At 25, dancer Gustavo Fagundes, born in the eastern area of São Paulo, became the first Brazilian hired by Universal Studios. After a rigorous selection process, he was selected from 7,000 applicants to join the team of artists at the Beijing, China studios.
At MetropolisesGustavo said he had intended to pursue a career in dance since he was little. As a child, he performed at family parties, school events, neighborhood dance circles and competitions.
“In my memory, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t dancing. When I grew up and first saw Michael Jackson DVDs, I saw the first reference of who I was inside: what I saw on the screen reflected exactly what was happening inside me when the music started. I identified immediately,” he revealed.
In high school, Gustavo had to choose a direction and listened to the advice of an arts teacher who, after realizing his potential, encouraged him to take a technical dance class at Etec De Artes. The dancer admitted that he didn’t do the theoretical part very well, but he passed the practical exam first.
His first contact with a structured body practice came with capoeira, but it was at the church he attended, when he joined the hip-hop group SOG, that he definitively immersed himself in this wave. There, Gustavo discovers the station wagon and begins to tour events, festivals and battles throughout the capital of São Paulo.
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“I have worked on several dance groups, television programs, advertising campaigns, fashion projects, music videos with well-known artists and participated in major events, such as the Copa América 2019,” he said.
The dancer’s international career began when he was hired by the Turkish company Seans Organization, which specialized in recruiting artists for shows in luxury hotels. He then embarked for Egypt, where he worked in seaside resorts.
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Testing for Universal Studios
The selection process to enter Universal Studios was rigorous, involving technical tests, dance and acrobatics assessments, an individual presentation and a full English interview. “It was one of the most competitive of my life. It was a global casting call where more than 7 thousand dancers from all over the world signed up and, in the end, only five men were approved,” he revealed.
According to Gustavo, he also had to introduce himself to several directors, including those at Universal Studios Hollywood – responsible for overall artistic supervision, during a video call.
“When I did this audition, I was very prepared. I already had a professional portfolio, videos, a resume, artistic materials. I didn’t go to the audition improvising. I went there prepared,” he recalls.
The moment he received the email written “Dear Gustavo Fagundes, Congratulations! “, he couldn’t believe it. “A movie played in my head: my childhood, my family, the training, the falls, the travels, everything that brought me there. It wasn’t just an endorsement, it was confirmation that a Brazilian dancer, from the suburbs of São Paulo, had just won a place in one of the biggest entertainment forces in the world. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life,” he told Metropoles.
At the park, Gustavo has participated in productions such as the 2024 Spring Carnival, the 2024 Winter Holiday Christmas Show, and the Universal Halftime Show. The dancer already has a contract renewed for 2026.
“Now consolidated within Universal, my goal is of course to position Brazil as a talent powerhouse, at the center of the global entertainment industry,” he added.