FiRCO 2024: A Celebration of Ibero-American Circus Art

With nearly 100% attendance, the Ibero-American Circus Festival (FiRCO) has once again proven the success of its unique format and its dedication to showcasing the best Ibero-American circus talent to audiences of all ages.

Organized by Circontinentes, FiRCO attracted over 3,500 people from October 4-6, 2024, at the Teatro Circo Price in Madrid. Over the course of three spectacular galas, audiences were treated to a diverse and high-caliber display of circus artistry, featuring performances from nine top-tier companies in a variety of disciplines.

Now in its 7th edition, FiRCO concluded on Sunday, October 6, 2024, with the best attendance in its history, selling out every night. Across the three days, audiences of all ages were captivated by the thrilling performances. Adding rhythm and humor to the event were the musical group Ombligo and host Raquel Molano.

The festival’s overwhelming public support further cements FiRCO’s reputation as an international benchmark for circus arts, standing out as the first and only festival that exclusively features short performances by Ibero-American artists. FiRCO is more than just a festival—it’s a space for meeting, exchanging ideas, and learning. In one weekend, audiences are able to enjoy the best circus talent from across various countries, each showcasing their own unique cultural approaches to circus arts. This year’s edition featured artists from Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Portugal, Spain, and, for the first time, Ecuador.

On the final evening, FiRCO presented the awards for this year’s edition, as selected by an international jury.

The 2024 winners are:

• First Prize: Esteban Cárdenas (Chile) – Juggling
• Second Prize: Micaela and Matías (Argentina and Chile) – Aerial Frame
• Third Prize: Renata Barcellos (Brazil) – Trapeze Dance
• Audience Award: Micaela and Matías (Argentina and Chile) – Aerial Frame
• Circontinentes Award: Esteban Cárdenas (Chile) – Juggling
• Cirque du Soleil Award: Micaela and Matías (Argentina and Chile) – Aerial Frame
• International Salieri Circus Awards Prize: Renata Barcellos (Brazil) – Trapeze Dance
• Special Jury Mention: Frank Álvarez (Mexico) – Aerial Straps

In addition to the awarded performances, each gala featured other outstanding acts, such as the uniqct by Ecuadorian duo Dúo Enominne (Byron Malquin and José Cuenca), the only one in the world performed by men; the f Brazilian performers Rodrigo Ceribelli and Cassia Barbosa; and the ish performers The Shester’s (Manoela Wolfart and Rubén Burgos). Another first for the festival was the debut of a female diabolo artist, Hilary from Portugal. In keeping with tradition, the festival also invited a non-Ibero-American artist: this year, the German performer Feenike wowed the audience with her impressive Cyr wheel act.

The jury for FiRCO 2024 was composed of:

• Brigitte Scherrer (Canada) – General Casting Advisor for Cirque du Soleil.
• Linda Tavellin (Italy) – Show Director of the International Salieri Circus Awards.
• Víctor Bobadilla (Chile) – Artistic Coordinator at La Central del Circ in Catalonia.
• Diana Salles (Brazil) – Artist, Second Prize and Audience Award Winner at FiRCO 2019.
• Vasily Protsenko (Russia) – Former circus artist at the Moscow Circus School and circus professor.

FiRCO is not only a festival but also a key meeting point for circus artists and international programmers, directors, and producers. On October 2, an online Ibero-American market was held for cultural agents, programmers, and artists, with the aim of building transoceanic professional networks. On October 6, a face-to-face market was held between the FiRCO artists and European programmers, providing further opportunities for collaboration.

The 7th edition of FiRCO was made possible with the support of Teatro Circo Price / Ayuntamiento de Madrid, the Ministry of Culture, the Community of Madrid, Iberescena, and the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan. The event was also supported by Crea SGR and funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.

All Photos: Gaby Merz; Video: Jesús Nicolás Rivas