Kayla Farrish/Decent Structures Arts
Film Night- Films, Photography, Text, and Dance Theater

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

Film Night is a chance to peer into the world that we’ve created. I have visions in cinema, portraiture, writing, sound score, and movement. I've utilized these mediums and these worlds to further see and make space for my identity, and others around me.

In creating this work, I've found beautiful collaborative relationships with Kerime Konur, Alex Diaz, and Hayley Ader. They each have their own processes that also think and develop majorly in these worlds including film, visual art, writing, photography, design, directing, set design and wardrobe, sound, and beyond. They all are innovative, unique, and special. We go for creating the vision even in risk, sometimes imagining different or new ways to create this work to tell our stories. It feels authentic, real, and full of feeling.

This is a step into our world, and we would love to share and hold community conversations to talk about what we hope to build from here.

Open Gallery

re·count
/riˈkount/

af·firm
/əˈfərm/

see1
/sē/

Photographs, Short Films, Writings and Set
(Contributed by Kayla Farrish, Alexander Diaz, and Hayley Ader)

"Voices"

New live work in progress by Alexander Diaz and Kayla Farrish
(sharing some of how we process; text, character, and relationship)
Performed by Alexander Diaz and Kayla Farrish
Sound Editing and Visual Editing by Alexander Diaz

Short Films Sharing

Directed and Created by Alexander Diaz

I've Always Dreamed of a Happy Ending (2021)
November 9th, 2014 (2014)
Reserve (Reservoir Ave & Claflin Ave) (2018)
It’s Another Short One (2019)
Coral (242nd St Van Cortland Park) (2019)
GAG (2021)
The Camera Died on My Love Note (2021)
When 17 Button Downs Turn Into a Gown (2017)

2 Films

Directed by Kayla Farrish

"Rinsing" (2021)
Created, Performed, Writing, Editing, and Set Design by Kayla Farrish
Predominant Filming, Assistant Direction, and Visual Design by Kerime Konur
—
The Poem (2020)
Biggie (2020)
Doggy Daycare Improvisation- Spectacle (2018)
Filmed by Kerime Konur
Lilac Wine* - The New Frontier (2019)
Filmed by Alexander Diaz, Performed by Dominica Greene and Kayla Farrish
Women's Film- Spectacle (2018)
Filmed by Kayla Farrish
Summertime- Spectacle (2018)
Filmed by Kerime Konur, Performed by Dare Ayorinde and Kayla Farrish
Won’t You Come Outside Love- Spectacle (2018)- Filmed by Mimi Gabriel and Kayla Farrish, Performed by Dare Ayorinde and Kayla Farrish
—

—Intermission—

Excerpts from "Martyr's Fiction" (2022)

Directed and Created by Kayla Farrish
Assistant Producer and Director: Kerime Konur
Performance and Filming and Editing: Alexander Diaz

Martyr’s Fiction Dance-Theater Narrative Film
Directing, Scriptwriting, Filmmaking and Choreography by Kayla Farrish
DP, Lead Filmmaking Collaborator (Storyboard Aid, Filmmaking, Camera Operating), Assistant Director, and Cinematography: Kerime Konur
Producer: Kayla Farrish, Assistant Producer: Kerime Konur
Editors: Kayla Farrish, Alexander Diaz, and Kerime Konur
Creative Collaborators and Performing Cast (Collaboration in narratives, text writing, and choreography): Jamal Abrams, Alexander Diaz, Quaba Venza Ernest, Kayla Farrish, Rebecca Margolick, Nik Owens, and Kar’mel Small
Process Collaborators (Narrative, Text, Choreography): Dare Ayorinde, Yeman Brown, Layne Willis
Acting Coaching and Scriptwriting Aid: TaDarius Hall
Song Composition and Vocal Coach: Melike Konur
DP, Cinematography: Joe Hill (June 2021)
Additional Cinematography: Aerie Cooper, Jake Kruty, and Cayla Simpson
Camera Operators: Kerime Konur, Jake Kruty, Cayla Simpson, Joe Hill, Aerie Cooper, Alexander Diaz, Julia Discenza, and Kayla Farrish
Production Assistant: Hayley Ader, Kathryn Sauma, and Hannah Straney
Set Design: Kayla Farrish, Hayley Ader
Wardrobe: Kayla Farrish, Kathryn Sauma, Mia Wright Ross, Julia and Alex Abene, Allison Dyke, Alexander Diaz, Hayley Ader
Location Scout and Film Residency: Hannah Straney, Dave Warner, Dave Casullo, and Little Falls Community
Grateful to Hannah Straney, and Straney’s for the donation and care of their Little Falls homes and locations to the work of this film. Thank you!!

Martyr’s Fiction is part of Gibney Center’s ongoing Spotlight series, which highlights the work of early-career artists with generous support from the Jerome Foundation and offers a rich blend of dance and performance in fully produced, evening-length commissions.

