Photo Credits Jean Penninck
At the boundary between the visible and the invisible.
La Frontera creates contemporary works rooted in the body, where artistic research and pedagogy become tools for expression.
About
La Frontera is led by Stefan Kinsman as founder and artistic director. The company explores the boundary between two worlds—the space that separates the visible from the invisible. It operates upon three fundamental pillars of culture: creation, pedagogy, and research. These pillars are not isolated; they are intertwined, each shaping and enriching the other.
The creations are an attempt to access the invisible through materiality. The first artistic works (performances, shows, mediations) are rooted in the character of John, created and performed by Stefan Kinsman. John embodies the fragility of the human condition, questioning the borders of culture and belief systems that define us.
While the company enjoys national and international recognition through its touring productions, it is also deeply rooted in Haute-Vienne and is expanding in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region with local partners (Le Sirque, Pôle National Cirque de Nexon, Théâtre Conventionné de l’Avant-Scène in Cognac, École Nationale de Cirque de Châtellerault, OARA). La Frontera is funded by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region as well as the French Ministry of Culture through the DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Photo Credits Jean Penninck
Stefan Kinsman
Wheel Acrobat, Artistic Director of La Frontera.
Of Costa Rican, Swiss, and United States origin, Stefan Kinsman interweaves body and philosophy in his artistic practice. A graduate of the National Centre for Circus Arts (CNAC) in 2014, he founded La Frontera in 2019 and became an associated artist at Le Sirque, Pôle National Cirque in Nexon.
Since leaving CNAC, Stefan Kinsman has created and performed, alongside Juan Ignacio Tula, the shows Santa Madera (2017) and Somnium (2015) within the MPTA company of Mathurin Bolze. He has also contributed to contemporary circus creations as both author and performer with various companies and artists, including Jérôme Thomas. Among his latest works is Commencer à Exister (2025), in collaboration with David Gauchard and Martin Palisse. Drawn to theater, Stefan has participated in projects as an actor, collaborating with Séverine Chavrier, Laurence Equilbey, and Marie-Noëlle Genod.
The transmission of his craft is an essential element of his artistic practice. Between 2015 and 2022, Stefan worked as a guest lecturer and researcher at various circus training centers across France and Europe, focusing on the Wheel, cultural mediation pedagogy, and general circus research. Since 2023, his work and pedagogical research are developed exclusively at CNAC. In 2024, he was invited to collaborate with Martin Palisse and David Gauchard on the creation of Brûler d'EnvieS, CNAC’s 36th graduating class performance.
In 2019, Stefan created the street performance In a Tent With John, and in 2021, the show Searching For John. In 2022, thanks to a commission from the Théâtre Conventionné de l’Avant-Scène in Cognac (where he is an associated research artist since 2023), he began a research project centered on somatic circus practice.
This research will culminate in a creation scheduled for November 2026.
Board Members
Isabelle Le Morvan - President
Flavio D'Andrea - Treasurer
Fanny Di Nocera – Secretary
La Frontera is financed by région Nouvelle Aquitaine.
With the financial support of Direction régionale des Affaires culturelles (DRAC) de Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Black Holes in the Universe (2026) and Searching For John (2021) are both awarded the PROCESSUS CIRQUE support by SACD
