Diversity Rules Magazine

Araujo - Con't from page 5 New York Orchestra with a chore- ography created for me. And af- terward, I was able to do two Off- Broadway musicals. JRK: You are currently working successfully in the New York the- ater scene. Can you tell us a bit about what you have done and are doing? GA: Last year in the middle of the pandemic, I was invited to perform in a short-film duet, which received 5 awards from online dance fes - vals. I teamed several mes, begin- ning in 2018 to the present, with the award-winning German dancer/director Severine Reisp. Our films have been recognized in several interna onal film fes vals: A Tango to Remember -- Best Romance Film, Los Angeles Film Awards; Best Film, The Atman Film Fes val; Cinema c Award Winner, Cyprus Inter- na onal Film Fes val; Ruminate --Best Musical and Best Dance Choreography, Oniros Film Awards; Best Film, Los Angeles Film Awards. Dance for Freedom -- First Place Winner of The Dr. David Milch Founda on/ CCNY Short Film Compe on; Another film, Lucid, wri en and directed by Juan Wang has received a Best Film award from The Heibei Television Ar sts Associa on. JRK: What have been some of your most memorable perfor- mances and/or jobs you have had? GA: In my first year in New York, I was able to perform with The Camerata New York Orchestra with a choreography created for me. And a erward, I was able to do two Off-Broad- way musicals. I danced and acted the following year in Sasha Spielvogel's new musical Come Back Once More So I Can Say Goodbye — a celebra on of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. I was featured in my role in Joshua Bergasse's musical A Crossing, per- formed with Barrington Stage Company. And I began to audi on and act with several ac ng companies in New York, where I got to play featured roles. Two different and wonderful parts that jump out at me are Pierre Barillet's Forty Carats, where I play the roman c lead; and in Tina Howe's Museum. My comic turn in that play got me other comic roles, one which I just did in a new play called Sheila's Best Friend Max, where I pay a ro- bot lover. JRK: What are you more pas- sionate about? Ac ng or dance? Or do you have an equal affinity for both? GA: I love both! My profes- sional career began as a danc- er in Brazil and I was lucky to have had success performing with an integrated dance com- pany ANDEF for several years, and then again in Chicago with Momenta, another integrated dance company. It was very challenging and so incred- ibly rewarding dancing with people in wheelchairs. JRK: Coming off a horrendous 4 years in terms of how immigrants have been treated by the former administra on, what were some of the things that pained you the most being an immigrant yourself, and listening to some of the not-so-nice things about those coming from foreign lands? GA: I'm not going to deny that living through four years of the past administra on was extremely pain- ful on many levels. To be in a country where the pres- ident spoke in the most disparag- ing terms about immigrants was heartbreaking. I was in the streets when it was announced that Biden had won the elec on and the feeling of re- lief and jubila on was felt all over the city and the country with peo- ple cheering in the streets. It was wonderful! JRK: What kind of support sys- tems were you able to tap into a er arriving here that helped you through the struggles and challenges you faced, and do you s ll rely on some of those support sys- tems? GA: Most important, I was able to develop friend- ships with kind and suppor ve people—many of whom, older and wiser than I, had been in profes- sional theater and dance. I have friends who per- formed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in film, and on TV. They've taught me so much about the business side of "show business." It's not just about honing your skills as an actor or dancer but also learning to be a good businessperson as you navigate a career in the arts. 6 | Diversity Rules Magazine | Mar 2021

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