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LEYA★

@leyatopia

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film direction + movement ꩜
chi | uiuc
@airnvls 𑣲

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paralysed: a dance film by Sally Em
“to fall is to once have soared”

[Cinematic Stills/BTS]

This dance film is based on the story of Icarus. It touches on finite mortality and the chase of something that might break you. Weren’t you alive in that second before it all went wrong?

What a magical feeling to be able to bring your ideas from your mind to real life. Forever grateful for all those involved in this passion project. 🖤

Captured by the wonderful @nanaynme and @grandmaschoice

#icarus #paralysed #dancefilm #jamiecampbellbower #filmmaking

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We’re inviting you to come dance with us! Join us for a public Hip-Hop workshop taught by @leyatopia, presented by 2XS UIUC ⭐️

🗓️ THIS Saturday, October 24th
⏱️ 1:00-2:30PM
📍 ARC MP5** UPDATED
💰 $3 entry fee

Come out and dance! ✨

#uiuc #2xsuiuc #dance

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paralysed: a dance film by Sally Em

Rehearsal vs. Final Cut

[Full film on my Instagram/YouTube]

Directed, Choreographed, Produced, Edited by Sally Em @imsallyem
Music: “paralysed” by Jamie Bower @bowerjamie
with additional vocals by Sally Em

CREW:

DAY 1:
Director of Photography: Alberto Moreno (Near Light Productions) @albertomoreno.dp @nearlightproductions
1st Assistant Camera: Marco Mendez @marcomendez64
Assistant Director: Vikky Luc @tori.luc
Gaffer: Costello Mylott @costellomylott
Key Grip: Hugo Turner @hugowbt
Set Designer: Jas De Guzman @jas.dgzmn
Wardrobe: Jayie Chou @jay.eeeeeeeeee
BTS Photography: Na Young Yi @nanaynme
BTS Videography: Allen Germino @grandmaschoice Matt You @mattyou_9
Additional BTS: Alex Banez @alexandriabnz
Costume Assembly: Jayie Chou @jay.eeeeeeeeee Sally Em @imsallyem Jas De Guzman @jas.dgzmn Alex Banez @alexandriabnz Maddi Kopija @mayonnaisek12
Production Assistants: Maddi Kopija @mayonnaisek12 Alex Banez @alexandriabnz
Driver: Allen Germino @grandmaschoice

DAY 2:
Director of Photography: Alyssa Auw @alyssaauw Sally Em @imsallyem
Grip: Alaya Welch @cosmos.vid Alex Banez @alexandriabnz
Wardrobe: Leya Buena @leyatopia Aaron Vales @airnvls
BTS Photography/Videography: Allen Germino @grandmaschoice
Additional BTS: Alaya Welch @cosmos.vid

DAY 3:
Director of Photography: Sally Em
BTS Photography/Videography: Allen Germino @grandmaschoice
Additional BTS: Ally Le @allylovesbacon
Production Assistants: Ally Le @allylovesbacon Aileen La @allegorias

#dancefilm #filmmaking #paralysed #jamiecampbellbower #dance

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“to fall is to once have soared”
paralysed: a dance film

Directed, Choreographed, Produced, Edited by Sally Em @imsallyem
Music: “paralysed” by Jamie Bower @bowerjamie
with additional vocals by Sally Em

CREW:

DAY 1:
Director of Photography: Alberto Moreno (Near Light Productions) @albertomoreno.dp @nearlightproductions
1st Assistant Camera: Marco Mendez @marcomendez64
Assistant Director: Vikky Luc @tori.luc
Gaffer: Costello Mylott @costellomylott
Key Grip: Hugo Turner @hugowbt
Set Designer: Jas De Guzman @jas.dgzmn
Wardrobe: Jayie Chou @jay.eeeeeeeeee
BTS Photography: Na Young Yi @nanaynme
BTS Videography: Allen Germino @grandmaschoice Matthew You @mattyou_9
Additional BTS: Alex Banez @alexandriabnz
Costume Assembly: Jayie Chou @jay.eeeeeeeeee Sally Em @imsallyem Jas De Guzman @jas.dgzmn Alex Banez @alexandriabnz Maddi Kopija @mayonnaisek12
Production Assistants: Maddi Kopija @mayonnaisek12 Alex Banez @alexandriabnz
Driver: Allen Germino @grandmaschoice

