A message from the Director & Choreographer, Sierra Mayoral:

I am thrilled to culminate my time as a Film and Dance double major at Connecticut College with the production of my senior honors thesis film: Submerged/Sumergida. In collaboration with a group of 33 student dancers, filmmakers, and artists, Submerged/Sumergida is a series of choreographic vignettes exploring my own Mexican-American identity, as well as the complexity of multiracial identity. Inspired by psychologist Maria Root’s “Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage”, the film aims to “create a vocabulary to communicate about being multiracial or multiethnic” through movement. Blending research on Latin American tourism, code switching, and the art of screendance, the film aims to spark meaningful conversations about multiracial identity, especially during such a politically charged time. A montage of post-modern, hip-hop, house, contemporary, and homages to folklorico techniques, this story will be told through diverse dance practices, highlighting how mixed-race and multicultural identities are a blend of histories and aesthetics.

This is the first dance-film honors thesis at Connecticut College in many years, and as an independent production, we are seeking community support to make it the best it can be. We are so grateful to the historic Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and the Niantic Bay Playhouse for already graciously donating their spaces to us as shooting locations.

All GoFundMe donations will go directly toward:

Every contribution makes an impact and will be credited with a film sponsor acknowledgement. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this campaign is just as meaningful and deeply appreciated. I am beyond grateful to everyone who’s believed in this project so far. I cannot wait to share Submerged/Sumergida with you!

Director Bio:

Sierra Mayoral is a Boston-based filmmaker and choreographer. An undergraduate student at Connecticut College, she will graduate with a BA in Film Studies and a BA in Dance in spring of 2026. She recently completed an intensive semester of study at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, with a focus on directing and 16mm film. Much of her artistry in both film and dance is influenced by her mixed ancestry as Mexican-American and her upbringing in both countries. Her recent film credits include Production Coordinator and Editor on Look Into the Corner (2024), a dance film directed by Liz Charky, Costume Designer on an upcoming feature film directed by JW Myers, and Babi (2025), her own directorial debut.