SummerWorks Performance Festival continues in Toronto for its second week. As the festival celebrates its 35th anniversary, it continues to serve as a launchpad for new voices, bold ideas, and transformative experiences.

In co-presentation with DanceWorks, SummerWorks is featuring two performances created by amazing Latin American female choreographic voices, Irma Villafuerte (El Salvador/Toronto) and Sonia Bustos (México/Montréal).

Irma Villafuerte’s Xilopango is a contemporary dance-theatre work performed by a five-person ensemble. This powerful piece explores intergenerational memory, migration, and matrilineal resilience through a Central American contemporary dance lens.

I had the opportunity to learn more about Irma’s work, the inspiration for this show, and hear more about her preparation for the premiere at SummerWorks.

Sonia Busto’s Je ne vais pas inonder la mer (I Will Not Flood the Ocean) is a very personal piece marked by the mourning of her mother and grandmother. Sonia spent time thinking and examing her identity, her personal history, and maternal lineage in the planning stages for this performance.

I was also able to speak with Sonia about her influences, the process of grief, and the many layers present in this show. She also explained the title for the show comes from a conversation around how our tears cannot in fact inundate an ocean. Please note our conversation is in Spanish, but we do have an invitation for you all to attend this performance at SummerWorks this year.

These stories might come from a specific perspective, but the themes explored are poignant and universal. I truly hope you make out to these two performances at SummerWorks.

Performances for Xilopango & Je ne vais pas inonder la mer at SummerWorks will run from August 15-17, 2025. For more information and to purchase tickets, please go to summerworks.ca.