The Evolution of Kizomba: A Journey with World Kizomba Champion Bonifácio Aurio

TAKEAWAYS

• Bonifácio's journey began in Angola, where he developed a passion for dance.

• He transitioned from Kuduru to Kizomba, finding his true calling in dance.

• Winning competitions taught him the importance of preparation and feedback.

• He emphasizes the role of cultural representation in his dance career.

• Bonifácio believes in protecting the authenticity of Kizomba.

• His experiences in Europe shaped his understanding of dance and culture.

• He balances his dance career with his education in international relations.

• Bonifácio's dedication to teaching Kizomba reflects his commitment to his roots.

• He acknowledges the diversity of reasons people engage with Kizomba.

• Misconceptions about Kizomba often arise from a lack of cultural understanding. Kizomba and Semba are deeply rooted in cultural discussions.

• The perception of Kizomba can vary, often seen as sexual.

• Bonifácio emphasizes the importance of understanding dance in context.

• He believes in the power of music to connect people.

• Collaboration in music is about finding the right moment.

• Bonifácio's music often reflects personal experiences and relationships.

• He values the feedback from both critics and fans.

• Life beyond the spotlight is about family and personal connections.

• Bonifácio's son is inspired by his artistic journey.

• Music can be a lifelong pursuit, transcending physical limitations.

TRANSCRIPT

Victor (00:00)

Hello, Kizomba friends and welcome back to another episode of Kizomba Conversations. As always, I'm your host, Victor. Today, I am super excited because we have someone who is a singer, songwriter, dancer, and teacher. All of those things, plus his music is heard all around the world.

and he is an all-round nice guy joining us today. Let's welcome Bonifácio

Bonifácio Aurio (00:29)

Thank you, Victor, for inviting me to Kizomba Conversation. I'm super excited to join you today. And then thank you for the opportunity to be here and talk with the Kizomba community. ⁓

Victor (00:43)

Fantastic. Listen, we're

very excited and thank you for taking your time and for bearing with me as well. And I also want to thank Mr. Miro Kikola for making this happen, obviously putting us in touch and making it happen. So Miro, thank you for that. All right. So listen, let's get straight into it, right? Because we really want to hear from you Bonifácio. We want to hear about your music, your teaching, just your background. And speaking of background, obviously you were born in Angola.

Bonifácio Aurio (00:54)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Victor (01:12)

All right,

you're doing great things across the world now, but tell us a bit about you, your background, especially for people who may not have heard of who you are. Just tell us a bit about who Bonifácio is.

Bonifácio Aurio (01:22)

Yeah.

Basically, Bonifácio is a very common person in Angola. The guy is super. I grow so, so, so ⁓ like happy young guy, very, very happy. was the team leader every single time in my hood, in my place. even very young. used to ⁓

of growing, so push for my friends, really start like closer friends to go to play soccer, to go to the party, to go to different places. I was the head to say, we must do something like this and that, whatever. So yeah, I grew up like to do these kinds of things. And I born specifically in Huambo.

and then is in the center of Angola, stay in the center. And then I moved to Luanda, to the capital, when I was like eight years old. And then I stayed there until I did like 2001. And then I grew up with my parents, especially my mom. Okay, my mom and my ⁓ uncles and aunties. ⁓

I used to go, you know, in Africa we have like a very funny things that when you are a teenager, if you don't go, if you don't accept to go to the church on Sunday or Saturday, your mom is gonna say that you will not eat or you will not do some, you will not go anywhere else, things like that. And I grew up on the church too. And yeah, so, and I...

I get the feeling or the vibe about art when I was teenager too. Like I remember that with my 11, 12 years old, it's when actually I start feeling like ⁓ the art come to my life. And then everything starts with the dance, okay? And after... ⁓

music come later, like many, many years later.

Victor (03:51)

Yeah, no. Great, thank you. Thank you for sharing. Just a question, do you often go back to Angola, the place you were born, and Luanda, you go there often?

Bonifácio Aurio (03:54)

I'm sorry.

Yes, after many years ⁓ living in Europe, even before I used to go, but now I go more because after many years teaching people, sharing my culture outside of my country, I decided to involve or to say to the people that now it's time for people to come to Angola. Not fill Angola with my art, but come to Angola and I do ⁓ now a trip.

OK, in November, I organized a trip to go to the Luanda because of the music and dance, of course. Yeah, I organized a trip to Angola and then I visited Angola many times because it's good always to receive the energy, the power from country. And then I used to go to Angola, yes.

Victor (04:52)

Yes.

100%. Yeah. I visited there last year, May the first time. Absolutely loved it. I'm listening. I'm going to be going back all the time. I know it's mainly for Kizomba, but love Angola, love the people, love the music. So love your country, bro. It's all good. So you mentioned that you, you know, obviously talked about music and dance, right? But you obviously, you love both music and dance. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (04:58)

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's amazing. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Victor (05:21)

But I think that dance is where you first made your name, if I'm not mistaken. So what was it about dance that made you feel like, know what, this is where I belong, maybe. I really like this. Before we all knew you, how did dance draw you in, basically?

Bonifácio Aurio (05:39)

⁓ I think ⁓ everything started with when Kuduro in Angola really started like the dance, the Kuduro dance started growing, started getting bigger and bigger. And then I was the young guy that I used to follow the ten dance and then Kuduro was something that everybody was following. And then I used to join to practicing dancing in my area.

So with my friends and then I started receiving like a very good feedbacks about my style, people enjoying the things that I was doing. And I say, okay, nice, nice. First was kuduro, kuduro, kuduro, kuduro. And after I stopped dancing kuduro. And then I think after a few months ago, someone ⁓ invites me to go to dance with to a wedding of someone.

And then ⁓ I say, don't know, just dance kuduro They say, no, no worry. We're going to teach you how to, we're going to give you a choreographer to dance Afro, ⁓ sorry, Bachata, Salsa, Plena. So we find a person that he was a teacher. He, he teach me how to dance like a Valsa, Bachata, plena to dance in the wedding. And then.

⁓ they challenged us to dance Semba too, to create some Semba choreographer. And on that time, I like, ⁓ I start, I start like, feel like, ⁓ okay. I really like to dance. so I really like to dance and then I will continue practices after the wedding happened. I didn't know if you, if I will be like available to go to another.

wedding, they were going to invite me more or not, I start like, start like, try to figure out how to dance more. And then I was watching, I remember that during the events, parties, whatever, I used to watch people dancing. And then I copy these persons like enough to copy without anything, just watching. And then after I to reproduce what I'm watching.

It's the way that I learned. will see this guy did something down one step that I really enjoy. said, let me, let me try to. And after, many times or reproducing, you do the same things. I started to receive like a good feedback from the people that, wow, you're dancing very well. Your dance is nice. You're, you are dancing very well. But, but, I say me? No. Yes. Yeah. And then since that time.

I never stopped again. I used to dance, dance, dance, dance until I used to dance to my friends. I like to tell this story because it's a real story. I used to represent first my friends because imagine if we went to a party and there is a guy that is a very good dancer from the other, he lives in the other province, what we call province or other part.

Victor (08:31)

Never step back. Wow.

Bonifácio Aurio (09:00)

And then first, me and my friends, used to watching the guy dancing. And then after my friend say, pity boo, attack this guy. I was to represent my friends, like dance for them, to make them to feel very, very proud of me because I represent, because I dance for them and then I dance well. then, know, so like a competition, but in the good.

Victor (09:28)

Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (09:29)

in the good way.