This work was also supported by Dance Films Association Production Grant, Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective Mentorship Fellowship, and Sundance Emerging BIPOC Directors Grant. Space Residency and Grant Support from Baryshnikov Arts Center Space Residency, Arts On Site Residency, NYU Tisch Spaces, Gallim Women + Residency, and Hannah Straney with Dave Warner of Little Falls. Predominant film locations were donated by Little Falls Community and Film Residencies by Hannah Straney and Dave Warner. Other locations include Gibney Theater and Brooklyn Rental Spaces.

Produced by Kayla Farrish and Assistant Producer, Kerime Konur.

Kayla Farrish/Decent Structures Arts is an emerging company combining filmmaking, storytelling, dance theater performance, and sound score. The company has been commissioned by Gibney Dance (2020-2021), Louis Armstrong House Museum (2020), Danspace Project Inc (2019), Pepatian and BAAD! (2018), and beyond. Farrish has been supported by creative residencies including Gallim Women + Residency (2021), Gibney Spotlight: New Voices, Barysnikov Arts Center, Arts On Site (2020), Keshet Makers Space Experience, BAX Space Grant (2019), Pepatian Dance Your Future (2018), and Chez Bushwick (2017). Pieces sprouted outwards including "Black Bodies Sonata", "The New Frontier (my dear America)” evening length and film, "With grit From, Grace", "Spectacle” Film and Live Production evening length work, and anticipated "Martyr's Fiction" (2021) that continued to push boundaries of form, voice, scene, narrative in an array of cinematic mediums. In 2020-2021, she has been commissioned for choreographing and directing a range of films and live performance hybrids. Her work has been performed at venues like Judson Church, Danspace, Jacob's Pillow, New York Live Arts, Joe’s Pub, BAAD!, film festivals, and beyond. In 2021 she created site-specific immersive, “Broken Record” duet commission, with Brandon Coleman for Little Island Festival, “Rinsing” short dance film, co-directed Melanie Charles “Y’ll D’nt Care Abt Black Women” Film, Saul Williams’ “People Above the Moon” Solo for The Motherboard Suites at NYLA, “Roster” Outdoor Concert Performance collaboration Four/Four Open Air Series with Melanie Charles, and Martyr’s Fiction Feature Film. In 2022, she will be releasing her feature film “Martyr’s Fiction”, creating new solo works with Belinda McGuire and herself, collaborating with Kenyon Adams, Symphony Space, and creating commissions for companies.

She’s received grants and support including Sundance Uprise Grant for Emerging BIPOC Directors, Dance Films Association Production Grant, Film Residency and community support from Little Falls, NY, and Brooklyn Filmmaker Collective Mentorship Fellowship. She was awarded a Bessie Performance Award for her solo “People Above the Moon” in NYLA’s “Motherboard Suite”. NY Times named “Roster” Top 2021 Dance Performances, and titled Farrish a “Break Out Star of 2021”. She was listed on Dance Magazine “Top 9 Screen Dance Makers to Watch” as well. She receives Harkness Promise Award for 2022, and is Bessie nominee for her performance of “December 8th” at Gibney.

She is currently a rehearsal director at Sleep No More NYC and adjunct faculty at NYU Tisch.

Alexander Diaz is an independent artist born and raised in The Bronx. Alex works with dance, theater, and performance art in order to explore memory, reimagine history, and create environments that facilitate awareness of self and the performance of self in relation to others. Alex began his training with the Bronx Dance Academy and Bronx Dance Theater, and is a graduate of the University of The Arts in Philadelphia and the Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program in San Francisco. Alex has had the pleasure of working with nathantrice/RITUALS, Christal Brown’s INSPIRIT, Ray Mercer, Fredrick Earl Mosley and Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Sara Shelton Mann, LEVYdance, and is currently a member of Maurya Kerr's tinypistol. Alex presented Getting Closer To Coral as part of the 2019 Double Plus Series at GIBNEY curated by Charmaine Warren, and in the 2020 Black Choreographers Festival held at Dance Mission, SF. Alexander was an artist in residence with PEPATIÁN’s 2021 Dancing Futures: Artist & Mentor Collaborative Residency, with mentor Maurya Kerr, and was recently awarded a 2022 BRIO award (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) from the Bronx Council on the Arts. Alex currently sits on the Junior Board of Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance.

