The Story of the Dancing Heart

Directors Statement:
The Dancing Heart is a 5 minute 16mm dance film written and narrated by Ailyn Malit and directed by Samay Arcentales Cajas. It is to be made in honour of Ailyn, a dear friend and artist who passed in October 2018.

This story is about a Mind, busy and stuck in his own thoughts. One day he meets Heart, a being who lives in eternal dance. The Heart tells the Mind of the wonders of music, and so he sets off on a mission: to discover his own heart and be able to dance to
music. After trying and trying and thinking and thinking, the Mind goes back to Heart disappointed, unable to meet his goal. The Heart explains that there is no need for thinking, and that once you let music flow through you, everything becomes possible.
The Mind follows the Heart’s guidance and finally discovers the beauty his heart holds. This epiphany brings laughter, and together they dance in harmony.

Samay has been a frequent artistic collaborator of Ailyn’s for years. In their latest project, they planned to create a film based on the Dancing Heart and before she passed, Ailyn was able to record a live session of her own telling of the story. In it, her heartfelt, whimsical narration plays against the backdrop of soft, fickle guitar strings played by Arthur Bastos, a musician who had heard this story long ago, and continued to carry with him in his heart. To bring this project alive, she brought together people who all knew and loved Ailyn in life. Ailyn’s best friend, Jose Miguel, and the dance crew Rebels de la Soul, have now choreographed an incredibly moving interpretive dance to the piece, which was recorded on cassette tape. The raw authenticity offered by 16mm film will match the organic soundscape beautifully.


The Dancing Heart brings us an important message. How do we balance our own minds and hearts within ourselves? As we all navigate our often isolating, money-driven contemporary world, it’s easy to get trapped in the endless circles our mind creates. If
only we could be reminded that finding what makes our hearts content is really what matters. If only we were more encouraged to listen to the messages in our hearts so that we can come to a place of peace, no matter how fleeting that peace may be.