Erva Daninha

“The day starts with no incidents, both lanes are clear, there’s no traffic nor accidents, drive with caution, keep your distance. Be careful.” A line in the empty space, a strip in the landscape. It points the way, the direction, and the exit. An empty route filled with unexpected events. A lab space where reality and imagination intersect. Overcoming the void, rising to the abyss, overcoming fall, tripping destiny and continuing the cycle. A research on the path, the route, and the transformation of the body in the adversities of the way. A one-way road jammed with data, influence, illusion and inner storms that bring these two characters to cooperate and clash. The reality of illusion. A contemporary circus performance where risk and illusion guide us through the acrobatics and object manipulation, challenging the audience in an intense and unpredictable atmosphere. This performance brings together two creators: Vasco Gomes, juggler and the artistic director of Erva Daninha, and Leonardo Ferreira, an acrobat who recently graduated from the National Centre for Circus Arts (France). Two different generations, techniques and backgrounds coming together.  


Companhia Erva Daninha’s mission is to create contemporary circus while exploring the dialogue between different performing arts. It was established in 2006, and it quickly focused on researching new ways of making and presenting circus, looking to elevate virtuosity to a form of communicating ideas and emotions. Aside from its productions, the company is also involved in programming, both with the Porto circus festival Trengo and Mostra Estufa.