Victor (09:29)

Yeah. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (09:32)

Yeah, and in 2011, after like searching for different school because I used to feel that, okay, I know how to dance, but I want to learn more. I start try to find a different dance school and then I find one. And in one week, the teacher invites me to...

to be a part of the team. I said, no, I came here to learn how one week is enough for me to be part of these teams. I said, don't worry, you are a good dancer, I trust you. And then after the teacher just desist to teach, and then I feel like, oh my God, now I need to stop again. I want to dance, blah, blah. But I was so lucky because on the same dance school,

After the first teacher disappeared on the same dance school, I was come from my college on that time to go home. I crossed the same dance school and then I heard music. I said, what? The teachers come back and they didn't tell me anything. I went to the school and then I see that there is another teacher teaching this. And then I asked him if it was possible for me to join the team. ⁓ He basically said yes.

And then in one month, I start to be part of the team, like to go and dance again to the weddings and birthdays and whatever. say, okay, if people trust me on this week, I'm going to stay and I'm going to do my best. yeah, Okay. And 2011, I discovered the Angolan competition and I say, okay, let me try.

Victor (11:04)

Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (11:11)

I was not ready because I discovered like two or three months before. I was not ready. I just trying to find ⁓ some dance partner to join the event with me. On that time, the name of the girl was Rosa. I asked her to dance with me on the competition. She said, yes, why not? And then we did two careers and we took like four ⁓ place.

the first place. And then I received so many good feedbacks from the even from the competitors that on the next year after in 2012 in this case, I won the competition.

Victor (11:55)

Yeah, and that is great. a number of things that number one, you dance so many different dances, obviously starting with Kuduro, right? That's one. So you're very talented in that area. So that's, that's great. And then obviously doing the competition. Yeah. You said you came forth. Is that correct? Yeah. So you came forth, then you came back. You said, yeah. And you won. Yeah. So my question to you then,

Bonifácio Aurio (12:01)

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Yes, yes.

Victor (12:23)

Coming forth, it's still good, right? But what did that result teach you? Because now you're, you know, what did the result teach you and what did you have to change to come back stronger? Because there had to be something there that you said like, hey, hey, I'm coming back to win that. You know what mean? So what was that?

Bonifácio Aurio (12:39)

Yeah,

yeah. so basically, I say to you, I discovered the competition like two, three months before. And then I was not ready. I was not into it, actually, because I didn't get this time to prepare myself to come for the competition. But ⁓ the things that make me like stay on the competition or try to come back, it was the feedback of everybody there.

So I was new in the community. I used to do it by myself, but inside of the community I was new, because the competition had already started in 2009, 10, 11, like two years before. Many people from the competition, many people from the dancing, they knew the group, like they create a group, they create like a friendship and everything. But I was a new. ⁓

I was new for everything. So on that time, no one knows me, only my colleagues from my dance school. And then even me, think like I was really not ready, but in the middle of 18 people, I took four.

I'm good. I feel like I'm good. I need to come back next year ready to get the first place. And then I prepare. After that, I really prepare myself to like with one year, I focus on the competition. I I go to the competition. I'm going to find a partner because after my partner desist to dance, I find a new one to...

to dance with me and then we had more time to prepare everything. I was really ready for the competition. I the rules. I started creating friends. I had the people that I knew that they are dancers and they have dance schools and everything. Yeah, I prepared more myself in 2012. In 2011 was good.

but I was not like ready to, to, to want the competition.

Victor (14:56)

OK.

And that was just through hard practice, maybe every day. Is that what you did?

Bonifácio Aurio (15:02)

And we used to

think my dance school, used to dance every single day apart of Friday or Saturday. And Sunday, but imagine we dance Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. 34 hours per day.

three, four hours per day. ⁓ So, and then I said, no, but it's very common. This happened in Angola. Every dance, you have like a dance school and then people spend a lot of, now I think they put in more method, like the time, okay, one hour class, two hour class. But before we just used to join the class, we danced with the different partners and three, four, five hours dancing on same spot every day.

So it's like, or you learn, or you learn. You don't have any like excuse.

Victor (15:57)

Yeah,

and that's really great. You got the winning mindset, the dedication, and that's how people get better anyway. I'm just very impressed from going from fourth to number one. that's like focus. So we're getting this, we're attacking this, right? Yeah. then, so talk to us about, Africa Dancer as well. Is that a separate one that you won as well?

Bonifácio Aurio (16:02)

Yeah.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah. Is

the same is the yeah. After won Angolan competition, they said they were and I said they're going ask from the Angolan competition said if you want the Angolan competition, you go automatically to Africa Dancer. OK, you can compete. You can have a like a complete to Africa dancer. And on that time I was on fire. I was so fired, fired, fired.

that I won the Africa Dancer Art too. And it was a very good experience. I was super surprised because I never saw like white people dancing kizomba on that time when I came 2012. I was like, wow, that's amazing. Kizomba is very popular in Europe. Everything was starting because I think the competition Africa Dancer Art starting 2008, okay, 2008.

in 2009, the competition. And then I won 2012, many years after. And then, yeah, it was like a very funny and beautiful moment at the same time.

Victor (17:27)

Yeah. Yeah.

No, great. And well, well done. Well done. All that hard work paid off. So excellent. And then, you know, you're referred to, if I'm not mistaken, right. After all this hard work and everything you're referred to as the eternal Kizomba world champion. Is that correct? Yes. So eternal Kizomba world champion. Right. So that title, you know,

Bonifácio Aurio (17:32)

Thank you.

Move it.

Okay.

Yes. Yes.

Yeah.

Victor (17:51)

Does it feel like a lot of responsibility or pressure to always be perfect? I guess how do you stay grounded a bit? is it too much pressure or are you okay with it now?

Bonifácio Aurio (18:04)

Actually, think I can very, I'm the person that works better with the pressure. That's the thing. And then when I won the world competition of Kizomba Semba on that time, I didn't feel any pressure about anything because I was so young too. And the only thing that I wanted at that time was like enjoy the classes, enjoy the...

Victor (18:13)

Okay. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (18:33)

enjoy dancing, enjoy people talking. It's like, imagine I learned how to speak Spanish and English during the festivals. I never took like classes. never, I know exactly. So I was focused to do everything on the right way. I say, if I want to be, okay, now I want to go on competition. I want the world competition. If I want to be international, I need to learn how to communicate with other people that don't speak Portuguese.

So my first focus was try to learn French because it's like my favorite language, but I couldn't because it's really hard. And then I say, okay, I'm going to English and then English without know anything yet. People came to me to give me like a compliment. mentioned, Boni facio, congratulations, you are good dancer. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. On that time I used to say, thank you, smiling and that's all.

Victor (19:12)

Yeah.

That's all you can say, right?

Bonifácio Aurio (19:34)

Exactly,

because I didn't understand anything that people want to do. they come and blah, blah, blah, blah. And I said, I'm always smiling because what is the words? Nothing. Come on that time. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then I start like talking with more people, like using Google translator. And then in 2013, I started traveling to go to different countries to teach.

And I say, you really need to learn how to speak English. And I just communicate with the people asking like what does it means, what does it mean, blah, blah, blah. And then today I can speak like a normal English. say English for immigrants, not academic English, but you know. Yeah, I try, I try, I try, yeah.

Victor (20:17)

Your English sounds great, much better than my Portuguese, which is very, very poor, poor, But I'm trying. But no,

look, I mean, you sound like someone who's very dedicated and someone who, like you said, you like the pressure, right? So that's what keeps you moving and say, yeah, let's get this, let's do this, or let's learn this, let's do what it is. So that's a good trait to have. And that's a winner's mindset as well. So. ⁓

Bonifácio Aurio (20:32)

Yeah.

Exactly.

Yeah.

Victor (20:46)

Yeah, congratulations on all that, all those achievements so far and keep going, man, keep going. So I want to talk to you then a bit about, you know, coming to, so you talked about, you know, coming from Angola. So is it 2012 that you came to Lisbon? Is that correct? Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (20:48)

Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah.

Yes, yeah, I move.

I'm so sorry, I forgot to respond to the question. So I'm always new. After the Angolan competition, even if I was super young, imagine that I leave my parents' house in Africa. I can say like with the 20 years, I'm super young. with the 20 years.