DAY 2:
Director of Photography: Alyssa Auw @alyssaauw Sally Em @imsallyem
Grip: Alaya Welch @cosmos.vid Alex Banez @alexandriabnz
Wardrobe: Leya Buena @leyatopia Aaron Vales @airnvls
BTS Photography/Videography: Allen Germino @grandmaschoice
Additional BTS: Alaya Welch @cosmos.vid

DAY 3:
Director of Photography: Sally Em
BTS Photography/Videography: Allen Germino @grandmaschoice
Additional BTS: Ally Le @allylovesbacon
Production Assistants: Ally Le @allylovesbacon Aileen La @allegorias

#paralysed #jamiecampbellbower #dancefilm #film

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INTRODUCING OUR SENIORS AND GRADS 🍓🌱⭐️

✧.* Emma S (Senior)
✧.* Leya B (Senior)
✧.* Natalia L (Senior + Newbie)
✧.* JC C (Senior + Newbie)
✧.* Taylor H (Senior)
✧.* Jordan J (Senior)
✧.* Sabine L (Senior)
✧.* Himnish H (Grad)
✧.* Kira D (Grad)
✧.* Olivia R (Senior)
✧.* Ali R (Senior)
✧.* Marley A (Senior)
✧.* Gio G (Senior)

BARNITE COUNTDOWN: 2 DAYS

This Saturday, October 10th, catch Dance2XSUIUC alongside dance groups from across the Midwest at Necto Night Club!

📍 Necto Night Club | Ann Arbor, MI 📅 Saturday, October 10th  🕡 Doors open at 6:30 PM
🔞 18+ with a valid government ID 
📸: @leyatopia @na.joannaa

#uiuc #dance2xsuiuc

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Last weekend, one of our favorite people, @jas.dgzmn made their directorial debut 🎉

A lot of you know Jas as an amazing production designer/scripty, and we are so excited they decided to dip their toes in the writer/director waters. Presence is a beautiful and heartbreaking film and we can’t wait for you to see it.

Thank you Jas for sharing your story and trusting us with your film and for keeping queer poc stories alive 👏🏾

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BOARD REVEAL FINAL PART
Media Director Edition *+:｡.｡
-
ID 6: Joanna Na
Media Director

ID 7: Leya Buena
Media Director

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ouuu you wanna join so BAD 🌀🌀

come dance with us september 5th at our open casting workshop!

more info in our previous post ⬅️

@ateez_official_ #bad #ateezbad #kpop #uiuc

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Our pinky’s were up for @tokchicago 2026! 🙈🤙🤍 View the full performance at the link in our bio 🔗

Thank you to the Taste of Korea for inviting us back this year to open and judge the K-Town To Chinatown K-Pop Dance competition! We were so grateful to be given the chance to attend and watch all the amazing talent on that stage.

Biggest congrats to 🥇 @rising.xo, 🥈 @win.g_crew, 🥉 @officialmayday22 for bringing such show stopping sets and placing ⭐️ And the biggest congrats to all teams, who worked so hard and brought so much energy to the stage!

📸: @yluminant.photos

Big announcements coming soon… Stay tuned! 📻

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bad🐆🐾

@ateez_official_

#bad #ateez #ateezbad #kpop #kpopdance

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Introducing our K-town to Chinatown K-pop Dance Competition judges.

Cindy Choe has been a part of the Chicago K-pop dance community for the past eight years. She has performed and competed in various cities across the United States with HELIXX Crew. During her college years at UIUC, she continued to develop her leadership and dance experience through her involvement with several teams, including Mixed Motions, Flare, Kallision (pronounced “Collision”), and HELIXX UIUC.

Aaron Vales is a Chicagoland-based dancer and the Artistic Director of HELIXX Crew. Since joining the Chicago dance scene in 2023, he has contributed as both a performer and choreographer, appearing on stages at events including NCKOREAFEST 2025, Urbanite 2025, Prelude Midwest 2025, and many others.

Leya Buena is a Chicago-based dancer, choreographer, and director with over seven years of experience in the Midwest dance scene. She has performed alongside artists such as ZEROBASEONE and ATEEZ and has appeared on stages including World of Dance Chicago and Dallas, Chicago Bulls halftime shows, NCKOREAFEST, and the Midwest K-Pop Festival. As the founder and director of HELIXX Crew and HELIXX UIUC, Leya brings extensive experience in performance, choreography, and leadership to the judging panel.

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“A Puerto Rican kid, not bad”

C.U. later

📸 - @leyatopia

#uiuc #graduation #photoshoot

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