FIRCO, a Taste of Iberoamerican Circus: A Photo Documentary
Photo documentary of FIRCO Iberoamerican circus festival
Nerves are on edge. The backstage fills up with the sound of advice, last minute hugs, calls to the family. Some artists go up to the dressing room to finish their make-up, while others keep warming up. The smell of popcorn starts to invade every inch of Teatro Circo Price. The stage, spotless, shows off its best lights, thanks to Cía La Luz. The circular stage with the predominant color of red everywhere moves us, creating the magic atmosphere of a circus. And just like that, after months of preparation, FIRCO, the Festival Iberoamericano de Circo, starts.
The interior of Teatro Circo Price, home to the FIRCo Festival
Between October 25th and 27th, 2019 the second FIRCO took place on the great stage of Teatro Circo Price in Madrid. The project was born in 2015 by Asociación Circontinentes with the aim to foster discussions, to integrate, to respect, to help and to motivate the circus sector with a focus on the Iberoamerican scene.
The whole team put their professionalism and love for circus in to generating a meeting among the circus agents in order for them to meet, connect and help each other. And they went beyond expectations. For one week, artists and organizations lived together between rehearsals and lights and sound checks, sharing their passion for this art. It is especially rewarding to witness the magic, team spirit and the friendships that evolve during these days. It wouldn’t have been possible without the human and professional team that organized this cozy gathering.
A few members of the FIRCO Production team: Top row: Alex Weibel (circus artist), Clara Bernet. Middle row: Carlos Riera, Sonia Sanz, Pablo Ruiz, Javier Rodriguez. Bottom row: Carlos Such, Isaac Filx, Libe Aramburuzabala, Amaya Frías
As a result of the team’s hard work, more than three thousand people could enjoy the festival, predicting a long path for FIRCO as an influential circus festival. The festival is divided into three galas: the two semi-finals (Gala A and Gala B) and the Final Gala, where awards are presented. This year’s jury was comprised of Kim Campbell (Circus Talk), María Folguera (Teatro Circo Price), José Manuel Cordero (Circuba), Leandro Mendoza (Trapezi), Vasily Protsenko (Escuela de Circo Carampa), Philippe Agogué (Cirque du Soleil) and Graziella Galán (circus artist).
Twenty five artists, ten nationalities and fourteen different circus disciplines represented the great variety of the Iberoamerican sector that could be enjoyed during the festival. The show was presided over by the actress Mariola Fuentes while Ombligo Orquestina accompanied with its live music. Each semi-final included eight performance proposals, plus the invited artists: The Kirn Compagnie.
The Gran Final
After the two competitive semi-finals, it was time for the Final Gala on Sunday. This time there were also eight companies, with seven having been selected by the jury and another one chosen by the audience with their votes during the first two galas.
Dúo Cardio (Uruguay, Mexico) Dúo Cardio exhibited their spectacular act of perch balancing that amazed the audience with their boundless technique.This duo was created in 2010 and has been touring in dozens of countries on three continents in festivals like Festival Mondial de Cirque du Demain, Budapest Circus Festival or Festival Circuba, receiving several awards.more
Javier Bertero (Argentina) To the rhythm of tango, we could watch to Javier Bertero with his delicate choreography with juggling clubs. The first version of Clavas para un loco could be enjoyed at Festival Cervantino de Artes in 2013. The act has been recognized several times and won the first position in a juggling category during the second Festival Sueños a Color (Chile) and the Gold medal at IRC-Lima (International Regional Competition, in Perú).more
Cíe Soralino (Brazil, France) A juggler, an acrobat and… a lot of cardboard boxes. A risky and comedic act where no audience gaze ever leaves the stage during the whole act. The performers explained that in their research they wanted to join street art with the art represented in theatres, and Soralino found a personal, different and amazing result. more
Marco Motta (Brazil) With the air of his Brazilian culture, a mix of capoeira, afro and break dance seasoned with contortion and straps, Marco Motta’s act inspired astonishment and admiration. He started in circus in a self-taught way with the motivation of developing his own moments without any aesthetic restrictions.more
Dúo Ángeles Cuba This risky act of acrobatics on skates moves the audience from absolute silence to shock while watching the different pirouettes of this Cuban duo. They studied classical ballet in the Escuela Vocacional de Arte de Matanzas. They started to prepare their act when José Ángel finished his studies at the Escuela Nacional de Circo de La Habana. He and Zhenia share their love for circus palpably in their performance.more
Alba Moncayo (Mexico) Already at the beginning of Moncayo’s act, a whisper could be heard among the audience… her feet flying quickly reveal to us what the act is about: Hair Suspension, a discipline that has been flourishing lately in circus arts. Moncayo started in circus through aerial dance at fourteen years old in Cirko Alebrije (Jalisco, México). She has participated in big festivals like Circuba or Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain.more
Nao Abacaxi (Portugal) This innovative and daring act has a high technical level in hand to hand and a visible contemporary essence as well as a good example of how paths to the circus can come up in very different ways. Alfred y Sónia met up in Copenhagen by chance, but their connection was immediate.more
Diego Salles (Brazil) The young Diego Salles won over the audience already in the first Gala. He performed a sensitive and creative aerial silks act where emotions were high and no one is left indifferent. After studying at Escuela de Circo y Artes Culturales – Unisarte, he graduated from Ècole Supérieure des Arts du Cirque – ESAC in Brussels a few years later. In 2018, he won the bronze medal at Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain.more
Winners
First Award: Cíe. Soralino (Brazil) – Box manipulation
Second Award: Diego Salles (Brazil) – Aerial silks
Third Award: Marco Motta (Brazil) – Straps
Audience Award: Diego Salles (Brazil) – Aerial silks
Circontinentes Award: Alba Moncayo (México) – Hair suspension
Best Staging: Carola Serrano (Argentina) – Trapeze
Cirque du Soleil Award for innovative artistic vision and performance: The Kirn Compagnie (Francia) – Acrobatics and Icarian Games
Festival Circuba Award: Alba Moncayo (México) – Hair Suspension
The last day of the festival is always really special. The end’s wistfulness mixes up with the happiness and the marvelous atmosphere in the air. However, there is no better way to end than to confirm the next edition, the third one, scheduled for the fall of 2020. Teatro Circo Price awaits your return to enjoy FIRCO!