You used live in my mom's house, but it's normal. It's not like in Europe with the eight years old, 70 years old, you just want to move to your own apartment to live by yourself and by your own. And then without to know anything, ⁓ I asked for the Angolan ⁓ organizer to give me a chance to come back to Europe, to live in Europe, okay?

Victor (21:38)

Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (21:57)

And then without the hesitation, nothing, just believe in me and give me the chance to move to Europe. then I, when I move, I knew my responsibility that, okay, I'm not in my, in my mother's land and I need to do something for me. So I need to buy my own clothes and my shoes, my food and everything. And then, yeah.

Victor (22:12)

Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (22:22)

I gave him like, open his door, he gave me like a house. And then I start like, I was so lucky, like, ⁓ God just say, you need to do something more. And then I started working like on the first months that I moved to Europe. And then I started teaching, I remember Dance Factory is the first dance school that received me to give like classes in Portugal.

Ricardo and Anita, are on that time was like the dance teachers. used to they continue like teaching and yeah, was like very, very, very good. ⁓ And then I'm the oldest, ⁓ the only son of my mom's. OK, but my oldest ⁓ grandson of my ⁓ grandmother, yeah, grandmother and my grandfather. And then I

I have cousins, have a little brother. And then in my mind was like, I need to give you an example for my young generation. I'm the oldest one. And then everything that I did, I was thinking like, I need to do it in the right way. Because I have people to inspire as the oldest one. So basically, I knew what was my responsibility.

And now I know more, because it's not only my youngest brothers and sisters, but it's like people that are inspired by themself on my work.

Victor (24:02)

Yeah, no, that's amazing. And it's great that you took that way. And obviously you're inspiring so many, especially in the family, like you say as well. That's the first thing. But that's good in terms of taking that responsibility, man. it's ⁓ kudos to you, man. Seriously. ⁓ good. Keep inspiring. And one thing that's interesting about you, Bonifácio, you studied international relations and political science. Is that correct? Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (24:08)

Yeah.

Yeah, it's true, it's

Yeah.

Yes, I did.

this is one thing that I promised to my mom that the time that I moved to Angola, to Portugal, I will not just like walk out, like do some bad things or whatever. I promised her that I will finish my university and then I after one year adaptation, one year in Portugal, like I came in 2012.

Victor (24:42)

Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (24:55)

After I get back to Angola and after I to move, I moved to Portugal in 2012. And then I stayed 2012, 2013. I started like traveling, get money. In 2014, I went to university. Yeah. Yeah. Paying everything with the dance. Everything with the, yeah. With the dance. It was a very hard moment of time because

Victor (25:15)

Yeah. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (25:25)

I told you, I'm very young, moved here by myself. I'm the first generation of my family that is immigrant. ⁓ It was very, very hard for me because I didn't get any support from my parents to start or whatever to leave. And then I used to choose, or I traveled to get money, or...

I go to the university and then I finish my school ⁓ very, very late because I must work at same time studying. So that's why it took like a very long time to finish my school, but I finished already. And yeah, it was very, very hard moments like traveling. And then I fly Friday, Friday, I have classes on the university.

Victor (26:13)

Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (26:20)

Come back on Monday, Monday you have a class on the university. If you, if I come back, like my classes was in the morning in on like, if I took a flight from imagine even at the land or UK in the morning, I miss it. My classes too, you know, so I used to miss a lot of classes. Yeah. I mean, I used to miss a lot of classes and everything, but I say, okay, I need to work on same time because if I don't miss class, will not paying my university. will not do anything.

Yeah, Exactly, exactly. Thanks, thanks, thanks, dad. Thanks. I know I do with more time and then before I used to do and then thinking for am I going to finish my university? But but I was worrying about so many things, but.

Victor (26:50)

I was smiling when you were talking because you you're saying you had to go here, you had to go there. And it's like, it's training you for now, right? Because you're all over the place. Because basically, that's what you're doing,

Bonifácio Aurio (27:18)

After finish, I said to myself, now I don't have to worry about anything. So yeah, I can travel more comfortable and everything, but it's not true because after family, ba, life is life.

Victor (27:33)

Hey, it is life, but it's good. it's, I would argue that you're okay and everything's working out basically. So that's the main thing. yeah, yeah, a hundred percent. Okay, listen, Angola, all right. You and people like you that do what you do, artists and everything, it's about being a bit of an ambassador, isn't it? For your country. So, you you teach, you travel, USA, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France.

Bonifácio Aurio (27:36)

It's true.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's true.

Victor (28:03)

You've been to India as well. I'm getting, yeah, yeah, all over the place, right? So when you go to these places, do you feel like you're representing yourself or you're representing Angola? Is there a thing in your mind that you say, right, I'm Angolan, this is the dance, you we've got to do things in a certain way, or I've got to show up in a certain way. Do you see what I mean? Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (28:05)

Yes, yes, true.

Mm-hmm.

So the thing is, as I say, before I used to represent my friends, after, ⁓ and I used to ⁓ feel, think about ⁓ the responsibility that I have ⁓ because of my youngest sisters and brothers. And after I used to think the responsibility about ⁓ sister, brother.

the community that I inspire. And every single moment, I just realized that my responsibility, it was more bigger than my sisters, younger brothers, and friends. I used to think, like, I still think that my responsibility is when I'm dancing, it's not only me dancing, it's Angolan dancing, so.

is like a show to everybody that what I'm doing is like, is more than dance, like ⁓ sharing my passion, my culture, the love ⁓ of my country, ⁓ everything that represents Angola. And then it's very funny because many people sometimes they ask me,

So, when I say why you don't dance urban kizz?, I say someone needs to protect Kizomba. So someone needs to protect Semba. Someone needs to protect the culture. And then this person, it's me. I think from, we are talking like about 13 years ago, in the Kizomba scene, I'm one of the oldest.

teacher that keep doing the same that come original from Angola. So because I came from Angola to teach around the world, I'm the one, only one for now that keep like keep doing, but we had ⁓ many others dance teachers, like Adilson, we have now the organizer ⁓ of festival, Gabriel Cabinda. ⁓

There is the... Gabriel Cabrinha was Angolan champion too, Adilson Kizomba was Angolan champion too, but they choose different things to do. I just do Kizomba. So since when I came into today, my study, my everything is about Kizomba. I'm the oldest like a generation that's still doing the same. So, but I say it's because I accepted Kizomba in the good and the bad moments. So...

So I don't take advantage when it's good, okay, I'm there. When it's not good, I'm leaving to do it. No, I'm keeping like a focus and say, let me say grateful for this gift that I have to dance or represent or whatever. I don't know when I took this, but I'm still like sharing with the same patient, okay, to the people that.

came to the Kizomba for the first time. Is this first time they're gonna see me? Okay, Bonfacio is there. I'm still doing the same, exactly the same thing that I used to do before and now with the responsibility, patience, happiness and everything because it's just in me. It's something that is, it's on me. cannot, I cannot change. It's true, it's true.

Victor (32:01)

Yeah, it's part of you, just the way you are really.

So a true ambassador for Kizomba, 100%. And we really appreciate that because we definitely in this day and age need you around for that 100%. All right. And then just thinking about that in terms of what you're talking about around Kizomba, being an ambassador, keeping it true. Just want to talk to you about dancers then, okay?

Bonifácio Aurio (32:15)

Yeah.

Victor (32:30)

So we all, know, everyone who does Kizomba, you know, everybody loves it, right? We love it. And ⁓ you teach workshops around the world. And the question is, in your opinion, what's the biggest difference between someone who just knows how to, well, knows steps, yeah, or someone who truly understands Kizomba and Semba? would you say is the difference between those two? Because people are coming to Kizomba all the time and they've got to be educated on certain things.

