Fanio Reveals What Most Dancers Get WRONG About Kizomba | Footwork, Musicality & Semba

TAKEAWAYS

• Fanio started dancing despite his father's initial disapproval.

• He developed his footwork skills through observation and practice.

• Teaching Kizomba requires adapting to different skill levels in classes.

• Competitions helped Fanio grow as a dancer and performer.

• Cultural exchange is vital for the global Kizomba community.

• Fanio emphasizes the importance of basics in Kizomba dancing.

• He believes in the power of community and family in dance events.

• Fanio's festivals aim to bring Angolan culture to Europe.

• He acknowledges the influence of his ex-partner in his journey.

• Kizomba allows for self-expression and overcoming shyness.

SOUNDBITES

"I was just flying."

"It's easier to teach tricks, lifts. It's easier."

"The basics are fundamental."

"I want to build something for me."

"I think they should be an African country."

"I want to leave something for Kizomba."

TRANSCRIPT

speaker-0 (00:00)

Hello, Kizomba friends. It's Victor here from the Kizomba Conversations Podcast. I am in Belgium and I am at Kizomba Treats. And I've bumped into somebody you may know, well you may not know, but some of some of you will definitely know. Kizomba teacher Fanio. Fanio how are you?

speaker-1 (00:15)

Yes. How are you

doing bro? Perfect bro. I'm blessed.

speaker-0 (00:20)

I'm

blessed and I'm very happy to have you here and meet you here at Kizomba Treat thank you. Fanio, you are super dancer, right? I'm not saying this to boost your ego, but we see the work that you've done, we see your footwork, which we're gonna talk about very, very, very soon. All right. And I just want people to find out about you and know you, okay? So we're here, we've got some viewers, some listeners.

And obviously, you know, you're from Angola, the birthplace of Kizomba. We want to find out a little bit about your story while we're here. So it's great that I'm here at a festival, but I get to, you know, get the time to speak to you while we're here. So I'm happy that you agreed. Yeah?

speaker-1 (00:58)

Okay, bro.

speaker-0 (01:00)

Okay, so Fanio, listen, for some people who don't know you, okay, you know, they they they don't they don't know you, all right? So I want you to tell the people who is Fanio. Give us a little bit about your your background.

speaker-1 (01:13)

It's rough because the list is too big. Yeah. But so my name is Epifanio, the Araujo. I'm a dancer teacher and now I'm organizing events in Lisbon Tukina Lisboa and the other one in Poland. huh. Vamos festival.

I think maybe for fourteen, fifteen years ago. And yeah. that is how it is.

speaker-0 (01:37)

That's

it, yeah? So I've been dancing for fourteen years.

speaker-1 (01:42)

more or less. 'Cause I did put in my notes when I start but yeah. Between fifteen fourteen. Fourteen. It is a long time.

speaker-0 (01:50)

Yeah. So that's a long time. A long time.

So take us back then to when you started dancing and why you even got into dancing in the f irst the first place.

speaker-1 (02:00)

so this isn't a funny story because my father is I mean African father they are strict, you know? And my father is not a part of that. And we need to study more than use the art to live. And when I started dancing it was a big big problem with my father because African parents and father they saw they watched the art like not good things for the future. Yeah.

And I started dancing, I was I don't know I'm not gonna say my age but teenager. Yeah. Yeah. And so I was in my door, like in Africa we used to sit outside of the street and I was there's a nice song behind my my house. And then I just would go there and saw people dancing and so wow it's very nice. The funny story is that I couldn't dance little. I started dancing with a

with a a guy, a man, for three months in a whole I couldn't dance nothing. But when I get it, when I catch, I was just flying. Yeah. Yeah. And when my father heard that, I have stopped. It was a big deal at home. I stopped dancing for a minimum two years. And then we made a deal. Okay. If you're gonna go so good school you can dance.

minimum points because in Angola from zero to twenty you should have fourteen each test in in your school and then you can dance. What have to do if I at the moment I will start to be addicted in Kizomba. I say okay dear and I was studying and dancing because I was good student at school. I mean I'm not that intelligent guy but I was doing my best efforts because

I was addicted at Kizomba. I mean I'm still addicted. But at the moment it was like kind of new and I want to do that. So since then until now, you know, he not support like you know African. Yes. Just okay, okay, okay, okay, go. But not like something that he's supporting. He wants me to be an engineer. At l at least now I'm an engineer. I mean I made two things. I did my father dreams.

