PRESS RELEASE<\/p>\n
Brussels, Belgium \u2013 On 18 and 19 October 2024, acclaimed Cameroonian-Finnish choreographer Sonya Lindfors<\/strong> returns to Beursschouwburg with her groundbreaking performance, One Drop<\/em>. This evocative work confronts the cultural and historical legacy of the \u00ab\u00a0one drop rule\u00a0\u00bb and the iconic \u00ab\u00a0one drop\u00a0\u00bb rhythm, reimagining them through a lens of anti-racist love, resistance, and speculative futures.<\/p>\n One Drop<\/em> is a speculative summoning, a decolonial dream, an autopsy of the Western stage and an operetta. The performance blends the political and poetic, examining the ghosts of capitalism, coloniality, and modernity. Drawing on the \u201cone drop rule\u201d from the early 20th-century U.S. Race Separation Act, and the rhythmic pulse of the reggae \u201cone drop\u201d beat, Lindfors crafts a narrative that interrogates identity, connection, and memory. Through this work, Lindfors extends her long-standing investigation into Black body politics and representation, building on the success of her previous Beursschouwburg performance in 2019, Cosmic Latte<\/em>.<\/p>\n Sonya Lindfors has gained notable recognition in both Belgium and the Netherlands, particularly through her participation in the renowned Julidans Festival<\/a>, an international contemporary dance event held annually in Amsterdam. In 2023, she presented Cosmic Latte<\/em> at Julidans, at Podium Moza\u00efek<\/a> in Amsterdam, and at BUDA<\/a>, Kortrijk in Belgium. This performance, which blends Afro-futurism with explorations of Black identity and speculative futures, has significantly enhanced her reputation as an innovative and impactful choreographer in the Benelux region.<\/p>\n One Drop<\/em> features a talented ensemble of performers, including Isabella Shaw, Maele Sabuni<\/strong>, and others, bringing this richly layered choreography to life with intensity and sensitivity. The production also boasts innovative sound design by Jussi Matikainen<\/strong>, set design by Aino Koski<\/strong>, and costumes by Sanna Levo<\/strong>. One Drop<\/em> premiered on 6 May 2023 in Helsinki, Finland.<\/p>\n Sonya Lindfors’ One Drop<\/em> at Beursschouwburg in Brussels<\/a> is co-produced by the Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux. Following its Brussels debut, the performance will be staged at Kampnagel in Hamburg on 25 and 26 October<\/a>, in collaboration with the Finnland-Institut in Berlin<\/a>. Both events are part of the\u00a0pARTir initiative<\/a>, an EU-funded NextGenerationEU project that promotes responsible international mobility in the arts.<\/p>\n \u201cOne Drop<\/em> – a work that is both playful and entertaining but also embedded with history and immense societal commentary.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n – Review by Francesca Matthys for the Dance Art Journal, 11.11.2023<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sonya Lindfors is a Cameroonian-Finnish award-winning choreographer and artistic director whose works are known for addressing power structures, representation, and Black body politics. She is the founding member of UrbanApa, an interdisciplinary and counter hegemonic arts community that offers a platform for new ideas and feminist art practices. Lindfors’ choreographic works challenge Western norms and invite audiences to reflect on historical and contemporary issues of race, belonging, and empowerment. Her performance works have been shown and supported by Beursschouwburg, Battersea Arts Centre and Dance Umbrella, Kampnagel, SPRING Performing Arts Festival, CODA Oslo International Dance Festival, Black Box Theater Oslo, and Zodiak \u2013 Center for New Dance among others. She is a member of Miracle Workers Collective that represented Finland at the 58th Venice Biennale.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One Drop by Sonya Lindfors & Working Group Friday, 18 October 2024 at 20:30 (including post-performance talk) Beursschouwburg, Rue Auguste Orts 20\u201328, 1000 Brussels Tickets available online.<\/a><\/p>\n \u20ac16 standard Choreography & directing: Sonya Lindfors Co-production: Zodiak \u2013 Center for new dance, Goethe-Institut (International Coproduction Fund), Big Pulse Dance Alliance (a project co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union), Dance Umbrella, Julidans, Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux, Apap \u2013 FEMINIST FUTURES (a project co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union), Beursschouwburg<\/p>\n Residencies: Tanzfabrik berlin, KWP Kunstenwerkplaats, Buda Kortrijk, Beursschouwburg<\/p>\n Supported by Koneen S\u00e4\u00e4ti\u00f6, Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, Alfred Kordelinin s\u00e4\u00e4ti\u00f6, Nordic Culture Point.