When Marco Motta was a little boy growing up in Salvador, Bahia in Brazil, he lived a happy life, which he attributes to the efforts of his mother. Although he describes the area he grew up in as dangerous and violent, he was surrounded by dancing, art, and African rhythms. This instilled a lifelong love of art in him and perhaps sustained him when he hit puberty and things changed. That’s when he became aware of the problems of poverty and racism rampant in the marginalized populations surrounding him, and lost several friends to the violence. He found breakdancing and that was his solace and main form of artistic expression which eventually led him to other forms of dance and ultimately to circus, which Motta considers the perfect palette for his message about the need for social change.

I first encountered Marco Motta at the 2019 FIRCO Festival where he competed while I was on the jury. On the night of his act, as he hung from two straps and the song Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday began, it felt as if the entire audience held its breath. Whether it was surprise at the song choice or shock at how Motta evoked so much emot...