I made it and then I'm following my dreams that teaching Kizomba, being a promoter and also working in IT area.

speaker-0 (04:31)

So you live in the dream.

speaker-1 (04:33)

yeah. I think I prefer I prefer sleep more than dance.

speaker-0 (04:39)

Fair enough. Okay, so you're okay, great story. So your dad, is he happy with what you're doing now?

speaker-1 (04:44)

Now he's happy because at the end of the the line they just want you to be someone in the future. Successful. Successful one. Yeah. And happy person. I'm happy. Yeah.

speaker-0 (04:56)

Fantastic,

fantastic. And I just wanna take you back very, very quickly. So you said you saw that dance school and you were like, Wow. So what was it about the dance that caught you? What was it that you was like, wow?

speaker-1 (05:08)

You know, since the beginning because I wasn't not go out often, the kind of position was something that whoa how can how can them like dancing but they they are not like messing up nothing. They are following each other from kind of and the music bro, forget it. The music is the best things in this

Yeah. Semba and Kizomba bro. I was wow. Yeah. I mean I hear that because we have a lot of influence of music in Angola, Kassav Yeah. And I hear that, but I I I never tried dance before. It was my first time there.

speaker-0 (05:44)

Yeah, no, I get it.

speaker-1 (05:45)

And I was my gosh, it's perfect.

speaker-0 (05:48)

Yeah,

it's it's interesting because I before Kizomba I was into salsa. And I remember when I first got into salsa, a friend told me about it and I'm like, Salsa, what what is salsa? Right. But when I saw the the the guys with the ladies in terms of the way they control the way they move and the precision and just like that's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. So I totally get it I totally get it. and now, because if I'm not mistaken, all right, you were quite shy, is that correct?

speaker-1 (06:17)

Yes. When you younger? Yes. I have it too. Yeah. I have it to me, myself and I. Yes. I have a funny guy and I have Epifanio. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's not like a double personality, but I think I need to be aware from Kizomba Semba. Yeah. When I'm not doing that. Yeah. I'm a bit shy.

speaker-0 (06:39)

Okay, so a bit shy. So you've gone from that to now, I see you teaching yesterday. It's completely gone. The shy is gone, right? But then also I want to talk to you about your your footwork. because you're known now for your skills on the dance floor, especially around footwork, some of

speaker-1 (06:53)

Yeah.

speaker-0 (06:53)

the stuff that you teach. Yeah. But what I'm interested in is because I mean I really I am I'm not a gifted dancer, you know. I learn to dance. I'm I'm still on that journey, so I I understand it, right, where you're coming from. So because you said you couldn't dance, you never danced before.

What was it like going from not being so good to now being a master of of of footwork? What was that journey like?

speaker-1 (07:18)

this is so I don't know that I'm I'm that good. Okay. Well so for me it's kind of new. Yeah. but yeah, let's try to create like a a small stories. Yes. Yeah. Time timeline. Yeah. yeah, 'cause I'm shy. I don't know the right word attentive, observe. Okay, yeah. Yes, I'm almost in the corner.

reading the the sign and because of that I learned I can I mean I have a lot of guys that I'm following. Yeah and each of them they have something different and was I just catch. Something here, something here, something here and then I create my own style. And I say that I would say that there is one Kizomba and Semba as a dance.

the normal layer level and there is footwork and musicality. The second thing. Second thing. And just special people, people with

great skills yeah they can do that yeah and yeah because I think I have a good peers I like music music mostly Kizomba and Semba and also Zouk and I said that why not different why dance in the way all of people dance why can I not try to play more with my feet and try to somehow

synchronize with the drums and so and the instrument of the music and I said no let me try that not because I I I born like that no because I have a lot of influences. Yeah. And then think that I was catching they made me maybe if you you gonna ask which are those guys I can tell you. yeah and so I since then I cannot dance differently. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

speaker-0 (09:22)

It

was really about your observation skills. People

speaker-1 (09:24)

I'm scared people.

