Valparaiso

I´ve been back and forth to Santiago a couple of times now, but most of my time has been in Valparaiso, or Valpo.  Supposedly Chile´s cultural capitol, Valpo is jam packed with artists.  There are murals everywhere, street theater all over the place, and jugglers at every stoplight.
I´ve been hangoing out a lot at Casa TIAO, an "okupa" or squat.  Its been going on for about 2 years now, has water, electricity, and a pretty public image, they have shows there all the time that are widely advertised.  they have huge ceilings, rigging for 4 different aerial aparatus at once, space to juggle, etc etc. its great, someone will be randomly walking through the living room, jump up to the trapeze and bust out some moves, then hop down and continue ontheir way.  in some ways its amazing how similar it is to scenes in portland, the bay, etc; the partially shaved heads, the circo-punk style, but in other ways very latin amreican.  it is more diverse than scenes i´ve seen in the states.  the jugglers here are pretty amazing.  its a way to make
money, juggling at stoplights, so they learn it early and get good fast.

Threre was just an independent theater festival, mix of street theater and independent venues (like the okupa and a converted factory among others), i ended up with a bit part on one of the street peices which was really fun.  I got pulled into one of the shows, and played a crazy doctor in El Mimo Tuga´s street show.  

I´m staying on the other side of town, in Taller El Litre, a metal fabrication shop and hangout of traveler/circus types.  Its run by a crazy guy called Tio Willy and his wife.  I´m living in a theater set peice, halfway up a hill.  Its on a strip about 12 feet wide, with a 15 foot retaining wall above and another below.  Did I mention Valpo has a lot of hills?  Really steep ones too.  There´s about a dozen "ascensor"s, or elevators, built at the turn of the century (starting in the 1800s that is) that take you up the side of a hill on railroad tarcks.

Now, i'm off to the okupa to practice some acro and aerials with folks I've met here.