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| De La Guarda | |
|---|---|
| Name | De La Guarda |
| Origin | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founders | Mariano "Tito" Herrera |
| Genre | Physical theatre, aerial spectacle |
| Years active | 1993–2006 |
| Notable works | Villa Villa, Fuerza Bruta |
De La Guarda was an Argentine aerial performance ensemble formed in Buenos Aires in the early 1990s that created immersive, high-energy spectacles combining aerial acrobatics, music, and multimedia. The company toured internationally, presenting productions that engaged audiences with stunts, lighting, and close physical interaction, drawing attention from critics, producers, and cultural institutions. De La Guarda's shows influenced contemporary circus, site-specific performance, and multimedia stagecraft.
The company emerged from the Argentine contemporary performance scene in Buenos Aires amid transitions in the 1990s cultural landscape shaped by institutions such as the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Theatre, and artistic communities linked to Tango Porteño. Founders and early members had backgrounds connected to training centers and troupes like Cirque du Soleil, Nouveau Cirque, Pina Bausch Tanztheater, and Argentine theatre collectives associated with venues such as Teatro San Martín and festivals like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. International exposure came through circuits including the Avignon Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, and tours to cities with venues such as the Barbican Centre, Sydney Opera House, and Radio City Music Hall. Financial and organizational partnerships involved producers with ties to companies represented at events like the Cannes Film Festival and collaborations with promoters experienced in packaging works for the West End and Broadway markets. The company ceased regular touring in the mid-2000s after a period of legal and commercial disputes that echoed cases seen in other performing arts enterprises associated with venues like Garrick Theatre and management entities resembling those in disputes at Lincoln Center.
De La Guarda fused physical theatre techniques from practitioners and institutions such as Jacques Lecoq, Jerzy Grotowski, and Complicité with aerial methodologies reminiscent of Philippe Petit and apparatus work popularized by companies like Cirque du Soleil and artists linked to Cirque Éloize. Musical and sonic textures reflected influences from composers and performers featured at festivals such as Sonic Acts, Midem, and artists represented by labels akin to Nonesuch Records and ECM Records. Visual design incorporated elements from installation artists who exhibited at institutions like the Tate Modern, Museum of Modern Art, and exhibitions curated by figures associated with the Venice Biennale. Choreographic language referenced strands from Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, and Argentine movement idioms connected to Astor Piazzolla-influenced performance culture. The company's immersive model paralleled developments by collectives showcased at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and in immersive projects produced in contexts similar to Punchdrunk and Secret Cinema.
Signature productions toured internationally and were hosted in unconventional venues comparable to those used for works presented at Royal Albert Hall, Olympia London, and various international pavilions at the Expo series. Early works emerged from rehearsal processes influenced by residencies at institutions like La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, The Public Theater, and artist centers such as TADA! Youth Theater studios. Major productions featured complex technical rigs akin to those engineered for performances at Cirque du Soleil shows and large-scale events like the Olympic Opening Ceremony. The repertoire included evening-length spectacles that combined live bands, DJs, original compositions, and lighting designs reminiscent of productions staged at Music Hall venues and festivals such as Glastonbury and Coachella when translated into theatre contexts.
The ensemble comprised performers, riggers, musicians, and designers, many with training links to schools and institutions like the École nationale de cirque, National Theatre School of Canada, and conservatories comparable to the Juilliard School and Conservatoire de Paris. Collaborators included producers, choreographers, and technical directors who had worked on projects associated with companies like Cirque du Soleil, directors who had credits at venues such as Royal Court Theatre and Brooklyn Academy of Music, and designers whose work had appeared in exhibitions at institutions like the Guggenheim Museum. Musicians and composers involved had profiles similar to artists promoted by record labels and festivals such as Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and the Montreux Jazz Festival. Guest performers and stagehands often joined from ensembles related to Compagnia TPO, Los Vivancos, and independent collectives showcased at the Biennale de la Danse.
Critical response spanned international coverage in cultural pages of outlets with histories like The New York Times, The Guardian, and Le Monde, as well as features in periodicals and journals aligned with institutions such as The Observer, Time Out, and the Financial Times arts sections. Audience reception influenced later immersive and aerial companies that appeared on circuits including the Broadway and West End markets, and inspired producers working with entities similar to Live Nation and AEG Presents. Academic and curatorial interest placed the company's work in discussions alongside scholarship on contemporary performance found in publications affiliated with universities like New York University, King's College London, and cultural research centers connected to the Getty Research Institute. The aesthetic and commercial model contributed to developments in site-specific spectacle and influenced subsequent shows appearing in festivals such as Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Spoleto Festival USA, and international biennials.
Category:Argentine performing groups