Yeah. And want to make the difference. Yeah. Between the others. Not feeling special but not do the same thing that all of people do. Yeah, absolutely. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah.

speaker-0 (09:38)

100%. And then what I was saying before about me not not not necessarily being a good dancer, because you travel all around Europe, right? or around the world, I guess. and you teach, right? So when you see someone who's not so, you know, who's struggling, yeah, you can identify that, but obviously because of your observation skills. But how do you get those people to kind of grow, especially if they're in a class setting? Is there something that you do to, you know

kind of calm them down or because you knew you were there before or do you just adapt to the situation?

speaker-1 (10:12)

Yeah, we are talking about workshop workshop, yeah.

speaker-0 (10:16)

Because some people will come in and they're not you know, they're not great or they would have been like me and you maybe when we were starting and a little bit scared. Because

speaker-1 (10:23)

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

speaker-0 (10:24)

the reason why I'm asking you is because you're so good at footwork now and you come from a place where you weren't. Yeah. So you can identify those kind of people. So it's more about, you know, how do you get them to to to be better is my

speaker-1 (10:34)

I have a saying that no, I think at workshops is not the right place to learn how to dance. It's more to get tips. Yes. Small tips and okay there is people that they want to learn how to dance at workshop but it's rough because we are running with the time, an hour to do everything. and the other thing is there is up mostly open level.

they are not in the same level. Yeah. So we as a professor, as a teacher, we need to to create the class to fit in all of people in the class. So that why is kind of we are struggling to teach this most specific things during the workshop. I t I thought you were there yesterday and you saw how I was yeah

fighting with you guys and pushing you to that. It's not easy because we are running with the time and I want you at least to learn something. it's not easy. That I my advisement to those people that they want to be good in footworking on musicality. They they might attend or weekly classes or privately classes with people that they they have like

Actually that's

speaker-0 (11:56)

Sure.

speaker-1 (11:56)

relationship or they they can influence you with this at workshop is kind of not not impossible. Yes. But it's rough to to do that. But yeah, we have also people that they came to the class with a lot of skills, but if you count in one hundred people d during the class, it's what two guys, four ladies, and so we cannot just

teach them. We need to create like it one thing that is fitting in all of room for all of the students. But it's not impossible but I think it's not the right place. Environment to learn how to do that.

speaker-0 (12:43)

So for those people who are a little bit challenged like myself, more so I would say private classes is where you're gonna learn most of the most private What No, that's

speaker-1 (12:50)

Or weekly classes. Yeah.

speaker-0 (12:54)

cool. Gonna talk about the competitions that you had now, yeah. So between twenty eleven and twenty seventeen, you completed in some national competition in Angola, right? Yep. You came second place one year, I think was it fourth place another year, then back to second.

Yeah, all right. So doing all those things, because obviously in Angola there's pressure when you're doing that the dancing at the that Semba at that at that at that level. Yeah. what did that teach you about dancing at that level?

speaker-1 (13:25)

Uh-huh. So maybe I need to to d to say something before Yeah, sure. Okay, if you want I forgot two things. Yeah. Being in a team, on a group dance and competing is gonna also help you as a dancer. Yeah. Because you there you have a goal. Yeah. When you have a goal, you you are always like fighting each day to get there. Yeah.

And this happened while we are in the group dancing or while we are competing. And thanks God I had I I mean, I have those things during my process. Yeah. And I still have. I I mean I I'm not competing anymore. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. But it was something like that. in Angola we we didn't dance to be commercial. Yes. Before before it was passionate. Yes. It was like we we want to.

We start dance at six pm just to to tell you at till ten, ten, eleven. From Monday to Monday. Monday.

speaker-0 (14:32)

It's Monday.

speaker-1 (14:32)

No no no break. And for what? To perform end of the year December in your sister on my on in my aunt's wedding. Yeah. You're training like from January to December. Yeah to perform just one day a choreo. Imagine how men

Practising you had for January to December. Because we didn't have a lot of events to showing to show us. Yeah, this is the one thing. The the competition, the your question. it was kind of trends back in the days of Facebook, Instagram w they weren't work they they were the way they are working right now. Yeah. And people to know you you n you

you should be in this environment is yeah and this contest this competition w was like creating the ranking of who is the best dancer of the year or of each neighborhood. Yeah. Yeah and all of dancers from Angola and mostly Luanda we get there

To get knowing, is it no knowledge. No not not knowledge, but to be familiar. Visible to when I went there my first time it was funny because I never tried before and I was there, okay, okay. I'm I'm blessed. I'm tall guy. Yeah. I'm blessed, I'm tall. And when you tall, people can see you.