Tatiana Hess (Argentina) Swinging Trapeze
La Testa Maestra (Columbia, Spain) Juggling
Mariola Funetes (Spain) Master of Ceremonies
Alexander Weibel (Spain) Funambulism
Lainsula Caos (Spain) Hula hoop
Francisco Simoes (Portugal) Juggling
Amadeus (Mexico) Straps
The Kirn Compagnie (France) Icarian and hand to hand
Mai Ibargüen, descubrió la fotografía estudiando diseño gráfico, la cuál convirtió en su vocación y forma de vida. Apasionada por las Artes Escénicas, decidió especializarse y focalizar su trabajo en este campo. Buscando la esencia del movimiento, retrata emociones más allá, pero en simbiosis, de la excelencia técnica de cada disciplina.
Su actividad laboral le ha llevado a cubrir festivales como el “Festival Iberoamericano de Circo” (FIRCO), “Circo, Presente Continuo (el congreso y feria estatal de CircoRed; Federación de Asociaciones de Profesionales de Circo de España) o el festival de danza “Pies para qué los quiero” en lugares como el Teatro Circo Price de Madrid o el Teatro Principal de Zaragoza. Dentro de las ferias de COFAE (Coordinadora de Ferias de Artes Escénicas del Estado Español), recientemente se incorporó a la Feria Internacional de Teatro y Danza de Huesca el pasado mes de septiembre.
Mai Ibargüen discovered photography while studying graphic design. It becomes a vocation and part of her life. Passionate about performing arts, she decided to specialize and focus her work on that field. Looking for the essence of the movement, she photographs emotions beyond but in symbiosis with the technical excellence of every circus and dance discipline.
Her work activity brings her to collaborate with events like FIRCO (Festival Iberoamericano de Circo), Circo, Presente Continuo (national circus congress and fair of CircoRed, the Federation of Circus Professional Associations of Spain) or dance festivals like "Feet, What Do I Need You For?" in venues such as Teatro Circo Price in Madrid or Teatro Principal in Zaragoza. Last September, she became part of International Theatre and Dance Fair of Huesca within COFAE (Coordination of Performing Arts Fairs in Spain).
Mai Ibarguen: Mai Ibargüen, descubrió la fotografía estudiando diseño gráfico, la cuál convirtió en su vocación y forma de vida. Apasionada por las Artes Escénicas, decidió especializarse y focalizar su trabajo en este campo. Buscando la esencia del movimiento, retrata emociones más allá, pero en simbiosis, de la excelencia técnica de cada disciplina. Su actividad laboral le ha llevado a cubrir festivales como el “Festival Iberoamericano de Circo” (FIRCO), “Circo, Presente Continuo (el congreso y feria estatal de CircoRed; Federación de Asociaciones de Profesionales de Circo de España) o el festival de danza “Pies para qué los quiero” en lugares como el Teatro Circo Price de Madrid o el Teatro Principal de Zaragoza. Dentro de las ferias de COFAE (Coordinadora de Ferias de Artes Escénicas del Estado Español), recientemente se incorporó a la Feria Internacional de Teatro y Danza de Huesca el pasado mes de septiembre. Mai Ibargüen discovered photography while studying graphic design. It becomes a vocation and part of her life. Passionate about performing arts, she decided to specialize and focus her work on that field. Looking for the essence of the movement, she photographs emotions beyond but in symbiosis with the technical excellence of every circus and dance discipline. Her work activity brings her to collaborate with events like FIRCO (Festival Iberoamericano de Circo), Circo, Presente Continuo (national circus congress and fair of CircoRed, the Federation of Circus Professional Associations of Spain) or dance festivals like "Feet, What Do I Need You For?" in venues such as Teatro Circo Price in Madrid or Teatro Principal in Zaragoza. Last September, she became part of International Theatre and Dance Fair of Huesca within COFAE (Coordination of Performing Arts Fairs in Spain).