Sonia Bustos

Je ne vais pas inonder la mer

“My mother left in the presence of the first full moon of fall.
My grandmother left with the last jacaranda flowers of spring.”

Je ne vais pas inonder la mer is a danced elegy that explores the role our relationship with mothers and our heritage play in the construction of femininity. This solo piece by Mexican choreographer and performer Sonia Bustos, draws from her personal history and search for identity, tinged with the pain of grieving her mother and grandmother. At the crossroads of questions on feminine condition, lineage, and memory, the artist explores the phenomena of reminiscence through theatrical dance, awakening all five senses. Food, music, and an evocation of social norms, beliefs and rituals inspire and inform this visceral creation.

______
       ⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺

The title refers to the therapeutic words that were spoken to Bustos during the grieving process for her mother, who passed away when Sonia was 20 years old : “You are not going to flood the sea with your tears.” Which is to say, there is no shame in weeping. It is an inevitable, indeed necessary, part of grieving.

This solo show which, as well as evoking pain and sadness, incorporates a joyful celebration of the lives of two formidable women, is also part of Bustos’s deeply personal grieving process. At the same time, it will touch the heart – and, in fact, all five senses – of anybody who has ever suffered, or fears suffering, the loss of loved ones.

In immersing herself in memories of her maternal forebears, Sonia Bustos’s Mexican heritage emerges as a vital presence. As she says; “The nature of my relationship with my mother and grandmother naturally sparked lots of Mexican codes: music, food and rituals.”

______
       ⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺

As personal as Bustos’s show is, Je ne vais pas inonder la mer also has elements of the political and social engagement that has been a constant in her work. In her latest, Sonia Bustos pays tribute to the tenacity and determination with which her mother and grandmother fought for their freedom, their happiness and their place amidst the highly patriarchal attitudes that prevailed in Mexico City.

______
       ⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺

   + Friday May 17th
. Talkback with the artists hosted by Yohayna Hernández.
Post-show discussion translated in LSQ and ASL.
LSQ and ASL interpreters will also be present before and after the show.

. ASL + LSQ mediation
Pre- and post-show cultural mediation with Deaf cultural worker Dominique Ireland. Discussion about the artists, themes and soundscape of the show.
→ ASL discussion with LSQ interpreters

   + Saturday May 18th @ 2pm
Childcare available during the performance
For children aged 3 to 8. Registration required here.
** Offered free or charge to ticket holders for the May 18th performance at 2 p.m. **

Artist Sergio Barrenechea will offer a music workshop to children aged 3 to 8 registered for childcare during the performance on Saturday, May 18th. A percussionist by trade, Sergio offers children a participatory workshop in which he introduces them to rhythms, countries and new instruments that resonate with Sonia Bustos’s performance.

+ Available for each performance
Vibrotactile Pillows (limited quantities, with priority given to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community)
Vibrotactile pillows give access to the sound production as direct vibrations, converting the energy of the sound into an enhanced vibrational experience. The pillows are flexible to hold in your arms, on your back, under your feet or wherever they feel most comfortable to the individual.