But I wasn't in the level at the moment. I found a lot of good dancer. Bonifacio was at the moment. A lot of good dancer. Bonifacio, Dilson Kizomba and so on. And I said, okay, I lost, but I learned. Yeah. And I was one year not competing. Yeah. And 2013 I come back. And I lost again. I lose, is it?

speaker-0 (16:41)

Yes, yeah.

speaker-1 (16:42)

That's fine. Yeah. And I say, okay, I need to change something. Yeah. I said, no, let me create one thing that they are not doing. And what I what I was doing, that moment I start with musicality. Beautiful. I was no, let me put in the steps, the movements, yeah, between the drums, or I create like a sample to identify what if I'm doing something more more expressive.

In the music might be something like that. And so that moment until twenty seventeen when I quit I was always in the five in top five of dance of the years. It's not it's not it's not easy. Yeah. Yeah.

speaker-0 (17:28)

Congratulations.

speaker-1 (17:29)

Yeah. And from fourteen fourteen I was vice champion. Fifteenth I was fourth.

And 16 and 17 I was also vice champion. And just let you know if you are in in the top for five years, it's that you you are growing. Yes. Because each year new dancers are coming and I think it makes me grow, it make it make me create my image because competing all of this you know to be in the top what what is yeah.

And I said that if somehow I would won of twenty fourteen, Fanio would just die there. Yeah. Losing things does mean that you you you don't you will not be someone in the future. Yeah. Maybe losing is the way to teach you how to

speaker-0 (18:27)

Be better.

speaker-1 (18:28)

be better. Yeah. And it was something that I said, maybe it was nice not

be a champion because I know enough champions saw that champions but I know enough champions that they are not in the dancing anymore. Yeah. Or they are dancing but they have not that export like people most of the people dancing like now with this hype they weren't champion. I know two guys Bonifacio and Ary Maura. Yeah they they won and they're still in this thing.

speaker-0 (18:59)

Doing their thing.

speaker-1 (19:00)

Yeah. Yeah.

speaker-0 (19:01)

And I think what you say, well, first of all, congratulations for doing all of that. Like you say, being in the top five consistency consistently is not easy. Really not easy. Not easy at all. So that's number one. And then number two, the fact that you're you're learning from, yes, everybody wants to win, and you know, we want to win, that's fine, right? But there's always a lesson somewhere. All right. And it's about how you take that lesson and what you do with it. And that's the most important thing in terms of what you're doing with it. Thank

speaker-1 (19:26)

Yeah.

speaker-0 (19:26)

you. And you know.

Getting that to people. So it's great to hear that, you know, you obviously you didn't you well you didn't win, but you didn't let it let get you down. You used it for positivity. Yeah if that makes sense. And this is where you this is where you are now. So that's that's great. That's great. so I want to talk to you about. since we're talking about your skill here, talk to you about your when you teach in Europe and around the world, right? And obviously we know that you're Angolan and we know that Kizomba comes from Angola, what are some of the

What are some of the things that you think people around the world struggle with when it comes to learning Semba and Kizomba? So I'm talking about things like, you know, is it weight transfer? Is it Ginga? Is it anything in particular do you think that most people have a have an issue with? because everybody's different, but it's there one thing that you

speaker-1 (20:15)

Sorry. Yep. I have to say that it's easier to teach tricks, lifts. It's easier. It's easier. Easier? If you cannot dance, if I teach you tricks or lift, you're gonna do that. Because it doesn't require skills.

speaker-0 (20:32)

Yes. Okay.

speaker-1 (20:33)

Yeah, but it's rough difficult, hard, the basics. And what the basic? What the basic well done? Trying for your weight. Yeah.

The doing just walking into the rhythm of the songs. And know how to break down and not just break down, how to get back in the rhythm when you get down for the rhythm. Do you know what I mean? 100%. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This is the worst thing because the music they're not the the normal way the

the music construct building is it? Yes, yeah construction. Yeah. The music is is mostly using Angola instruments, you know. And if you have no bad memory with the music, if you have no approach with the music, if you never hear that before, it's going to be hard to get in. Yes. So doing the basic things and

Try to dance in our own music It's the most difficult thing. Yeah, it's rough, bro. And let me tell you, not even every Angola they can dance, just to let you that let you know. But yeah, but it's less difficult to from people that they never heard Kizomba oe Semba before. Yes. Because their songs is like one, two, one, two, four. We

We have like we have like one and a half, twenty seven you see, one one dot two is our music is is different. Yeah, and it ha requires like board memory or knowing the music to to connect with your yeah your body. It's the basic for me is is fundamental, yes. Yeah yeah.

speaker-0 (22:26)

Absolutely, hundred percent.

so the reason why I'm laughing or smiling so much is because what you're saying is a hundred percent. So when I had my first Kizomba class ever, which was with DJ To' Costa many years ago, believe it or not, right? So that was my very first ever Kizomba lesson, right? And remember I just told you I did salsa before.

