Erva Daninha’s mission is to develop contemporary circus by exploring the dialogue between different expressions of the performing arts. Searches for current circus languages, aesthetics and dramaturgies through programming, mediation, and own creation projects.
Erva Daninha emerged in 2005 and was formally created in January 2006 in Porto. It is part of the collective that founded Fábrica da Rua da Alegria in 2005, a space kindly provided by ESMAE/IPP that it lived in until mid-2015. That year it became a resident company at Teatro Municipal do Porto through the Teatro em Campo Aberto program, where it will enjoy its own spaces until 2022. In 2023, it will create the Clube Erva Daninha, a space for circus residences in the city of Porto.
Artistic creation is one of the Company’s central line, with more than 27 productions for stage, alternative space and public space. The Company’s shows are based on social and political themes developed from a particular dramaturgical point of view. A choreographic work that combines circus techniques with everyday situations, actions and objects. Looking for inspiration in life, trying to reproduce it in an extraordinary way, but always trying to maintain a narrative, even if it is abstract.
Programming is another central line of Erva Daninha. In 2013, programs and produces “Corrente Alterna – mostra de criações incognitas” at TeCA and the surrounding public space, for the Teatro Nacional São João. Since 2015, programes circus artists in “Quintas de Leitura” for Teatro Municipal do Porto. In 2016, creates the Trengo Circus Festival, which performs annually in Porto with the support of Ágora, Teatro Municipal do Porto and Coliseu do Porto Ageas. The sustained support from the República Portuguesa – Cultura/Direção Geral das Artes from 2018 together with the co-production of Teatro Municipal do Porto allowed the creation of Mostra Estufa, an annual programming focus dedicated to emerging creations.

The Company is also dedicated to mediation through training and other activities. Between 2011 and 2017, it held weekly Open Circus Trainings, juggling classes and aerial classes. In 2016, he participated in the “Viver Viriato” project and in 2017 in the “Casa” intervention project with children and young people from Lar Santo António in Viseu with funding from the Municipality. In 2019, he developed the intervention project “Esqueci!” with young people from the Santo António educational center in Porto. In 2021, participates in the “Aldear” community project with support from Norte 2020 and Portugal 2020. In 2022/2023, Erva Daninha is a partner in the Circo Elétrico project, winner of EEGrants/Gulbenkian. Currently promotes Q-Circo project supported by the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian and Fundação “la Caixa” through the PARTIS & Arts For Change initiative. Until 2025, Erva Daninha, Centro Social Soutelo and Solsal – Fundação Salesianos write this project together with young people from the Areosa Rehabilitation Center in Gondomar and the Santo António Educational Center in Porto.
Companhia Erva Daninha is a structure financed by the República Portuguesa – Cultura / Direção-Geral das Artes through the four-yearly sustained support program for programming in the 2023 – 2026 cycle. Previously had biennial sustained support for circuses creation between 2018 and 2022.