Helena Araújo is a performance artist from Rio de Janeiro, currently based in Vienna and Brussels. A lover of plot twists, a clown full of kitsch and bad jokes, and a self-proclaimed professional cry-baby, she makes performances where humour and emotional excess are taken seriously. Rooted in queer auto-ethnography, Helenas practice grows from lived experiences and the somatic wisdom that emerges through reflecting on them. From this place, she explores ways of liquefying classical Western dramaturgies, dissolving normative narratives, and creating spaces where vulnerability, contradiction, and “too muchness” can exist unapologetically. J’adore la Kunst!

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As a cheesy elegant Libra sun with Cancer rising, Helena is a shimmer devotee who loves to please. Alongside working within contemporary art spaces, she also adores entertaining fervent cabaret nights, taking on the roles of host and performer. Through her acts, she plays with presence, connection, and theatricality, allowing different artistic languages to intertwine and unexpected encounters to emerge. The whole package, baby!

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Helena’s works have been presented at Studio Brut (AT), TQW (AT), Beursschouwburg Theatre (BE), Murf/Murw Festival at Schouwburg Tilburg (NL), De Studio (BE), Radiant Nights Festival at DeSingel (BE), Tanzwerkstatt Europa Festival (DE), SESC Pompeia Theatre (BR), De Nieuwe Vorst Theatre (NL), Moving Futures Festival (NL), FDS Festival (CH), Pinkbus Platform (CZ), Anal Pompidou (BE), Paradise Cabaret (IE), and House of Circus Cabaret Night (NL).

In 2024, she received a danceWEB scholarship under the mentorship of Isabel Lewis and was awarded the BMKMWS Startstipendium (AT) and the Huggy Bears residency program to develop her work and it gets better, which has been touring across Europe and Brasil. Her cabaret practice continues as an ongoing investigation.

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As a performer and collaborator, Helena has worked with artists and collectives including TRASH Performance Group (NL), Ivo Dimchev (BG), Renan Martins (DE/BR), Martin Talaga (CZ/SK), and Akemi Takeya (JP/AT). In 2024, she participated in the PARASOL program, working with choreographers Elizabeth Ward (USA/AT) and Ulduz Ahmadzadeh (AT/IR). 

 

Alongside her artistic practice, Helena works as a dance and performance improvisation teacher. She has shared her practice at many places: CAMPO (BE), Oslo National Academy of the Arts (NO), Angewandte (AT), Kulturhaus Brotfabrik (AT), Núcleo 2 at Centro de Artes da Maré (BR), the Master Program at AP School of Arts (AT), DeSingel (BE), Fontys Academy of Circus and Performance Art (NL), Dansverkstaedid (IS), University of Arts in Iceland (IS), and Espaço Mova (BR)