Bonifácio Aurio (33:00)

Exactly. ⁓ As I say, when I start dancing, I'm going to bring first my personal example. When I start dancing first, I used to dance with one important thing to represent my friends. I start with my friends, okay? They were the ones that invited me to go to the party to dance, to compete, blah, blah.

I used to represent my friend and then I feel that, okay, I have something to protect my friends, the people that grow up with me. And then just to say what, that many people come to Kizomba for different reasons, okay? So for different reasons, I can say one very important, in Europe it does, okay, you guys, the guys from Europe, they don't have like a...

the same when Kizomba start, imagine that you have to go somewhere to dance with someone that you never saw before. It's like, okay, ⁓ this beautiful girl is there, I'm here, I just can't go there and invite her to dance. And then she will say yes to me. So we find Kizomba at same point bring the opportunity to people

Victor (34:12)

Yeah. Yes.

Bonifácio Aurio (34:22)

to be a little bit more closer. Closer in the sense that they can like chat, sitting, talking, ⁓ engage with different reasons. Kizomba actually gives these reasons. I think dancing in general gives these opportunities to the people. It's like you don't know this person from anywhere, you invite her to dance, you share your passion, your...

You know, and yeah, you can like talk after you can be friends with this person. You can be, it's not like when you go to the office, you have, it's different. You don't have like a body contact. You don't have like a, face, you don't have this kind of things, but then some dances, you have this, this kind of things. And then it is true that people, there is many people when it comes to Kizomba, they don't know anything. They just want to dance to impress to whatever.

But after many, many time in Kizomba scene, after knowing, or befriend of teachers of Kizomba scene, started getting more interested to discover what is behind of the dance, the culture, the food, the everything's involved, the Angolan culture in general.

try to understand a little bit more why people are so happy when they dance. Why? Because people are so happy when they are... Why? And then many people start ⁓ caring about all their things. Like in this case, know or learn more about the Angolan culture. The other people, just like, yeah, find a good girl, a good guy, you know.

Victor (36:15)

Yeah. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (36:20)

So go there with the show that he know how to do some moves. He don't care about culture, but is that okay with respect? Because as I say, in Angola, even in Angola, people used to say, ⁓ you are Angola, you know, everybody in Angola know how to dance. say, that's not true. Not true. So that's not true. Many people go to the party, Kizomba party in Angola, just because he wants to drink.

Victor (36:28)

Yeah.

sure though. Yeah.

Yes. Yep.

Bonifácio Aurio (36:48)

see good girls, good guys, enjoy

the moment. It's the same everywhere. So I don't judge people that just want to get some girlfriends or boyfriends or friends, whatever. ⁓ It's optional. People must really ⁓ decide what they want to do. then I respect, me personally.

Victor (37:12)

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

So the people that want to know more, absolutely, they can go in there and learn more and find out about the history, the culture and all that. Yeah. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (37:21)

Like me, like me. Even

that I knew how to dance by my own, watching people dancing, I tried to find a dance school to learn a little bit more. So to try to understand more what I was doing. I knew that I was dancing, but how I was dancing, why I was dancing, why? So I would, you know.

Victor (37:50)

Yeah. No, 100%.

Bonifácio Aurio (37:51)

When you want

something, want to really figure out how to learn more or follow more or try to understand more ⁓ what you are doing.

Victor (38:02)

Absolutely. It's all about your personal

objectives, your personal passions, whatever it might be. But yeah, everybody has can do what they want. Yeah. So, okay. I think ⁓ some people really go into Kizomba to try and get the essence of it. And some others, you know, like you say, just want to have fun, have a good time and do their thing, which is completely fine. You know what I mean? That's okay. All right then. And in terms of, you know, you teaching just a bit of fun, I just want to find out, you know,

Bonifácio Aurio (38:07)

Exactly.

Exactly, and then he's ticked.

Victor (38:32)

Is there anything that, is there any misconceptions or anything, things that people don't really understand about Kizomba that you've heard before? Especially new people.

Bonifácio Aurio (38:39)

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. So the thing is something that make me feel sad is that people that, for example, they really like Kizomba, they really love Kizomba, they dance Kizomba. And then without to know anything about the culture or even know the culture, they try to impose rules in Kizomba.

They try to say even very, very, I think like a few days ago, I saw a video of a girl to say, now in Kizomba scene, have to boundaries space because if you don't feel comfortable, you must do your body like this. said, In Angola, when we go into dance, when we go on a party to join the party, I don't necessarily need to dance. Listen.

Sitting, drink, talking, a good music, listen to good music, talking with my friends, sitting on my spot, drink my beer, is another way to enjoy the party. Many people you're going to invite today say, no, I don't dance. Is that okay? It's okay to accept that this person don't dance, but he's in Kizomba scene, enjoy watching other people dancing, enjoying himself listening to the music.

Enjoying himself like he drink his beer or his water or whatever. So, but those people don't try to complain about the people that is dancing. If he's more close, if it's more far, dancing is dancing. In Kizomba we don't have like this guy. Oh no, because I feel you too close. No, no, no. It's a close dance. I don't know what you need to go because I need my safe place. Okay, your safe place is sitting watching other people dancing.

Because not everything is sexual. Even that look like doesn't mean that sometimes, okay, I accept that many times there is people that try or try to get some advantage in Kizomba singing. I don't agree with that. But the thing is that the Kizomba Kizomba, Tarraxinha principle is not like this, is this.

And then it's... I used to say, Kizomba, Tarraxinha is the art to seduce the other person when you are dancing. So, okay, we finish our dance. When I finish the dance, the result of this dance, if I'm gonna say, do you wanna talk more or not, it's not my business, you know? It's like, it's something that people might need to try to separate. So...

Don't try to create, okay, imagine, okay, we have now urban kizz come from Kizomba. Before we used to fight a lot, me no, I never liked to fight about these kinds of things because it's like Kizomba is part of culture. It's like, it's not something that you just grow or born from nothing and now is something, no.

I born, I find kizomba. My mom's born, she finds kizomba and semba. My grandpa, know it's part of culture. So it's not something that is gonna die. Even if you die in Europe, in Angola, we'll never die. Because it's a dance culture. It's okay if many other dance coming now beside kizomba and semba. Is that okay? We respect. But when people try...

in Kizomba dance, try to put, okay, for me, the most danger is even me when I'm teaching, I don't say in general, I prefer to speak in my personal experience. And then people say, no, in Kizomba, you must dance like this. No, in my opinion.

I think people must talk more like this because for the people that is come that is new in Kizomba scene, real and we will understand that, okay, this is my teacher's opinions is not in general opinion because the opinions is many people, have a lot of different opinions. Even as, as a Angolan teacher, we have like a different opinions about many things like the steps.

whatever names of the steps, we have different opinions. So I think this is something that I can tell people when you are teaching your student, doesn't matter. It's okay if you want to sell, if you want to show off that you understand very well about the dance, whatever, but don't speak in general. It's better if you say in my opinion and then give your chance for your student after when it...

he learned from you and then if he get more experience like he tried to get more experience to learn from the other teacher don't be confused to say my teacher always say this is the rules because we don't have this rule yet we in Angola we so this year we we had the first ⁓ international blah blah blah kizomba conference where we we we call it the the

⁓ minister of culture, musicians, dancers, people that start studying like ⁓ art and everything to discuss about Kizomba and Semba. Even on this group, we couldn't say this is this, this is that. Imagine like in the country. And then I'm here to say Kizomba is like this, is like that.

the safe distance.

Victor (45:00)

Yeah. So wow, bringing up a lot of discussion, man, even at that level, Okay.

Bonifácio Aurio (45:04)

When

I see this kind of things, give my opinion as with the old respect of every single time. it's like, is that okay if you are afraid of something's happened to you? But these bad things doesn't happen only in Kizomba scene. It's everywhere, everywhere. And then we have like a specific places to manifest ⁓ our, how can I say that? Discontentment, our...

