Residency of Daniel Seabra, presented by Trengo Contemporary Circus Festival in partnership with Terminal Festival, Pitch’d Festival & Circada Festival
@Companhia Erva Daninha
We can only understand the meaning of warmth in relation to cold, summer in relation to winter, and day in relation to night.
In the same way, we can understand the significance of the prize awarded to Portuguese circus artist Daniel Seabra at the Circada Circus Festival as part of the EFFEA Residency Forças Combinadas. The long winter night is represented by the decades of disconnection between the Portuguese Contemporary circus and the larger European stage.
If one goes to European circus festivals, from North to South, the chances to see a Portuguese artist are quite limited. On the other side, the emerging or even established circus artists in Portugal struggle to distribute their shows internationally and that would usually just happen when the artist is connected to a circus school from another country.
What changed with this residency?
As a festival committed to creating bridges and opportunities for both national and international artists for 9 years, Trengo dared to challenge this status quo.
With the financial support of EFFEA and through the collaboration of 3 other partner festivals, Trengo designed an extensive 6-months programme in Portugal, in Italy - at Terminal Festival, Spain - at Circada Festival and Ireland - at The Cork Circus Factory, where artist Daniel Seabra created and presented his new show Pó de Pedra. In each of the partner countries involved in residency, Daniel worked on the new show, offered a workshop and performed the show at the stage of creation.
It’s not of little significance that the ice-break towards the European stage happened in the year that Portugal celebrated 50 years from the fall of their dictatorship and the beginning of democracy. The waves of expansion and freedom rippled on many layers of celebration inside the artistic and cultural field in Portugal, adding unexpected results in terms of recognition, international collaboration and visibility.
@Companhia Erva Daninha
So what is Pó de Pedra?
It’s a show that takes everyday situations and personal experiences and gives them weight, gravity and versatility.
It’s a hand that throws a rope between past, present and future, stretching it on many layers of consciousness and connecting generations.
It’s a place where common materials transform into dramaturgical elements, where forgotten stories get revived to captivate and challenge the audience.
Exploring experimental approaches to circus techniques, Daniel and Mafalda managed to build a circus of strength, feeling and sensations.
And what happened in Sevilla?
At the beginning of June, the jury of the Circada Festival made up of more than fifty professionals specialising in the performing arts and circus, decided to reward with the second Panorama award the new circus languages developed by the Portuguese Daniel Seabra in "Pó de Pedra".
Now, what’s next?
At the end of June 2024, “Pó de Pedra'' will have its full premiere during Trengo’s 9th edition.
It comes back to Portugal, the place where it first ignited in January 2024, including elements refined through the performance in each of the other three partner festivals.
Ice can be broken. Memories rewritten. New paths opened up by combined forces.