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A decolonial conversation fueled by resistance, undoing and new futures with the Goethe-Institut Br\u00fcssel<\/a><\/p>\n During the weekend of 17-19 October Beursschouwburg and the Goethe-Institut Br\u00fcssel bring together artists and thinkers to explore the uncomfortable clash between racism, colonialism, and outdated ideas that claim to apply to everyone. Linked to the performance One Drop<\/em>\u00a0by Sonja Lindfors, this programme addresses the complex but necessary \u00ab\u00a0productive undoing\u00a0\u00bb in response to historical and ongoing injustices.<\/p>\n For more information, visit beursschouwburg.be<\/a> and goethe.de\/belgium<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux, based in Brussels, builds bridges and maintains connections between cultural practitioners and institutions in Finland and the Benelux region.<\/p>\n Beursschouwburg is a multidisciplinary house for arts and reflection, an open meeting place strongly anchored in Brussels\u2019 reality. The Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany\u2019s cultural institute, active worldwide. The institute promotes the study of German abroad and encourages international cultural exchange. <\/p>\n Ela Suleymangil<\/strong> You may use the media provided for articles about the performance. Please always mention the full copyright. Images by Tiu Makkonen<\/a>. Trailer by Tuukka Ervasti<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On 18 and 19 October 2024, acclaimed Cameroonian-Finnish choreographer Sonya Lindfors returns to Beursschouwburg, Brussels with her groundbreaking performance, One Drop. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":19832,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,120],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-partir","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAbout Sonya Lindfors<\/h2>\n
Practical Information<\/h2>\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.beursschouwburg.be\/en\/events\/one-drop\/<\/a><\/p>\n
\nSaturday, 19 October 2024 at 20:30<\/p>\n
\nPerformance duration: 105 minutes
\nLanguage: English
\nAccessible to people with reduced mobility. Contact for information or assistance: 02 550 03 50 or hello@beursschouwburg.be<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n\u20ac12 reduction (artists, cultural workers, teachers, jobseekers, sex workers, under-26)
\n\u20ac8 students<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Original group of performers: Antonia Atarah, Hamis Ahmed, Nori Kin, Alma B\u00f8 Getachew, Mariama Sl\u00e5tt\u00f8y, Geoffrey Erista, Isabella Shaw<\/strong>
\nPerformers on tour 2024: Isabella Shaw, Maele Sabuni, Deogracias Masomi, Geoffrey Erista, Marlon Moilanen, Miranda Chambers, Selina Jones, Alen Nsambu, DK Fashola<\/strong>
\nSound design: Jussi Matikainen<\/strong>
\nLight design: Erno Aaltonen<\/strong>
\nSet design: Aino Koski<\/strong>
\nCostume design: Sanna Levo<\/strong>
\nChoreographer\u2019s assistant: Janina Salmela<\/strong>
\nCostume assistant: Angel Emmanuel<\/strong>
\nRehearsal assistant & choreographic support: Johanna Karlberg<\/strong>
\nSound designers assistant: Timo Tikka<\/strong>
\nSeamstress: Elina Tuomisto<\/strong>
\nContributors to the process: Ornilia Ubisse, Judith Arupa, Alen Nsambu, Johanna Karlberg, Jaakko Pallasvuo<\/strong>
\nDramaturgical support: Jaakko Pallasvuo<\/strong>
\nLibretto: Sonya Lindfors<\/strong>
\nOther texts: Sonya Lindfors & working group<\/strong>
\nProduction: UTT ry and Sonya Lindfors<\/strong><\/p>\nAFTER REASON<\/em> programme at Beursschouwburg 17-19 October<\/h3>\n
Co-production of Belgian Collaboration<\/h2>\n
The Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux<\/h3>\n
Beursschouwburg<\/h3>\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.beursschouwburg.be\/en\/\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\nGoethe-Institut<\/h3>\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.goethe.de\/ins\/be\/en\/<\/a><\/p>\nContact & Media Inquiries<\/h2>\n
\nCommunications Manager at the Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux
\nela.suleymangil@finncult.be
\n+32 (0)486 84 42 48<\/p>\n