Victor (45:33)

Yeah,

just content,

Bonifácio Aurio (45:34)

Yeah,

exactly. So and then we must record or to go to these places to say, I don't like on that, you know, we have like a right place to do these kind of things.

Victor (45:46)

So I think that what you said earlier there, think that, know, especially if somebody's new to Kizomba, misconception is it can be very sexual sometimes when you see it first. Well, depending on what they're watching and who's dancing. Right. But I think what's really important is to understand that I think like what you were saying, it's you have to get close. That's if you're going to tango, you have to be close. Right.

Bonifácio Aurio (46:02)

Exactly.

But that's

true, but we have one important thing. Tarraxinha is a very sexual dance.

Victor (46:20)

Yes, that's a different thing. Yeah, completely. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (46:22)

but the problem is when we dance Kizomba, we have some parts that we have like a moment that the music is break and then as a dancer is gonna cause you that moment that you have to be more closer to try to enjoy dancing more softly. this, that means that you have to involve all two.

be with the person that you are dancing with doesn't work like that in Angola. That's why it's just a dance. That's why in Angola we used to say you cannot dance in front of your parents because actually before but now we have many videos. will do videos like young people dance in front of grandmother, mother's father. It's like, but

Victor (46:54)

Yes, it's just a dance. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (47:17)

Before, if you danced a Tarraxinha in front of your parents, big problem. Yeah, really change it. You see? Yeah, really change it. But people really need to understand that the dance is like this. And then I say, better for you, don't try it.

Victor (47:22)

Okay. So that's slightly changing then you say slightly changing a little bit. Wow.

Okay, yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (47:45)

⁓ I will try but I don't want to do this. If you try and they do it this way, means that you are not doing it the right way. You see? It's like... I really understand that the sexual part of things for many people is still complicated to accept or understand or blah blah blah. I really understand and I respect that.

Victor (47:55)

Yeah. Get in.

Bonifácio Aurio (48:14)

I disagree that people when you're going to the dance scene, the only go that wants to seduce and feel, you know, I will say, do this with the leg, no respect on this thing. But actually the dance started like this. That's why normally I don't dance the Tarraxinha. My wife can kill me, you know?

Victor (48:24)

Yeah,

Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (48:41)

So

thank you. We wait for Kizomba and semba. And then now we're going to have more problems because the kompa come. I think kompa is more... ⁓ I used to think that the Tarraxinha was dangerous. When I see kompa, I say... ⁓ You see?

Victor (48:46)

I hear you. Yeah. Yeah, I hear you. Yeah. We had a...

⁓ yes.

Well, people love Kompa too, man. So it's again another another topic. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (49:08)

But people will gonna start to complain about the Kompa because it's too close. People is gonna start, no, I didn't like this Kompa with this guy because I feel I've with this girl because I feel it's like now is gonna be a problem. But.

Victor (49:22)

I

will say though that I think some people who are listening to this maybe who are Kompa, ⁓ you know, who dance Kompa, they will say that you can control that though. They can say that you can, you know, you don't have to be close. There's ways that you can dance in Kompa that's not as close. So I will put that there. Am I being naive? I'm sure they will say.

Bonifácio Aurio (49:41)

When I saw first time, Kompa said, what? I used to think that Tarraxinha was like Kompa. Exactly, exactly. So I don't know, because even many people in Kompa, you have like a different type of Kompa too. So I don't know, add the blah, blah. I don't know. ⁓

Victor (49:49)

Okay, all right. Okay, I'll do some more investigations around Compa. Where that at? Compa Conversations. No, I'm joking.

Yes.

Yes, Yeah,

Bonifácio Aurio (50:10)

the scale of, but with compact.

Victor (50:12)

yeah. Something we need to find out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But okay, something you've seen. But I think, so we had a guest before, Tania Mendonca. She said on her episode that if I can't dance the song that I'm dancing to in front of my parents, it's not Kizomba. That's what...

Bonifácio Aurio (50:35)

Exactly.

Victor (50:35)

That's what she was saying. Obviously,

Bonifácio Aurio (50:37)

Yeah.

Victor (50:37)

going more to Tarraxinha. But she said, if I can't feel comfortable doing that with my parents there or dance with them, then that's not Kizomba. You're doing something else. ⁓

Bonifácio Aurio (50:44)

Exactly, exactly.

That's why now I say now things change. So many things change. So many things change because now Kizomba, me, I dance with my mom. I used to dance a lot with my, like do this with my parents. They love to see me dancing. They are so proud of me to do what I'm doing, ⁓ dancing with the people sharing.

Victor (50:52)

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure they are. Yeah,

that's great. That's great. And just a last question on this one. Where do you think Kizomba is going now? Because it's evolved so much, right? It's got so big. But where do you think it's heading in the next few years? then, you know, how can we ensure that we still keep the culture and the roots there? Respect it.

Bonifácio Aurio (51:19)

Yeah.

I don't know because the world is so big, you know, so and then I think that everybody that really loves Kizomba, ⁓ Kizomba and semba, they will try to protect it and stay close to the Kizomba. So ⁓ or even if for example, for example, that everybody ⁓

Okay, no, there is no more events happens festival happens when you learn to enjoy and like something properly You cannot live without these kind of things. So people will remind and listen to music and stay home back dance with these ⁓ Friends boyfriend whatever enjoying the the music and dance on same way so

Now the Kizomba is so big, so big that I really don't know where Kizomba is. Okay, so, but I'm really happy that ⁓ there is a ⁓ very ⁓ original product from Africa, specifically ⁓ Angola, that is in general, like popular everywhere. Because with this,

kizomba that we call it with the opportunity that every ⁓ doesn't matter if he's a european or ⁓ asian or american organizers do open like many doors for ⁓ many people's help as a word many people can get a job as i tell you like i i dance like many

many years since 2012, I started traveling like ⁓ nonstop. And then give me like a chance to be me to continue like enjoy what I like to do. So I think more than criticize more than anything, say like thank you for everybody that even if he's on the big or small scale, keeping like ⁓ put the Kizomba.

on the map, Kizomba on the event, the Kizomba on the hurt of other peoples.

Victor (53:58)

Yep. And, ⁓ that's what we try to do here at Kizomba Conversations. We're trying to share it to as many people as we can. Just let people know about it, get it into the mainstream. ⁓ that's what we want to do anyway. So yeah, all good, man. Well, I hope it goes in the way that it's where it needs. I hope it goes, gets to where it needs to get to in a positive way, basically. Yeah. Okay. Let's talk about singing. Cause you can do that too. I heard somebody told me you can sing.

Bonifácio Aurio (54:05)

That's amazing.

That's amazing. ⁓

Yes, true.

Yes.

Victor (54:28)

Somebody said that, right? So you, am I correct in saying if I've done my research, you've been singing since 2017? Is that roughly about the same time? Yeah. And artists like Yuri Da Cunha, Paulo Flores, ⁓ I believe you like them, take an inspiration from them. But I guess my question is, when did you start to take music seriously? ⁓

Bonifácio Aurio (54:38)

Yes. Stupid.

Yeah.

Victor (54:58)

and say, you know, I think it's time for people to hear my voice now. When did that start?

Bonifácio Aurio (55:03)

It was probably in 2017 because before I used to play, to sing, do just because it was funny. My friend had the studio and then I went there to do blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. But in 2017, I have a friend of mine that is a very good producer and also like a guy that ⁓

Victor (55:20)

You

Bonifácio Aurio (55:31)

He's really my friend and I just like to say, okay, I would like to do something. I asked him, I would like to make one song, to do one song. Can you help me with that? He, without the hesitation, just his name is Lionel, the Doge. He just say, yeah, I can help you. We're gonna do one song. And then when we did this song, ⁓ the name of the song actually is No Ponto.

