In its Fifth Year, FIRCO Festival is a Treasure Trove of Ibero-American Circus Talent

Circus News

In its Fifth Year, FIRCO Festival is a Treasure Trove of Ibero-American Circus Talent

Already an established presence in the international circus scene, the Ibero-American Circus Festival (FIRCO) returns to the ring to celebrate its fifth edition. Here are some of the highlights to expect from this year’s program.

FIRCO is a proud showcase of both a shared circus culture and the innovative artists who help elevate it. Since its founding in 2018, the festival has been curated annually by Madrid-based event production company Circontinentes SL with an aim to promote and consolidate the high-level circus art of Latin America.Aware of the great talent that this region treasures and equipped with a thoughtful understanding of the spectacles beloved by its people, the organizing team has worked hard to match their enthusiasm through this year’s program. Now they are ready to show the world the broad spectrum of Ibero-American talent.

FIRCO 2022 will take place over three days, from Friday, September 30th to Sunday, October 2nd, at the Teatro Circo Price in Madrid. As the largest stable circus in the country, this theatre is an important part of the circus sector’s living history—and the best possible venue for an event like this. There to help attendees celebrate the scope of Ibero-American circus will be eight innovative acts of different disciplines, selected out of a pool of applicants from all 23 countries in the region. 

The main event will consist of a three-part circus gala spread out over the consecutive days of the festival. Each gala will see the artists take the Teatro stage and vie against each other before the audience and an international jury composed of circus experts, which will decide the top prizes at a special ceremony after the final gala on Sunday. Festival goers can also choose their favorite act to receive the Audience Award at Sunday’s gala.

But FIRCO is more than a festival. Throughout its course, a series ofprofessional and networking eventswill happen in tandem with the performance schedule, offering spaces for industry professionals and artists to connect. Moreover, on the morning of Sunday the 2nd, theatre producers, presenters, and other entertainment stakeholders will gather in Madrid for the Meeting of Circus Professionals. This arm of FIRCO’s programming furthers its mission to strengthen ties among and within the Ibero-American circus community—to bring together, in a single weekend, all the unique creative perspectives from these countries, creating a place of convergence and unparalleled cultural exchange. 

The following are the nine acts, selected from among the more than 250 submitted to the competition, who will compete during the festival.

Brazilian aerialists Duo Luar perform on aerial rope

At the beginning of their careers, Brazilian aerialists Jonathan and Yuliya teamed up to formDúo Luar and take on the world with their aerial straps. These two artists, athletes, and influencers are proud to make FIRCO one more stop on their long trajectory of global tours.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Spanish circus artist Juan Carlos Panduro performs a hand stand while on stilts

At just 24 years old, Spanish hand stand artistJuan Carlos Panduro has swiftly gone from his studies at Belgium’sEcole Supérieure des Arts du Cirque (ESAC) to the festival stage. A passionate poet as well as a performer, Juan Carlos hopes to dazzle audiences with an act that explores the art of balance from new (mostly vertical) angles. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Chilean performer Alonso Gonzalez Barria juggles red balls in front of a cube-shaped apparatus

ESAC alum and self-taught jugglerAlonso González Barria has been adding some more tricks to his repertoire lately. By incorporating techniques from dance, acrobatics, and object manipulation into his act, this Chilean performer seeks to challenge himself and redefine his performance style.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Chilean circus duo Cia Punto Zero performs a Korean cradle act

Inspired by the artistry of quadrocoreano (Korean painting), the duoCía Punto Zero has put together a Korean Cradle act that’s both a feast for the eyes and a thoughtful reflection of their life experiences. Since meeting at ESAC in 2019, this Puerto Rican pair has created art that blends acrobatics with emotional honesty and their trademark humor. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Nicolas Montes de Oca, Mexican circus performer, does a one-handed handstand on a table

With a unique performance style that melds traditional hand balance with other forms of movement, Mexican circus artist Nicolás Montes de Oca has been a part of big-name companies such as The 7 Fingers, Dragone, Cirque du Soleil. Now he takes the stage as a handstand soloist. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Joel Diabolo, Venezuelan circus artist, performs with a yellow diabolo

True to his name, Venezuelan performerJoel Diábolo has spent more than ten years touring the world with his diabolo act, delighting the audiences he has met along the way. His FIRCO set promises to bring something just as captivating to the stage of Teatro Price.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Colombian hand to hand acrobats Jose y Gaby, a male and female duo act, touch hands

It was ten years ago that a rhythmic gymnast and an acrobat decided to unite their arts on stage asDúo José y Gaby. A decade later, this Colombian hand to hand team has performed with Cat Cirko and The 7 Fingers and graced international festivals such as Young Stage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Mariana Meza Saenz (Mar Meza), a Mexican dancer and circus artist, gives aerial hoop performance

A regular face on the international dance festival circuit, Mexican aerialist Mariana (Mar) Meza Saenz rejoins the circus scene at this year’s FIRCO. Her act brings a dancer’s sensibility to the aerial hoop for a uniquely dazzling display.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Marica Marinoni, Italian Cyr wheel performer

In addition to the eight competitors mentioned, Italian Cyr Wheel performer Marica Marinoni joins this year’s celebration as a guest artist. You can learn more about Marica’s background in coverage of the canceled Festival Mondiale du Cirque de Demain earlier this year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Raquel Molano, Spanish actress, plays drums onstage. She wears a red jacket and a red-and-green floral crown

From among these acts, the international jury will decide the different awards of the festival. As well, the Spanish actress Raquel Molano will lend her skilled percussion playing and lively presence throughout the gala as its presenter, accompanied by live music from the Ombligo Band.

This edition of FIRCO is supported by grants from Iberescena, the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sports, and the Madrid City Council, in addition to collaboration with important companies in the circus sector such as Cirque du Soleil, CircusTalk, ZirkĂłlika, 441 Malabares, and Juegos Malabares.

If you are interested, the entire festival program will be available on FIRCO’swebsite and on their Facebook and Instagram pages.

Don’t miss the great Ibero-American circus party!

Source: edited press release. All images of the artists credited to FIRCO's social media team
Carolyn Klein
Content Writer -United States
Carolyn Klein is a writer, poet, and circus fan from the Washington, D.C, area. Writing stories about the circus has been a dream of hers since getting introduced to circus fiction around 2014. She recently completed her B.A. in English and Creative Writing, magna cum laude, at George Mason University. As a new member of the Circus Talk journalism team, Carolyn looks forward to learning as much as she can about the industry and people behind circus.
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Carolyn Klein

Carolyn Klein is a writer, poet, and circus fan from the Washington, D.C, area. Writing stories about the circus has been a dream of hers since getting introduced to circus fiction around 2014. She recently completed her B.A. in English and Creative Writing, magna cum laude, at George Mason University. As a new member of the Circus Talk journalism team, Carolyn looks forward to learning as much as she can about the industry and people behind circus.