(A)Isle - Excerpt: Don't Stop Believing

alyxåndra ciale

LEIMAY PRESENTING SERIES SUMMER/FALL 2026: OUTSIGHT

~Choreopoem + Experimental Prayer with Karaoke Machine~
(A)ISLE is an immersive auto-mythology about my upbringing in a Filipino Christian cult, begging mercy the question: if I am to become a body that believes again, what happens to belief when the body is no more? Set in an abandoned church and inspired by the 1986 EDSA Revolution, this project uses expanded cinema, noise, and choreo-poetry to re-consecrate my religious “backrooms” into political frontlines. Over the course of this 3-month period, I will conduct personal interviews with 3 diasporic survivors of hyper-organized religion to create a series of solo somatic scores using ancestral drag, catastrophe-clowning, and kink (impact, breath, rope, and role play) and pulling choreographic inspiration from Filipino macho dancing, electronic music, and freestyle dance (aka Budots) to recreate the effect of dancing and speaking “in tongues”. Through these mediums emerges 3 different archetypes—The Seer, Slut, and Savage—each
representing a distinct “Dark Dynamic” with “God”. By channeling these archetypes and each of their poly-genders, I make connections between diaspora and dysphoria, dancing the middle (a)isle between the gender-striations of the MEN and WOMEN sections in my
childhood church.


Documentation

Documentation Images Related Event Images

Performance
Performance
8 photos

Reception
Reception
5 photos

 

 

 

 

 

House Program Testimonials Purchase

House Program

“It's been a while since I've seen performances in, like, a found space, in a... Continued
“I was really moved by the creativity and the expression that these artists brought to... Continued
“We have known LEIMAY before, but this is the first time at OUTSIGHT, so we’re... Continued
“Having dance in nature gives the performance a freeing effect, and I think I was... Continued
"I think it was a really perfect environment for meditating. And I think that's what... Continued
“I loved working with LEIMAY. They're really cool. I mean, look at this place. I... Continued
“I've worked with LEIMAY a few times now, and I feel like every time it... Continued
“I was very welcoming, and I have a history with LEIMAY for several years, and... Continued
“It was really incredible. I was really grateful that it wasn't so hot and humid,... Continued
“I really enjoyed the space that we were in. I think LEIMAY did a great... Continued
"It was such a precious time we shared in a garden, honoring arts and nature... Continued
“Participating in LEIMAY’s OUTSIGHT series was a transformative experience for Taylor and me. After six... Continued
“Everyone I have met from LEIMAY is welcoming and generous. The programming feels accessible and... Continued
“The LEIMAY staff and team are so kind, supportive, and generous! Their events are very... Continued
“The peripherals/subalterns often create works outside the mainstream. The OUTSIGHT program supported the creation of... Continued
“LEIMAY has been an extremely supportive resource in my career. The day of the show... Continued
“OUTSIGHT was a wonderful opportunity to share community-engaged work in an accessible and serene environment.... Continued
"The Outsight event was incredibly refreshing with the perfect garden setting, beautiful live performances, and... Continued
“OUTSIGHT was a refreshing way to connect with an audience in an intimate public space.... Continued
“It all worked out for me :) I was very happy with it, with the... Continued
"I'm very grateful for the fellowship, and I think it allows the artists an open... Continued
“I feel grateful that LEIMAY provided the sound system and power that I needed and... Continued
“The tech ran smoothly and all worked hard and well to put on a show.... Continued
“My experience with LEIMAY and OUTSIGHT was essential to both projects I am in the... Continued
“At the Outsight performance we had the opportunity to share a work, on the one... Continued
“LEIMAY’s fellowship program allowed me the chance to build a consistent studio practice, something I’ve... Continued
"I loved being a part of Outsight. All communications from the LEIMAY staff were organized... Continued
“Outstanding/ exceptional; interesting how they incorporate the audience; it was a wonderful/ beautiful show” -... Continued
“I was so happy to be able to perform in such a beautiful space! It... Continued
“I enjoyed working in the garden and responding to the space in a cement-full environment.... Continued
"Part of my LEIMAY Fellowship involved a presentation of my work in the OUTSIGHT Series... Continued
“Performing “Nox” choreographed by Joy Douglas outdoors in this beautiful garden brought a new element... Continued
“It gave me an alternative perspective toward site-specific performance, and adjusting from the studio to... Continued
"Participating in LEIMAY’s OUTSIGHT series was a transformative experience for Taylor and me. After six... Continued
Go to Store

Object Identifier

AMP.PRG.2026.7000.6

Year Created

2026

Performance dates

2026-07-12 00:00:00

Language

English

Curated Filters

Space / Location

Premiere Venue

The Dorothy Strelsin Memorial Community Garden
174 Suffolk St, New York, NY 10002

alyxåndra ciale (they/them) is a Trans-Indigenous CHamoru yan Pinoy cultural worker residing within Lenapehoking, between New York City and Upstate Millerton. Since graduating from the University of Michigan’s BFA Acting Conservatory in 2021, they have been reinvigorating their arts practice through popular education, political organizing, and indie production working as a freelance choreopoet, performer, and somatic facilitator. Their original performance work has shown at SoMad, Brick Theater, Soho Playhouse, Wax Works at Triskelion, TV EYE, Red Pavillion, and CAVE in Williamsburg. As a lifelong student, cia has been formally trained in
Fitzmaurice and Stage Combat (Unarmed, Rapier, Sword, & Dagger) and has extensive experience with Alexander Technique, Ludus, Yorchhā, and Qi Gong. At the crossfires of beauty, absurdity, and sensuality, They work in deep time and sovereign space; through dream and scheme; and always with inter-revolutionary intent: No Such Thing as Final Form.

Photos by Benja Thompson

OUTSIGHT is presented by LEIMAY in partnership with New York Restoration Project

New York Restoration Project believes that access to nature is a fundamental human right. We work to ensure that all New Yorkers have equitable access to green space. For 25 years, NYRP has invested in and stewarded parks and gardens throughout the city’s five boroughs to strengthen communities, promote food sovereignty, and counter environmental and social injustice. Effectively carrying out our mission requires collaboration, synergy, and understanding of the communities we serve on many different levels. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded into our core identity and we deeply value the unique perspectives, knowledge, and resources that each member of our team and extended community brings to NYRP. Visit nyrp.org

OUTSIGHT is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts and the Mertz Gilmore Foundation.

These programs are made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

LEIMAY’s works, community, and coalition programs are supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department Of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Private support from Creative Capital, the Harkness Foundation for Dance, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, The New York Community Trust, the National Performance Network (NPN); and the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Mellon Foundation; and many generous contributions from individual donors. Past supporters have included A.R.T./New York’s NYC Small Theatre Fund made possible with support from the Howard Gilman Foundation, Café Royal Cultural Foundation, Japan Foundation, IndieSpace, National Dance Project, Dance/NYC, the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre by the City of New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment in association with The New York Foundation for the Arts.

LEIMAY extends heartfelt thanks to our supporters and funders.

Technical Coordinator
Benja Thompson

Stage Manager
Masanori Asahara

Production Assistance
Camila Barra
Ado Sotomayor

Social Media
Akane Little
Emilia Winschu

Garden Coordinator
Scott Gibson

NYRP Liason
Michael Horwitz

Series

OUTSIGHT
OUTSIGHT

People

alyxåndra ciale

Supporters

New York State Council on the Arts
Mertz Gilmore Foundation
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
New York Restoration Project