He just like, ⁓ we made the music. I shared this song with the, on the platforms. made a video clip. did many things with the, with the, with the music, ⁓ that people start to receive my song, the first song very, very well. I receive a lot of good feedbacks. I say.

Really? Okay.

Victor (56:34)

Let's know which song that was, just so we know. Let people know which song that Nupunto, okay.

Bonifácio Aurio (56:36)

Exactly.

And then, yeah, people receive very, very well. the other people criticize me, Bonifácio, you are a teacher, dance teacher, you are like a DJ because I used to be a didn't say this, but so ⁓ you know how to play, know, but you want to do everything, Bonifácio. This song is not good. Blah, blah.

people criticized me in many different ways, but I was focused. I was very focused because ⁓ I took, I received, okay, the message from the other people that say that my music was not good, but I say, okay, I know what I want to do. I will keep like doing my music. And then ⁓ I remember that people that criticized me on the first moment,

Now they made a video dancing my song so proud. I'm happy. Yeah, I'm super happy with this. Yeah. 2017 was the year that I really made my first song. since then, I never stopped sharing at least per year two, three songs.

Victor (57:41)

Always the way.

It's always good when that happens, so good for you. Good for you.

Bonifácio Aurio (58:05)

music is really hard to do. When you work by yourself, it's really, really, really hard. That's why sometimes I collaborate with other people, with the people, organizers that wants to sponsor my video clips, and then I can put like a name and everything on the video and things like that. And because it's not easy to make music, it's really hard.

Victor (58:31)

Well, we appreciate the music that you've made. You've made some great music, right? Some really, really nice songs. And just want to talk a little bit about collaborations, because you've collaborated with a number of artists as well who have been some of your favorite artists or artists that you've collaborated with.

Bonifácio Aurio (58:36)

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah.

I don't want to make anyone jealous. I don't want to make anyone jealous. No, because I accept and I respect that any collaboration or any collab, ⁓ it's for ⁓ one reason. So ⁓ and then in music is I like this kind of things on the music because, ⁓ for example, your favorite music for me is not ⁓

Victor (58:51)

Or maybe you don't want to say, but okay maybe I shouldn't ask that question.

Bonifácio Aurio (59:20)

⁓ Imagine Miro Kikola's favorite songs, you know, so the dynamic is nice because people start to saying this is my favorite song, this is my favorite singer, but not you, they are not talking about the same music that okay, about different music that I had. And for me it's good because means that people can ⁓ really ⁓ enjoy my musics. Doesn't mean if you like more this one than that one, but.

It's still my music and I can have different people enjoy my song.

Victor (59:57)

Yeah, and it's great because you've got Kizomba, you've got Semba, you've got some, know, lots of different kind of elements to your music, which is really, really, really nice. So since you can't, well, I won't say can't, but since we're not going to name names, all right, about favorites, all right, what I'm going to say is that, what I'm going to say is that we had Klaudio Hoshai on our podcast in his episode, right? And all I'm just going to say that it would be fire.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:00:03)

Thank

you

Yeah. Yeah.

Victor (1:00:26)

if you two collaborated on something and put that out. That's what I'm saying.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:00:31)

Yeah, I understand. And then we are talking about something that ⁓ we have. Me and Klaudio, we are very, very close. Actually, we had like a concert today this weekend. This weekend we have a concert together with the live band. So ⁓ we have this plan to do something together. ⁓ for example, this works for me. ⁓ Music is not when we want to do music.

Victor (1:00:42)

Nice. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:01:01)

Music for me always work like with the moment. When the right moment come, you cannot escape. Even if you try to find the skills to don't do it, you will do it. So we are planning to do, we talk about this to do music. We did it, we don't have like a music together, but we collab. We do. I participate for so many shows from Klaudio. He participate so for many shows for me. So.

But we have this, we are just closer. We just have to figure out or to find the right moment or to feel the day that this moment, the moment come and say, hey, let's go to the studio. And that's all.

Victor (1:01:41)

I really respect what you just said there about it's about a feeling it will happen and it will happen. Nature will make it happen. All right.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:01:46)

But the thing

is that it will happen. It will not, no, it will happen. Even me or him, we didn't figure out, we didn't feel or we didn't find a right moment, the right time, the moment to do it, to do this. But it will happen. 100 % sure.

Victor (1:02:06)

Yeah, no, and that's great to hear.

Yeah, because you're both great artists and, you know, it's just a pleasure that we had both of you here. So was great to hear from both of you. So that's cool. And then, OK, one question I want to ask you then is just, you know, was there a moment ever that you thought, OK, I'm not just a dancer who sings, I'm truly an artist. Was there one song that kind of made you feel that way?

I don't know.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:02:37)

No, I feel this every single time when I'm on stage. Because even if it's to teach or to sing, because I don't want to say my personality change. But when I went to stage, when I'm on stage, I understand my, how can I say that in the right way, my responsibility.

Victor (1:02:41)

Okay.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:03:06)

to the people that is in front of me or to listen to me or to dance or to watch me dancing. So every single moment that I step on stage, people will see me as an artist that I am. So because I will do everything. I don't wanna say 100 % because it's impossible, but 99 % of me, I will give to them.

Victor (1:03:34)

save 1 % for yourself, that's good. And people really appreciate that. So yeah, they really appreciate that. Look, I saw you ⁓ last year, Tukina Festival in Lisbon. Shout out to Fanio and Ary and everybody else at that festival. So I know what you're talking about. You did a performance there, you brung it there. So anyone who's listening, Bonifácio brings it.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:03:36)

Exactly.

Yeah.

Exactly.

Yeah.

Victor (1:04:03)

when he comes on the stage. So you'll

Bonifácio Aurio (1:04:04)

Exactly.

Victor (1:04:05)

hear that a hundred percent. So that was good. So then when you're creating music, okay. When it happens, are you trying to create songs that, know, destroy the dance floor, know, songs that really get people moving or are you trying to make songs that are a bit more love, songs that make you feel honest about you or is there a balance of both? What are you going for more?

Bonifácio Aurio (1:04:08)

Yeah.

Because I really, the fact that I had before is to people separate Bonifácio as a dancer and as a musician. The thing is that I think I did this very, very well. And normally I don't feel comfortable to play my songs during my classes, my workshops, because I don't want people to like my songs because it's

It's me teaching. I'm the teacher or friend and then they must. Yeah. So on this case, I don't use my songs or my music to teach on the class because I want to people like my music because it's a music to listen even if I'm not there. Even if I'm not there to say no, to make feel pressure and then first you see, must listen, play. No, I made a music for people listen. So for me, OK, there is a moment that I said I'm going to make plays

Victor (1:05:04)

Okay. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:05:30)

make music for people to dance, but most of the time I make a song for people to listen. So they will need to make a decision if they will dance or sitting and then just listen because of the message of the music. And then normally I don't think about dance floor. think to make music for people to enjoy. Yeah.

Victor (1:05:55)

Beautiful, beautiful, yeah,

beautiful man. Yeah, beautiful. And look, you got on Spotify or YouTube or whatever, you've got a number of songs over the years, ⁓ such as Faz De Mim Du Mim, you've got other songs going on. One popular song that I like of yours, I mean, I like a lot of them, but one I really like is Casamento. Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:06:03)

It's true.

Yeah.

As I'm, ⁓ you see?

Victor (1:06:19)

So

the reason I like Casamento is if I'm not mistaken, the song is about, well, marriage, yeah? Love, romance, all those wonderful things. And I'm thinking, so I'm a lover of love. I love love, I love romance, I love people getting together. It's nice, yeah? I really, really, really like that. And I'm thinking that you may be some of the same too, because some of your songs are

Bonifácio Aurio (1:06:25)

Wedding. Marriage. Love. Exactly. It's true.

