Director, 2012
“This LUDUS lab was an incredible experience. Tadashi is a unique, powerful and playful teacher. I learned so much about the body, about improvisation, about performance that I’ll be metabolizing for a long time. I feel lucky to have worked with the other lab participants. Thank you to Ximena, Shige and LEIMAY company for cultivating such an alive and accessible artistic community.” – Michael Mangieri, LEIMAY LUDUS Performance Lab -Tadashi Endo Participant, 2019
“To co-produce and perform at SOAK is a challenge that makes you grow as an artist. SOAK is the perfect platform to try out new artistic ideas and share them with a supportive audience. This year’s SOAK was produced by the fellows, thus it offered another level of complexity and a glimpse to what is needed to be an artist in today’s world.” – Polina Porras, SOAK Artist and LEIMAY Fellow 2017-2018, 2018
“It was a great experience when I had my workshop residency at CAVE. The best thing about it was the cross-cultural aspect because students are coming from all over the world. I believe this program has been seeding and soon a new generation of performers will come. For me, it was nice challenge to have workshop, creative process and performance together.” – Yukio Suzuki, LUDUS Guest Teacher
“A lot of the movements were unfamiliar to me, they weren’t reminiscent of anything else, but at the same time, like with the words, it wasn’t just gibberish, it wasn’t, ‘Oh, just do something that no one has seen before.’ In a way, It was very intentional. So, how do you create movements that were so unfamiliar and so intentional?” – Audience member at Hurleyville Arts Centre, 2019
“Sharing new and highly vulnerable solo work during SOAK was affirming for me as a creator and community member. I felt supported by Ximena, Shige, and the entire LEIMAY Team. Post-show feedback from audience members and fellow artists was both insightful and essential to my creative process. I highly recommend SOAK for makers who want to take risks!” – Lou (Lindsey) Mandolini, SOAK Artist, 2017
“Leading Free The Voice workshop at LEIMAY was a wonderful experience. The folks that came were from all different backgrounds and it was a safe place for everyone to gather and explore their voice. The space itself, with its white walls, gave the feeling of starting from zero with space to experience growth into something new.” – Odeya Nini, LEIMAY LUDUS Lab Guest Teacher, 2019
“The events offered by LEIMAY are always very thoughtful about being financially possible for everyone. They really look to build and help the community by offering arts and artists with great opportunities. I already had the opportunity to have my projects twice supported by their free rehearsal space for creation and investigation. It made it possible for me to further pursue my artistic goals.” – Selma Trevino, Audience Member, 2022
“Because of the CAVE, I was able to introduce Noguchi Taiso (Noguchi technique, Noguchi Gymnastics) to New York. And now, the co-director of CAVE, Ximena Garnica teach Noguchi in NYC. And this is great because performers from all over the world can intensively learn Noguchi at CAVE and Ximena can develop the technique further. The other director Shige Moriya is Japanese so, it was so helpful for me as well. I was invited to teach and perform at CAVE in ’08, ’09, ’10 & ‘11. There are two studios and I can rehearse a lot. I was able to create … Continued
“I want to thank CAVE for this opportunity to teach at the SOAK Festival. I think it is a great project combining performances & workshops during a week. My experience teaching “The Sonoric Voice Workshop” was reach and I really appreciated the participants being very open-minded to the experience. This workshop gave me inspiration for a future workshop for artists who want to research voice-sound seeds for their own artistic work. Also, the idea that teaching artists share among them their experiences and knowledge is very generous.” – Sabrina Lastman, LEIMAY Guest Teacher, 2012
“My fellowship at LEIMAY came at a time in my creative life when I was feeling trapped by my past achievements and uncertain of my future. After many years facing outward into the world as artistic director of an opera company, of producing, performing, and directing large ensemble operas, and being responsible for many people’s well-being, I felt a strong call to turn inward and focus on myself as a performer and creator, to develop my solo voice. In this search, I have been encouraged and supported by Ximena, Shige, and the members of the LEIMAY community. Within the context … Continued
“LEIMAY really offers a special space of liberated movement exploration. LEIMAY cultivates a space unique from many other contemporary dance spaces in New York City – the environment is warm, welcoming, non-competitive, and allows for genuine space to explore movement and deepen into artistry.” – Akane Little, LEIMAY LUDUS Lab – Yukio Suzuki Participant, 2022
