Jose Sbarra
(15-7-50 to 23-8-96)
Creator, founder & producer of CDP in Argentina in 1990
Circo de Poesia is originated by the poet and legendary underground writer Jose Sbarra in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the early 1990’s. The event acts purely as an open mic that fosters the reading of one’s own or one’s favorite poetry. The monthly event became a staple in the Buenos Aires underground and continued to flourish amid full-house audiences. It is here that writer Federico Luduena meets Jose Sbarra and later joins him in organizing the event. After Jose’s untimely death in 1996, Federico moves to Los Angeles, California, and starts Circo de Poesia with Alicia Villa and Stella Sosa in 1998.
1. Marc La Sucia Rata Spanish
Marc, The Dirty Rat English
2. Jose Sbarra Website
Jose Sbarra CDP Hisrtory
Federico Ludueña
1. Manifestamos Spanish
Manifesto English
2. Federico Ludueña’s Poems
3. Programa del Taller de Escritura Spanish
Alicia Villa
Alicia Villa needs no presentation… she’s been the soul of Circo de Poesia in Los Angeles for a long time and continues to be so…
Since been a pillar and organizer of CDP from its inception in 1998, nowadays she is the executive director of Circo de Poesia. With an entertainer background stretching over 20 years both here in LA and in Buenos Aires, she continually uses her crowd skills to glue both participants and collaborators. Alicia is a poet, musician, performer, professional clown as well as a Spanish Language Arts Teacher for children and adults. She was born in Buenos Aires Argentina and has migrated to the States in 1990.
In the mean time, if you haven’t yet, check out below some of her own writings on Circo related matters:
1. (2004) When I Challenge My Equals English
(2004) Cuando Reto A Mis Iguales Spanish
2. Alicia Villa’s Character Gallery
Sergio Martinez
Co-Founder and Producer of CDP in Los Angeles (since 1998-2009)
1. Viscosity English
2. Compromiso o Compro-Miso Spanish
To Commit or just to meet? English
3. Conformity is the System English
5. Oscar se entrega Spanish
Samantha Miller
Samantha Miller has been a founder and artist of CDP since 1998. Nowadays she represents one of the main forces behind their productions as well as a performer and as an Instructor for Creative Movement Class for Adults.
After 10 years Samantha continues to be enthusiastic about teaching elementary school in a Spanish and Japanese immersion school and integrating the arts in her curriculum, with a focus on music and movement inspired by the educational approach of Orff Schulwerk.
She is a member of AOSA and LACOSA, the national and local chapters of Orff Schulwerk. Samantha is musical director of Folk Band at her school, which includes teaching students to play a variety of instruments as well as dance, is assistant teacher of the school’s choir, and is a dancer and teacher of Scottish country dance for children and adults.
1. Samantha Miller’s Character Gallery
3. Song of Myself English
4. Midieval Chronicle English
Alberto Gieco
Alberto Gieco was born and raised in Argentina where he received his B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature. He then moved to Brazil where he lived for 11 years working in the film industry.
He directed the documentary ‘Punks” about the Punk Movement in Sao Pablo and has worked as assistant director on movies such as “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and “At Play in the Fields of the Lord,” both directed by Hector Babenco.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1990, he received his master’s degree in Spanish Literature and worked on many independent films as assistant director. During this last decade he has been working as a Spanish and film teacher at Fremont High School in South Central Los Angeles and as a trainer of teachers at Occidental College.