Victor (1:06:46)

they have that kind of So that particular song, Casamento, what was the inspiration for that song? Okay, of course.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:06:53)

It's my wife. ⁓

I made this song when it was very close to do ⁓ a traditional wedding that we call it Alambamento in Angola. And then I say I need to make a song for her to surprise her and everything. So this song, I did thinking ⁓ her. So basically I... ⁓

we had like our relationship seven years far away from each other. And then I on this song, I also tell that ⁓ I wrote like the part that ⁓ the way that is sometimes really hard to have a very far relationship. Like she was in Angola, I was here. So I put all those feelings.

on the music. apart that I promised her that we're marry one day, I say so I respect that we are so far. But even like that, I'm really happy to be in this relationship to stay with you because it's different. It's beautiful. It's magical.

Victor (1:08:16)

Like I said, I knew a similar, it's about love, about the romance, but similar man, you got that, and you can sing to your wife. Damn, I'm jealous, man. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. But she, that's beautiful, right? That's great. And that song is always there. It's always there whenever she hears it. It's there. That's for you. Yeah. That's for my missus. So.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:08:20)

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, it's true. Yeah.

I did. think in 2019 or 17, I did this too. I think 2017, 18, probably.

Victor (1:08:46)

Yeah, it's a beautiful song.

I really, really like it. You got others as well, but that's one because of the theme and what it's talking about. Yeah. Okay. So when the music stops, festivals are done. No traveling, no teaching. Who is Bonifácio without the spotlight? What keeps you grounded?

Bonifácio Aurio (1:08:53)

Yeah.

Well, now.

⁓ I'm a person that really don't like to go out nights and things like that when I'm not working. But sometimes because of dynamic of life, wife, I need to create some dynamics. But normally I'm the person that likes to stay home, watching games. Okay. Barcelona, Benfica, ⁓ Netflix.

⁓ whatever, stand and don't move. Eating. Now I get a new patient to go to the gym, something that new for me. yeah, I don't, regularly I don't go, I don't like really to go to parties. I know in Lisbon you have a party Monday into Monday, but I don't like to go out every time.

So I really go if it's some friend's birthday, something when it's a special occasion, I really go out. But apart of that, no. So, okay, I go to support my friend Miro Kikola when he can to go to play in Quito. go if I go to play where I go because I need to support my friends. But I'm a person that like to go shopping. Okay. Even poor, but you know, like to go shopping, walking around with the mic.

Victor (1:10:31)

you

Bonifácio Aurio (1:10:36)

my artist, my wife, we like to go in different places. And yeah, normal person, normal person. ⁓ I'm the guy that like to call my friends too. When I really like somebody I really care, I talk with this person every single time. ⁓ We shot a lot. I'm a friend of my friends actually.

Victor (1:10:58)

Beautiful man.

Excellent. And you mentioned

your son there. your favorite, yeah, of all I was going to say, mean, does he love what daddy does?

Bonifácio Aurio (1:11:08)

Yeah, my favorite artist, yeah.

in my case is different. My son is really connected to me. It's like, I don't try to influence him to do anything, but what he saw from me, what he see from me, he tried to reproduce. He tried.

Victor (1:11:33)

Well he's got that gene

right like you you you watch you do he's probably gonna have the same thing

Bonifácio Aurio (1:11:39)

Exactly,

exactly. People feel like, no, this is not possible. It's not possible. But actually it's like, yeah, it's like to sing, it's like to dance, it's like to pretend that he's a DJ. It's like, yeah, he does so many things.

Victor (1:11:48)

You

Okay.

I've seen a few images of ⁓ videos on Instagram that you post sometimes of him. So he's very, very, very cute, man. Yeah. So I'm going to wait and get some lessons from him as he, well, I can get some lessons from him even when he's young. So it's all cool. I'll wait a little bit. Absolutely. Okay, man. Well, look, a couple of things, right? If you could go back to your younger self, yeah, before everything, what kind of advice would you give that person?

Bonifácio Aurio (1:12:03)

Exactly. Yeah, exactly.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, it's coming. It's coming.

Victor (1:12:28)

That version of you.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:12:31)

To be strong ⁓ because ⁓ life is magic ⁓ but at the same point it's really hard but with courage it's possible to support. Say thanks to the bad moments and also say thanks to the good moments.

to understand this is gonna make you feel like, it's gonna make you feel more, ⁓ more strong and powerful.

Victor (1:13:10)

So that's beautiful. And what I've done there is given you some free advice for your son. So he can watch this back and listen to that advice you gave yourself and apply it to him as well. So you're welcome. ⁓

Bonifácio Aurio (1:13:26)

For sure. Thank

you. Thank you. Yeah, that's nice. That's nice.

Victor (1:13:31)

I'm just teasing but no great great great great advice man, but listen

Bonifácio What is there any way we can't let you be on here that doing a little bit of a song is that possible? That you can sing a few little little thing for some people listening and watching here Not on your okay

Bonifácio Aurio (1:13:44)

Yes.

Why not?

No, no, no, no, no. I'm going to perform. I'm going to just put the beat, the beat and I think it's going to be better if you can be, ⁓ yeah. Yes. ⁓

Victor (1:13:56)

Okay, alright.

Don't worry. So we get an exclusive here, everyone from Bonifácio is doing

a live for us. This is beautiful.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:14:06)

I want to perform my new song, the song that I released a few months ago in December. They call it Confesso. I confess.

I never heard that.

Victor (1:14:23)

I can ya.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:14:25)

Is that my voice soaking too? Okay. ⁓ Yeah ⁓

Victor (1:14:27)

Yeah, this is cool.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:14:54)

These are moments that give us suspense, strengthen our love. And I didn't say it was just love. And baby I confess that these are moments that give us suspense, that strengthen our love. And I didn't say it was love. And baby I confess, I confess that I don't want to be with anyone else. Only you make me happy.

my God, someone is trying to call me, my mom. I'm sorry, sorry. So guys, can continue listening to the song on the platform. It's on the platform. I'm sorry.

Victor (1:15:29)

No.

I've heard the song bro, I've already listened to it already but listen, thank you so much for giving us that.

No, thank you man, thank you, beautiful. One thing I wanted to ask you actually, is writing just coming from stuff that you see every day, what gives you inspiration just randomly?

Bonifácio Aurio (1:15:44)

Yeah, yeah. Thank you.

think everything around sometimes is at the end of the day is like inspiration for me. Because it can be a personal situation, it can be a situation of someone that you know or it can be like the general problem in the place, in the city. Everything can be like inspirational. So I have one song that I took three years to realize.

Victor (1:16:03)

Yeah, yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:16:26)

For me, the most strong song that I empower, the that I have Raizes. The one that I wrote for my auntie that she passed away in 2011. I promised to myself that one day I will do something. And then this thing I didn't know at that time it was do it will be what. So, and then when I start singing, I realized that, okay, this thing can be a song. And then I wrote a song for her.

Victor (1:16:52)

Beautiful, beautiful man, that's beautiful. So it can be lots of different things that inspires. I very much admire songwriters because I like lyrics. I mean, we love music, we can dance, all that's crazy. But sometimes when you hear music and you listen to what the writer is saying, it makes the song even more powerful. yeah, 100%. Okay, man, listen, thank you so much for that. ⁓ Just before we say goodbye to you, where...

Bonifácio Aurio (1:16:59)

Every

Exactly.

more powerful. That's true. That's true. Yeah, that's true.

Thank you, my friend.

Victor (1:17:20)

Well, what are some other other any projects you're working on that people can find out about you coming up?