“LEIMAY and CAVE have been creating art projects for many years that are open to the community. They are always independent, supportive, and challenging something new. Last month when I saw LEIMAY’s new work-in-progress, their stance stayed the same but the work has deepened! I’d like to support LEIMAY just like they support us in the community. It is a gem.” – Akiko Nishijima, 2021
“When I entered CAVE for the first time, I was very surprised to find the theater totally in white. Especially in contradiction to the darkness in the rest of the space, but after staying a while I figured out that it reflects a perfect power generation machine, creating art. A fruitful place living out of its antagonism.” – Imre Thormann, LUDUS Guest Teacher
“The LEIMAY LUDUS Training group was an excellent dive back into movement after having taken some time off from dance classes. It pushed me creatively and physically, and gave me a lot to work with not only in the studio, but in my creative practices outside of it.” – Anonymous, LEIMAY LUDUS Training Group Participant, 2022
“SOAK is a fabulous and enriching program of new works and works-in-progress from a wide range of artists. The array of work not only celebrates and supports artists, but students and the audience as well. It fills my heart to be part of such a warm community and gathering around performance. Being a part of SOAK this year was such a blessing! Being around such an energetic community and helping one another to put together a showcase of their work is the stuff dreams are made of. SOAK is a community that I am proud to belong to and am … Continued
“What I find fascinating each time I take the workshop is how much imagination could possibly be reached. I realize how I put myself in the limited world and forget the endless possibilities of existence. This workshop is to awaken such senses we already possess within ourselves.” – Yuri Ogasawara, LEIMAY LUDUS Summer Intensive Participant, 2019
“The depth of knowledge and artistry, and the profound generosity of the LEIMAY community are among the many admirable aspects of this program. The commitment here to welcome all participants, to honor each individual’s presence and unique capacity to engage in this practice, while providing well-considered encouragement to go beyond what we are accustomed to doing as performers, makes possible a level of achievement for each and for all as a group. The growing vision of connecting and building artistry over great distances through the use of live-streaming media is especially inspiring.” – Peggy Gould, LEIMAY LUDUS Training Group Participant, … Continued
“I loved being a part of Outsight. All communications from the LEIMAY staff were organized and clear. The space was well described and I enjoyed having ample time to tech and rehearse before the show. More importantly, Outsight is an exciting dance event for New York City. I love that it is free and therefore accessible to anyone who wants to join. Thank you for a wonderful experience!” – Deborah Black, Outsight Artist, 2019
“Participating in LEIMAY’s OUTSIGHT series was a transformative experience for Taylor and me. After six months of dedicated work in the studio, it was exhilarating to present our newest piece, CIS BOOM BLAH, to an audience beyond our usual creative space. The setting—the Dorothy Strelsin Community Garden, was picturesque, surrounded by fellow artists, friends, and family—created a vibrant backdrop that amplified our excitement.” – Sophie Ortiz, Outsight Artist, 2024
“The tech ran smoothly and all worked hard and well to put on a show. I was so appreciative of the opportunities through the last year and a half to share and develop work in progress. I am so thankful to Shige, Brandon, Krystel, Masa and Ximena for all your work on these programs. Very appreciated.” – Rebecca Pappas, Outsight Artist, 2021
“SOAK 2018 gave me an opportunity to meet amazing artists and a big thrill to meet enthusiastic audiences. I really appreciate Ximena and Shige inviting me as a guest Artist. Their passion and effort made me deeply impressed. I really look forward to meeting them again, not only as an artist but also as a friend.” – Bo Kyung Lee, SOAK Artist, 2018
“Being a part of SOAK places you within a community of artists who are empowered to take the presentation of their work into their own hands. It is a valuable experience to build something collectively from the ground up, with guidance and framework from LEIMAY.” – Kate Ladenheim, SOAK Artist and LEIMAY Fellow 2017-2018, 2018
“The LEIMAY fellowship has offered me the structure to explore my artistic practice as a performer by offering a dedicated time and space. Through the fellowship I started developing a routine of body and voice work that will be the base for my future work.” – Polina Porras, Performance Artist, 2017-2018 Fellow
