Director and choreographer Sam Landa joins for his first appearance on the podcast to talk about reimagining what circus can be—and how LIQUID uses punk aesthetics, narrative, and high-stakes performance to deliver something unforgettable.

As co-founder of New York Circus Project, Sam blends circus, theater, and dance to push creative boundaries. We recorded this at Union Market District in DC just after the premiere of LIQUID. Sam shares how his training as an aerialist, studies in computer science, and passion for problem-solving come together to shape a bold vision for contemporary circus.

• Why he launched New York Circus Project to elevate circus beyond novelty
• What Hamlet taught him about fusing acrobatics with theatrical canon
• How punk, aerial work, and cocktail menus collided in LIQUID
• Thoughts on audience risk, narrative grounding, and creative leadership
• The role of stakes and structure in multidisciplinary productions

🎧 Experience the energy and vision behind LIQUID, now running at Union Market District through June 7. Tickets and info at newyorkcircusproject.org.

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:

• Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
• Edited by Daniel Alexis
• Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor

Photos:

• Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
• Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.

Support the podcast

• The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.org
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.social
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=en
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/
• The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble