Telling their own stories: New Mexico creatives team up for photo project, short film focused on dance

Artists find their place in New Mexico for many reasons.

One of those is the inspiration that the old and new worlds bring as they connect.

This is one of the many reasons that brought Casiano Andrés Salazar and Christiana Barnett-Murphy into each other’s circle.

Salazar is a photographer/filmmaker, meanwhile Barnett-Murphy is a choreographer. Both are based in New Mexico and wanted to tell the stories of New Mexicans — specifically dancers.

“We’ve been interviewing people on what makes dance unique in New Mexico and why it is so important,” Salazar says. “We have a crossroads of culture. There is flamenco and Indigenous dance, as well as the matachines. Hoop dancing and breakdancing, which made it to New Mexico by way of the streets of Brooklyn.”

The pair of creatives began working together in 2021 on “Creating Essential Artists: Dancers in Alternative Spaces.” Salazar as director and Barnett-Murphy as producer.

Prior to Barnett-Murphy joining the mix, Salazar began the project during the pandemic.

With the world shut down, he began to reach out to dancers.

“I got really lonely and began connecting with other artists,” Salazar says. “I wanted to nurture my photography as an artist. I danced folklórico growing up and knew that dance is a great outlet for many. The photography aspect became the driving force.”

Barnett-Murphy and Salazar met through mutual friends.

At the time, she was already working on collecting stories from people within the community, and it made sense to grow the project from strictly photography to a short film.

“I had been creating this piece with another dancer who is a mutual friend, and he became our first subject,” Barnett-Murphy says. “This has been a slow burn process for us, as we started it over a year ago.”

As interviews and photoshoots took place, the pair began to notice that there would be a focus on primarily dancers who do concert dance.

Salazar saw something different within the New Mexico dancers.

“There’s a huge contrast in how each expresses themselves,” Salazar says. “New Mexico is very community oriented. I noticed that the dance comes from that place where people come together to collaborate.”

While the process is slow and steady, both balance the project alongside their day jobs.

Both made an agreement to lean into the project and all the obstacles that come with it.

“We just decided that we’re going to make this happen,” Salazar says. “It’s been a constant thread of interviews and there’s been so much interest in the community. We’re getting these stories out there and showcasing each artist and their discipline.”

The goal for the short film is to have a festival run, as well as premiere it in New Mexico with a big event.

“We’d love to see the film in some kind of venue and have discussions around it,” Salazar says.

This is why Salazar began a Patreon, where people can subscribe to get exclusive content during the making of the project. It can be found at patreon.com/andressalazar505.

Barnett-Murphy is also applying for grants to keep the project moving forward.

“It’s a small, but mighty project,” she says. “Our subjects have been so open with us, it really does add to that community aspect.”

As the community learns about the project, there have been many that have latched on for the ride.

“As a New Mexican, I love to see (the) film (industry) thrive,” Salazar says. “But it’s also so important for New Mexicans to tell their own story. With the strikes going on, little films like ours are where it’s at right now.”