Bonifácio Aurio (1:17:26)

Okay so everybody can find me on ⁓ social media my name is the same everywhere Bonifácio Aurio can you see here Bonifácio Aurio my ⁓ Spotify, iTunes, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube it is the same everybody can find me there and I use more my Instagram, TikTok too but I spend a lot of time on Instagram so

So if you want to listen to my singing songs go to iTunes and Spotify. Okay, so all the platforms my songs there and if you wanna see follow my stuff my craziness and my happiness things so Instagram so Instagram and Facebook and yeah

Victor (1:18:13)

Cool, cool. So people make sure you check out this amazing artists songs on those platforms as well. Well, on Spotify and now the other platforms that he mentioned as well. Okay. Yeah. So just before we let you go on Kizomba Conversations, we always do a little bit of fun on the episode, right? And we've changed things slightly around for this year. I changed it around. Normally what happens is I will show you some cards.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:18:23)

Spotify's last year.

huh.

Victor (1:18:42)

There'll be three cards and you pick two, answer them and I pick one. We'll change it slightly this year. And what I've done is I've spoken to people who follow the podcast, who listen to the podcast, who like the podcast, who follow us. And I've spoken to some friends and some people and we're going to be creating questions together. Right. So for our guests, so we know that Bonifácio was coming on today. So I was like, okay, so what are the questions do you think that we should put to him?

And then we create it. We've only got two, so it's all right. Don't panic, right? ⁓ So there were two questions here. You're going to have to answer them both. And these are created by myself and some friends who knew that you were coming on the podcast. So which one do you want to go for first, the top one or the bottom one?

Bonifácio Aurio (1:19:25)

Okay.

We'll start for the first one, why not? Yeah, top one.

Victor (1:19:31)

The top one, Yeah?

Okay, so this question is, now, whew, I even wrote this here. This, I'm gonna let you know, this is a tough question. It's tough, all right?

Bonifácio Aurio (1:19:41)

Okay.

Victor (1:19:44)

Okay, so it says, would you rather never dance kizomba again, yeah, but keep releasing music? Yeah, or dance kizomba forever, but never release another song.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:20:03)

No, that's this one. It's easy. It's easy. I say I like you very well with the pressure. I told you before. So ⁓ basically, ⁓ I still I still dancing to Kizomba ⁓ because I'm giving me everything, even the music. OK, I I still support my music career with the dance. So.

Victor (1:20:05)

yeah, okay

Bonifácio Aurio (1:20:32)

And then I feel that it will come the moment that the dance is going to say, Bonifácio, thank you so much for supporting me, or we support each other. And then my body is going to also say, Bonifácio, ⁓ I really enjoy what you did to me, but I think it's time to start to focus on this or that. Even if it's not the music.

maybe my career and my degree, the university that I did. So I'm ready to receive what the universe has for me. I think music is something that someone can do for a very long time, okay, even if you're not available to walk or whatever. ⁓ Voice is something that is always there to use it. So, and then on this case, I'm really excited for the moment that ⁓

music career is going to replace the dance career.

Victor (1:21:31)

Okay, so you're choosing that you would rather never dance kizomba. Is that what you're saying? That's the one you're choosing, yeah?

Bonifácio Aurio (1:21:37)

Yes, basically,

because Kizomba gave me a lot, a lot, a lot. And then I think maybe this question is the portal for the music. Yes.

Victor (1:21:40)

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay, cool.

Well, I thought that was tough, but hey, you got your reasons, man. So that's cool. All right. No, next one that we came up with. Okay. So what is harder for you? Okay. So which one's the hardest? Is it leading a beginner who thinks they are advanced on the dance floor? So you're leading a beginner and they think they're a little bit better than they are. All right. They think they're advanced. Yeah. Or

Bonifácio Aurio (1:21:53)

Nah, that's good.

Victor (1:22:18)

collaborating in the studio with an artist.

who doesn't listen.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:22:28)

And like collaborate as a musician, as a musician? ⁓ okay. I'm gonna start speaking first with ⁓ the Kizomba dance part. For me, when I find the people that really don't ⁓ really think that they know everything, for me, I feel happy because I try to put the things ⁓ more hard for this person.

Victor (1:22:31)

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:22:58)

to bring him or her to the humble area. So I don't like to be a bad, but I try to challenge this person to let them know that sometimes we just think that we know everything, but things don't work like that. So I put it more harder to this person just to try to help at same way. Okay, so, and then.

Victor (1:23:17)

Yeah.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:23:27)

When I'm going to the studio, I'm very believer. I really like to give ⁓ people a chance to them to do what they like to do. I will do my part. You will do your part. So I will not try to stress you. You like to talk, it's your fault. I say...

Things that I cannot manage, will not take like as a mind. You are the person that I had to complain everything, but this is your problem. It's not my problem. I do my thing. And after you, you, you figure out how to do your stuff, but we need to do that. Do you know that at the end of the day, work needs to, it needs to, to, to, be done. So, ⁓ okay. If you, okay, do it. So it even means something sometimes happen. ⁓

I go to do like a photo shooting or video shooting. My video maker say, but you are certain you accept everything. You don't complain this or that. So you were aware of this. So I need to give you a chance for you to do your art. It's your part. I'm going to sing. You will do like the disturbed board or whatever you're going to shooting. I just need to sing my work here. Sing. You say go to the right. I go to the right. Go to the left. Go to the left at the end of the day. So I believe in you.

And then for me, this is the most important.

Victor (1:24:56)

Yeah, yeah, yep. Okay, so I get it, all right? And then the explanations are there.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:25:01)

Yeah. But

I'm going to the dance because the perception I went to the perception because that that person I can teach him more. can I can I can let her or him understand more because I can actually ⁓ is this and then when I show the other way she's going to say.

Victor (1:25:10)

Okay, okay, excellent.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:25:32)

And then this happened so many times, so I'm going to very short story. Sometimes that I'm going to the, when I'm going some place that they're just playing kizomba or whatever. And then people don't know that I know how to dance. And then I go to invite one person and the person say no. And then after someone that know that I'm dancing, I know how to dance. He came and then he invites me to dance or I invite this person to dance.

Victor (1:25:35)

Yeah, no problem,

Bonifácio Aurio (1:26:00)

And then we danced so well and the person that say no to me is watching me. go normally, I used to say that, go dance in front of this person to give this person a lesson. I dance, dance, dance. And then I know that you can feel that. First she say no, expression, ba-ba in front of her dear friends. And then after you dance very well, she...

the face that was like this ago.

And then you don't go to ask her first. You ask the friend that maybe she comment that you dance with a friend and after, but I go to ask her again, can we dance? And then the answer is different.

Victor (1:26:47)

So

yeah, it's all peace. It's so beautiful. But you know what, man? It's just, well, I'm not gonna say it's good to know, but it's interesting to know that some ladies say no to you as well. I feel a little bit better now, because we get no's all the time.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:26:51)

All when it's

No, of course, many people... Exactly,

I receive many no's. No, no, no, I receive a lot of no's. Yeah, I don't want people to think that they are because it's Bonfiacio. Everybody wants to dance with you. Okay, they like to dance with me when they know that I have something to offer. When they know that I know how to dance, but I receive a lot of no's.

Victor (1:27:05)

Yeah

Well, it's a thing. get yeses as well, but yeah, it's thing. But listen, Bonifácio, I just want to say thank you. Thank you so much for joining us here today on Kizomba Conversations. I mean, you know, there's so much we could talk about, but obviously there's time constraints. So we had to keep the questions in a kind of kind of way, but there's so many things we could touch on, but it's been great to find out about you, your past.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:27:29)

Yeah. ⁓

Victor (1:27:54)

dancing philosophy and you know some stuff around the singing as well and thank you for the song okay hope you've enjoyed yourself as well and everyone make sure you check out well check out where Bonifácio is on his socials check out his music as well and I want to say thank you all for joining us again on Kizomba Conversations as always if you'd like to subscribe please do look out for our next episode and like I always say

Bonifácio Aurio (1:28:11)

Okay.

Victor (1:28:24)

Keep dancing and we'll see you on the dance floor. Peace.

Bonifácio Aurio (1:28:28)

Peace. Thank you, family.