Special - Sonia Araujo speaks to esctoday.com | Eurovision Song Contest News - 2009 Moscow, Russia 

Since you were a child your dream was to be a dancer. What is it that attracts you to  dancing?

It’s a sense of freedom and the possibility to "become" other people. Almost like an actor I can play different characters. Also the opportunity of expressing yourself with your body and being on stage is exciting. I love the rush of stepping on stage and communicating with people this way. Music also plays a large role because I just can’t live without music.

Did your parents support you in being a dancer when you were a girl?

I wanted so much to become a dancer that my parents just allowed me to follow my dream. Of course they were very supportive but on condition I did well in school and brought home good grades.

You dedicated your teen years training to be a dancer in various dance schools. Can you tell us a about your dancing background?

I started in a dance and music academy in Oporto, my hometown, where I studied for four years. Then I carried on to a ballet academy where I did my training on classical ballet. At the end of every school year I had to undergo examinations carried out by teachers from the “Royal Academy of Dancing”. If I passed the test I had a Certificate from the Royal Academy. In those years I also had the opportunity of studying with several teachers from abroad, doing workshops on modern and jazz dance. I wanted to diversify my training.

The life of a dancer is very hard physically and psychologically. How did you manage to go to school and learn ballet at the same time?

The key word is discipline and I had to put a lot of effort into both things: studying and dancing. I went to school and had lessons in the morning and then went to the ballet academy in the afternoon. At the weekends I often had rehearsals for dancing shows.

In the beginning of your career you did classical ballets like “The Nutcracker” and “Swan Lake”. Do you think that doing these shows you learnt what dancing is all about?

I think that a background in classical ballet is important. It’s not fundamental to dance all the classics like the ones you mentioned, but if a dancer knows all the basic moves and the techniques of ballet, that will help in other areas of dancing.

Between 1992 and 1996 you participated in many TV shows where dancing was an important element of the shows. How was that experience for you?   

I was part of several dancing ensembles that executed choreographies according to the theme of the show or to accompany a singer on stage. It was a very creative experience. In one of the shows, every week there was a different theme with new choreographies and new clothes.

In 1996 you started your career as a TV host at RTP’s morning show Praça da Alegria. How did that come about?

People at RTP already knew my work as a dancer and as an assistant of the host of other shows and they invited me to come to Praça da Alegria. I didn’t start as the co-host. At the beginning, my task was to introduce the guests and the musical acts of the show. It was a paced evolution. Then I started doing live and taped reports which taught me a lot of the craft. In 2002, with the arrival of the new male host, I gradually became more active in conducting the show.

In 2001 you co-hosted the semi-finals and the final of Festival da Canção to choose a song for Copenhagen. What do you recall from that time?

I remember it was something that had never been done in Portugal. RTP had never done so many shows to choose a song for the Eurovision Song Contest. It was a tour around the country and I enjoyed doing it.

In the last few years your dancing career was put aside because you were totally dedicated to television. With Dança Comigo you were able to relive your dream.

It was great fun to do and to win the show and it also was a test to my dancing abilities.  Dancing is again a focal point in my life and I feel happy.

How do you feel returning to the stage with Gelosia the show created by Marco de Camillis?

I feel very proud of being part of the cast composed by people who have many years of performing on stage. I am very happy and very thankful for being chosen by Marco. They are all great professionals.
  

 How did the invitation to be at the Eurovision Dance Contest come up?

This is the first time that this event takes place and every broadcaster as at the liberty to choose the way they find more suitable. RTP opted for an internal selection and came up with my name. The people at RTP knew I had a career as a dancer and also for having won the second edition of “Dança Comigo” they thought I would be a good choice. As 2007 is also the 50th anniversary of the broadcaster they also considered that it would be nice to have someone that works for RTP dancing at EDC.

What are your expectations for the Eurovision Dance Contest?

I am aware that half of the sixteen contestants is in equal ground and the other half is at a higher level because they are professionals in ballroom dancing. I cannot raise my expectations too high because many dancers will be more experienced and will have a better grasp of the dancing techniques. Nonetheless, I will face this as a challenge and I will try to be at their level. Me and Ricardo will rehearse hard and will do our best.

What were the criteria that lead to the choice of jive for the first dance and tango for the freestyle section?

About the first dance we haven’t fully decided if we will take a jive or a rumba. I like both styles. The jive is upbeat and cheerful and the rumba is sensual and intense. The music for both is already done so all we have to do is choose. For the second act, the tango from Piazzolla was suggested by the choreographer and the musical producer. I also liked it and we chose it for the freestyle section. The music has strong percussion and the sound of the portuguese guitars which give that “national flavour”. It will be a passionate and intense performance. I am very excited.

How do you feel about your partner Ricardo? He is going to help you with the technique.

We feel very good and confident dancing together. He is a professional ballroom dancer and he is very good. I will try to learn all the moves correctly and join it with the “creative” side of the dancing routine. 

This year you created with a fellow dancer an ensemble of dancers. You have been doing routines at Praça da Alegria. How did the idea come up?

I always wanted to have a group of dancers on the show and finally the project came to life. I and Pedro Lima, a dancer and a friend of mine, did a casting and the ensemble was created. We still don’t have a name. We are the “Dancers of Praça da Alegria” when we dance on the show but we are open and eager to do other things.  

Esctoday thanks Sónia Araújo for giving this interview and wishes her and Ricardo all the best.