Right. So I'm going into Kizomba now because a friend told me I'm doing this new dance, it's called Kizomba. You know, I think you might like it, right? A friend who happens to now be my wife, she told me that, right? So we did the class. And To' Costa, the movement, the basic movement, I I didn't, I couldn't, I couldn't do it. Yeah. Right. And I hated the class. I absolutely hated Kizomba because I was like, I do salsa, I should be able to do this, but no.

No, they're completely different. Because you need to listen more. More. And even to this day, breaking down the even just the basic moves, it's still, I think it's still something people don't do as much. Yep. Regardless of how long you've been dancing. We just had a workshop with To' Costa he just talking about this as well. So I totally understand. Yeah.

speaker-1 (23:38)

You know African dance w they all like came from pushing from the ground and push it for your full body. overseas mostly in Europe they are not like that. Yeah. Yeah. And the connection with the floor that we as an African we we are blessed to have that is something that is missing overseas. Yeah. It's it and it's also something that Kizomba and a lot of

traditional dance from Africa, not just Angola, African general. Require this connection with the floor. Yeah. I was in Australia a couple of months and we are dancing I was teaching them to dance without shoes just to feel your full feet, foot in the floor to to talk. Yeah. We need we need to have like

a great approximity with the floor to to dance because transfer for weight or time thing like that in Angola I know that we don't need that we just walk do that yeah but now when I come here and most of the guys also they notice that we need to explain

telling them, you know that the way you you step here, you cannot like st step and go quickly, you need to transfer for your weight, you need to, you know, shift your weight slowly and so on. This is something that's it look easy but it's not it's

speaker-0 (25:09)

That's what I mean.

speaker-1 (25:11)

it's not easy. Yeah. It's

Classes like that take more time than tricks, lifts and a lot of praise

speaker-0 (25:19)

No, that makes makes

speaker-1 (25:20)

classes.

speaker-0 (25:21)

makes sense. So people if you're what if you're looking at Kizomba Online, especially if you're new, watching or listening and you see it and you think that's easy.

speaker-1 (25:28)

No,

no.

speaker-0 (25:32)

No, that's fantastic. Thank you so much. it's good good for people to know. So listen, you mentioned earlier on about the fact that you founder of Tukina

Festival

speaker-1 (25:41)

Yeah,

speaker-0 (25:42)

and another festival festival in in Warsaw.

speaker-1 (25:47)

Yeah, we're

speaker-0 (25:47)

So talk to us a little bit about Tukina, how you built it and when it's on throughout the year. And what does it mean, Tukina?

speaker-1 (25:55)

it mean vamos dancer plural like let's dance. Yeah. And it was a funny story but still long. I mean I was me and Horacio, Schnaria Lidia and Aurelia Lucas, we belong for a group and then we split, you know conflict interesting and then we split.

Then we create Tukina, We five, has a group team, and then Ary came, came a lot of guys, new people, Maura and so on. And then we build up one of the most competitive groups in Angola. We were not like health competition, yes? With with Fenomensos do Semba Semba from Angola. Yes.

And so somehow life is unpredictable and so we now we are an immigrant overseas. and I'm in Ary and Maura in Lisbon. Yes. And we came here and we saw, okay, so people are invite us to go to their festival. So we have teachers. We we knew or us if he's in USA right now. We are teachers. We are attending their festival has a

attendees or has an artist. Why should we not try to do something with our own brand? Yeah. And well let's try. And we create the first edition. not bad. Okay. And since then we are in the fourth edition. Fantastic. Yeah what's the main goal for us is to bring Angola energy, culture, life smooth and the way we have our parts in Angola

to that side. And our majority strength is the family if is a family event, not just because people are attending the the event because the organizers. We are a family. We we work as a family. This is the main goal of these events. So you were there last year you you have more than sure

or certain to say if it was good or not. Yes. But not lie the don't type. Yeah, and Vamos we is I'm organizing with Justyna Pyras in Poland. I say okay I have Tukina Group and we have Tukina Lisboa event is is different. Tukina group is the group

Tukina Lisboa event is part of member for Tukina organizing Tukina Lisboa. And I said no. And what about me? I have nothing, man. I not to be selfish, but I I want to build something for you. With my for me. I said let me try something I was make researching. I said no. Back to basic with Katty was summer was last year and I said no, let me catch these dates.