“When I first met Alex, I asked if he would join me in a dance project. From there we show a new work at APAP in one week and and 2 months later go to White Sands, New Mexico to create our first film together. He is an incredible performer, storyteller with fierce commitment. He also has such an eye for intimacy, seeing people and relationships. His camera work was to get closer and uphold us in the film in beautiful ways. His editing, and graphic design is stunning. He has a love for character and writing that effortlessly allows the characters to wake up and exist.” - Kayla Farrish

Kerime Konur is a performing artist, creative director, collaborator, freelance photographer of dance + dance film maker. She is a serendipitous artist with vigor, an intentional mover, and a creative that strives to embody human experiences in her work and motion. Her movement has impetus, elegance, empowerment, and force that is demonstrated through optimistic, primitive, physical and diverse storytelling, all of which she utilizes in her artistic approach as a creative collaborator, dance documenter and her ever growing role as director of photography. She has performed the works of Sidra Bell, Cindy Salgado, Bryan Arias, Charissa Barton, Maleek Washington, Jesse Zaritt, Kevan Allen, Jinah Parker, and Cara Diaz, to name a few, and has performed for GMA: Live, NYFW, Nike, Revlon, BOSE, and Amazon Prime. She has had the privilege to creative direct for artists such as Sidra Bell Dance New York and film + photograph Loni Landon Dance Projects, The Yale Club NYC, and Cesar Brodermann Photography. She is currently a dancer, assistant producer, assistant director and collaborator for Kayla Farrish/Descent Structures Arts and performing artist for Jinah Parker Project.

”I was fortunate to meet and run into Kerime... Not only had we performed or worked for the same freelance companies at different times without knowing one another. But when I needed a camera operator/filmmaker for Spectacle, she immediately was immersed and as committed as I was to creating the film. She listened as I shared the storyboard to see if the ideas made sense. She filmed the predominant scenes, performed in the work, reviewed edits and built on some of my own, and really helped me to bring the work together. She was generous and invested. We've done many projects since where she has been my major camera operator, filmmaking collaborations, and designed these large scale stories together. She's also done ridiculous character work! I really love directing on set with her or being in the studio together. I'm excited for her ideas and more.” - Kayla Farrish

Hayley Ader, originally from Colorado, graduated form the University of Arizona in 2013. As a part of UofA Dance, she performed in faculty and student works. After graduating, she was a performing artist with Inaside Chicago Dance and worked with choreographers Robert McKee, Sinead Gildea, Will Gil, and Mitchell Haley. She also choreographed for the company and her piece “9 to 5” was performed in the Spring and Fall concerts of 2016.

Hayley moved to Israel in order to dance in Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company's Dance Journey Program where she was able to work closely with past and present company members as well as program director Danielle Ohn and KCDC Artist Director Rami Baer. She was also able to work with/take workshops from Eyal Dadon, Yaniv Abraham, Idan Sherabi, Noa Zuk, Vertigo Dance, and Batsheva Dance Company. Following her time Israel, she danced with the contemporary company, Adri Mascort Cia., in Barcelona, Spain.

During the 2018-19 season she took time to travel for workshops in Amsterdam (Akram Kahn, Christina Mertzani), Nashville (New Dialect) and Israel (GAGA Summer Intensive) and as a freelance dance artist performed for First Fridays event at Bel Campo café in Amsterdam, hosted by the Henny Juriens Foundation, RAW Artists San Antonio and collaborated with musician Jaime Parker to create a solo for the MESH event (San Antonio). Since moving to New York She has worked with Yin Yue Dance Company and currently works with Kayla Farish/Decent Structure Arts and The NYC Dancing society. She is inspired most by the people and environment around her and draws on her connection to humanity, nature, reality, fantasy and surrealism in her creation/exploration processes.

”I met Hayley in college in 2010, and we have been friends and collaborators since. She is an incredible collaborator diving in with me in creating set design, building the worlds, designing costumes, planning logistics of the projects, and also performing creatively. It's so wonderful and exciting to dream together.” - Kayla Farrish

Lighting Designer + Trisk Technical and Production Manager
Anna Wotring , Pittsburgh native, is a community minded dance artist, designer and production stage manager committed to the practice of collaborative leadership. She currently works with Annie Heath, Lauren Horn, Jennifer Nugent and slowdanger as a technical design consultant, dancer, and production stage manager. Wotring obtained her BFA in Dance, at the Five College Dance Department in Western Massachusetts. She has had the privilege of working with a multitude of dance organizations, including Alvin Ailey Studios, Attack Theater, Ballet Des Ameriques, BalletNext, Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Company, the Dance Conservatory of Pittsburgh, Dance Place, H2O Contemporary Dance, Monica Bill Barnes and Company, New York Live Arts, the Pillow Project, Prayers of the People, RoseAnne Spradlin, Scapegoat Garden, Time Lapse Dance, and many others. Wotring is beyond excited to begin working and imagining with the Trisk team. @annaissupercool

I'm thankful to all my collaborators, mentors, friends and peers who have continued to join in on these visions, asked questions to go farther for one another, and have affirmed or pushed me to go beyond what I think is possible. Thank you for allowing me to capture the big dreams and spill them outwards.

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