Cayla Mae Simpson is an interdisciplinary movement artist creating through dance and film. Inspired by nature, mythology, and technology she creates transportive narrative experiences.
Raised where the mountains meet the plains in Sapello, New Mexico, (USA), Cayla grew up on a small farm immersed in agriculture and enchanted by nature. She attended Denver School of the Arts and later received a BFA in dance performance and BA in film and media arts from Southern Methodist University.
She was a 2021 artist-in-residence at Alfred University’s Institute of Electronic Arts and a Spring 2023 Marlin Miller Dance Residency recipient.
As a filmmaker, she has collaborated with Jerron Herman, Kayla Farrish, Cameron McKinney, Serendipity – Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Brother(hood) Dance!, and Kameron Saunders to create dance films, live performance scenery, and immersive installations. She has worked as an editor and videographer for Nel Shelby Productions. Recently, she enjoyed teaching master classes at the University of Washington, United World College (USA), and Alfred University.
Cayla danced as a company dancer with Kizuna Dance and The Dash Ensemble in NYC. Additionally, she has worked with GREYZONE, Ebony Williams and Victor Sho, Gregory Dolbashian, LAJAMARTIN, Hannah Garner, and BOMBAS® amongst others.
She looks forward to creating narrative films, live performances, and installations that reflect the brilliance she sees in this world, offering space for deeper connections.
Most recently, Cayla created six dance films with Black artists in four cities throughout the United Kingdom for Serendipity – Institute for Black Arts and Heritage. The films premiered in November 2023 in Serendipity’s Digital BlackCentric Week. She also contributed an article exploring representation in dance film to Serendipity’s annual publication Black Ink.
photo by: Nico Reano