“The LEIMAY Incubator Artist Residency program is a generous program that gave me the space & time to explore new choreographic ideas in a non-hurried & supportive way. The freedom to create without a specific deliverable is really special & radical. There’s a respect for the process of creation that feels spacious and respectful. The space is intimate, historic & worked really well for the suite of portrait-solos I was working on this spring. I enjoyed the sense of community developed with the LEIMAY team & the other resident artists”. – Beau Bree Rhee, Incubator Artist, 2023
“I moved to New York City in November 2008, and since then I have developed most of my work at LEIMAY’s studio CAVE. In September 2010 I became a Black Studio Share Artist, and I started to practice and rehearse at CAVE three days a week. At CAVE LEIMAY offers a positive and professional environment for the artists that work there, I feel welcomed and supported, and there is a huge amount of joy for the art from the people who run the organization. A loving, respectful and rigorous environment that truly resonates through the walls, from the white to … Continued
“As a dancer and performer, I crave meaningful, critical, and rigorous work on embodied movement. Ximena constructs workshops that attend down to the subtle crevasses of presence, giving personal feedback and challenging lessons until the body finds itself changed in an extending space of shimmering, activated air.” – Nurya Chana, LEIMAY LUDUS Summer Intensive Participant, 2018
“From the first time I experienced CAVE’S Programs of classes and workshops, and community, I was enveloped in an atmosphere of depth, soulfulness, earnest inquiry, abundant creative thinking, seriousness, and professionalism to a degree that I had encountered almost nowhere before. Through CAVE my movement life and performance life were born. I was introduced to a new approach of movement, and “dance”, I was introduced to a new way of being in relationship with my body, and the forces of gravity, space and time. I was given the opportunity to be immersed in a crisp, and rich vocabulary of critical … Continued
“This workshop experience was truly a gift. I signed up because I was feeling a bit lonely and isolated artistically. I hadn’t done any dance training in a while and I was looking to meet new friends and collaborators. I got just that and much more. I had researched or experienced similar forms of movement practice while studying dance in New York and abroad, but I had never done anything over the span of multiple weeks. I know the LUDUS Lab barely scratched the surface of the work that is normally done at LEIMAY; however, I could tell by the … Continued
“I was in the audience at CAVE Home of LEIMAY when Krystel Copper and Masanori Asahara gave their all in Alius Bodies (work in progress) by Ximena Garnica and Shige Moriya. I felt I was watching an Egon Schiele painting come to life. Krystel and Masanori created a three-dimensional moving and living sculpture whose every movement was so deeply felt. What an incredible experience!” – Peggy Resnick, 2021
“In CAVE’s wonderful and serene space (they have white Marley floors!!!!) in May, I absolutely loved attending Zack Fuller’s 3-day LUDUS Lab workshop through LEIMAY, where I experienced total body awareness that I had wished for. Thank you very much LEIMAY!” – Michael Evans, LEIMAY LUDUS Lab – Zack Fuller Participant, 2019
“I would say that this type of work is developed on two levels: the first, given by the strong image that is created, is the first impact that hits the public. These almost alien beings, despite being perfectly recognizable as human bodies, which are found inside this showcase, like observatory animals, that try to stand upright but are punctually dragged by the sand to the bottom, certainly generate a strong emotion for the spectator, along with a whole series of reflections that are not “explained” and are not didactic. The second level is from the inside perspective: the dystopian environment … Continued
“1) LUDUS Community Class is a dance class open to all which focuses on movement from an experiential perspective through set exercises, imagery, and personal and group explorations. 2) one of the many things I took away from community class is the possibility of strength without effort. 3) this class is fun, challenging, physical, thought-provoking, and you should definitely give it a try.” – Erin Landers, LEIMAY LUDUS Community Class Participant, 2018
“SOAK has been a great experience both in terms of showing work but also in terms of experiencing the power of fellow artists in producing the presenting series together. I learnt a lot from my peers and enjoyed sharing a stage with such a diverse spectrum of artists.” – Mariana Taragano, SOAK Artist and LEIMAY Fellow 2017-2018, 2018