I talk with the lady, so you know what? I wanna catch catch dates. I wanna something for me in Poland. And she said it's okay. And I said, Justyna, so I want to learn something in Poland. What you think? no, is it good, it's good, it's good. No. Now it's not just me. My thing is also with Justyna. But I feel it's is something that a part of of Tukina where it can be something that look more

like Fanio things. Yes. Yeah, even that I'm working with Justyna so Yeah yeah no but and the the difference between Tukina and Vamos is the same thing like I want to people to know Vamos like when they get there they saw fun they see Fanio. And when they get to Tukina they say Fanio plus Ary plus Maura plus the team. Yeah. Just to separate the things. It's kind of rough, difficult

People to separate that because I'm between yeah. Yeah.

speaker-0 (30:10)

Absolutely. Yeah, going forward. So a couple of things. first of all, yes, it was good. It was a great festival. That's that's number one. All right. So people check out Tukina. twenty twenty six.

speaker-1 (30:23)

No yeah twenty twenty six December. December was no no eleven for fourteenth. Okay.

speaker-0 (30:26)

Alright, so check that one out. Okay. In in l

in Lisbon. Very, very good. All right. and yeah, I think what you're doing with that festival and Vamos you're bringing Angolan culture to the to Europe, right? That's part of the mission. So we wanna we wanna embrace that as well. So that that's fan that's fantastic. So okay. and the the in Poland the level of dancing is quite high, right?

speaker-1 (30:50)

Yeah. Yeah. For me it's one of the best places to dance Kizomba. Yeah. I can tell. And most of the guys they can tell that. Yeah.

speaker-0 (30:58)

What

do think they have? What's their source in in their source? But what's the magic formula in

speaker-1 (31:03)

I think they have kind of similar culture like Angola. Yes. And also their in the Independence day is the same with Angola, 11th of November. right. Yeah is is yeah. And I don't know they I think they should be an I don't know if I can say that. A black country because Bro the way they dance

Yeah. Mostly white guys. Yeah. But white, no, no mix white people dancing like like they are an African. Yeah. They can dance. The guys they follow, they can dance in the embrace. They are not putting limitation in what they want to learn. Yeah, and I love Be there.

speaker-0 (31:49)

Good. No, because I've heard lots of good things about Poland. I've never I've never actually been there to to dance, but I respect the dancing. And obviously if you're saying that as well, then must be great.

speaker-1 (31:58)

Yeah, it is. Yeah. They are they are great bro and they are

Respectful. Yeah. Of course they are always misunderstanding because it's not belong to them, but those that they are doing yeah the thing, they are embracing the culture like it's belong to them. Yeah. With both hands.

speaker-0 (32:15)

hands taking it on. Yeah. It must be good for you as well, it must be good for Angola. It must be really nice for you to see not not even just Poland but the world taking on Kizomba. Yep. I mean how does that feel coming from Angola yourself?

speaker-1 (32:31)

I think dunno I don't know if I'm proud or if I'm

I need to tell them that I I need to clap them, s say it louder, so congralulations because they are respecting the culture of one country. If you if you have this kind of

speaker-0 (32:57)

Respect.

speaker-1 (32:57)

respect of the culture you it's talk more about you than yeah than what you are. Yeah. Yeah.

We know that there is people that they are not respecting Kizomba or Semba, so we cannot we can we can't hide that. Yes. But the way they embrace this is like yeah, they respect the culture of the people. And the culture is the soul of one is the soul of one I don't know how it in English, my gosh. But it's the soul of the country. Yes. If you don't respect that, you are

speaker-0 (33:33)

Well you're disrespecting it then basically or you're not you know

Yes

speaker-1 (33:35)

You are not

speaker-0 (33:36)

not in not sincere you know I mean basically Yeah no

speaker-1 (33:39)

Yeah is yeah.

speaker-0 (33:41)

that that's that's beautiful Fanio thank you very much so just for you then two things two things what do you want I know you're still on your journey and that's great to see but what do you want to leave behind? Look, you're not you're not you're not you're still here, right? But I'm just talking about your legacy.

When people hear hear the name or you know, maybe one day you you you stop doing this, right? But what what do you want to create for for for for Kizomba?

speaker-1 (34:13)

You know what I mean? this kind of interview is kind of you know, you you want you want to bring me problem, bro. Sorry for that. I think you know what my saying is people they tell they used to tell me that. I think I'm the one that's is influencing more more the new generation of Kizomba. Okay. Most of the new generation of Kizomba in Angola, they use

my videos they use the way I dance and so on to create their brand. Even the way they are performing, you say, no, this is something final this it's final is final things

speaker-0 (34:51)

Okay.

speaker-1 (34:53)

it means that I'm doing I was doing everything, I'm still doing a great job job. Yeah. it's not easier to influence someone. Yeah. It's not easy. Yeah. But I don't want to be the one that is with this kind of capital era that's

Fanio screw up no I won't say that. Faniol adds new things to the Kizomba and Semba scene. Not just in Angola but to the world.

speaker-0 (35:19)

Fantastic. That's fantastic. And I think you're on track to get that. A hundred percent. And I can see that happening. No problem, man. No problem. So listen bro, listen.

I I don't know, I just wanna ask go back and just ask I wanna ask you a question about the shy guy, the person who did couldn't dance. What do you say to that person now? Or what would you say to that person now?

speaker-1 (35:42)

Thank you Kizomba. Thank you Kizomba. Kizomba change me a lot. For two things. I can express myself. The thing that I cannot say I I I say it while I'm dancing. Is it

speaker-0 (35:58)

That's beautiful.

speaker-1 (36:01)

maybe that shy guy is a extroverted guy if you see me dancing. Maybe this is my real me.

Yeah. And thank you, Kizomba. Thanks a lot. Yeah. And because you are teaching you cannot be shy. Yes. Yeah. This dark energy is not good to bring to the class. Yeah. And I get used to to not be shy during the class. Yeah. But of course there is a moment that I yeah I prefer to be more in my corner.

speaker-0 (36:35)

Yeah, absolutely.

speaker-1 (36:35)

But in this environment I'm not pretending to be w someone that I'm not.

Yeah. But I cannot be shy because Kizomba is not about shyness. It's about happiness, it's about socializing, socializing, it's about sharing stuff and people want to know things from you. Yeah. And if you close your f your resemblance like Ancani, they cannot approach you to get information. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, this is one thing that I'm I'm doing often.

And I'll say that once I put my feet out of my room, I'm an artist. I'm a final, I'm a professor, I'm the promoter. When I'm stepping back, you have the time. I have my my time.

speaker-0 (37:23)

Absolutely. No. Beautiful man. I just want to say by the way, it's still okay to be shy. Shy is fine. But what we're talking about here is just being approachable in all that kind of stuff. Yeah because you're, you know, in an environment where people need to speak to you. Yep. So deep down you can all, you know, it's fine. That makes sense, all right. So Fanio where can people tell them and where they can find you in terms of Facebook, Instagram, your socials, all that kind of stuff?

speaker-1 (37:47)

Yeah my social medias I have three. Yeah my Facebook is Fanio de Araujo . My Instagram is also Fanio de Araujo And I have also TikTok. TikTok as well. Fanio de Araujo Yeah. If you want to follow my events, my Instagram Tukina Lisboa. Yeah. Or Vamos Festival in Instagram.

speaker-0 (38:10)

Fantastic. Listen, bro, thank you very much. Thank you. Been an honor to have you here. I'm gonna keep watching your work, coming to your festivals

speaker-1 (38:18)

Can I say something just because close? So actually you're not dancing for a while but my ex-partner, Cinara Xavier, they also helped to build this fanio that is now traveling around. Yeah. Because we were this competition was often always with her. Yeah. The way I grow, she grew also with me. We we helped

each each other. I cannot just tell us I was working alone 'cause it's not true. Yeah. Thank you Cinara for helping me and I wish you all the best in your life.

speaker-0 (38:54)

Yeah. Thank you. All right. Fanio Thank you, bro. Yeah. Thank you very much for joining us. And I'm you know we wish you all the best. All right.

speaker-1 (39:00)

Obrigado.

speaker-0 (39:03)

Everyone, thank you for tuning in. Make sure you check out Fanio on his socials, right? Like I always say, keep dancing and we'll see you on the next one.

speaker-1 (39:10)

Ella bye bye Thank you bro.