The first thing that hits you when you meet Sofia Alixandra, is her striking natural beauty and toned physique. Perfectly cast as the aerial acrobatic “Princess” in Son Amar’s 2023 show Ohalá, this is Sofia’s first full season with the Company. From the moment Sofia first visited Mallorca on holiday many years ago, she has felt deeply connected to the island’s energy, its people and open culture are not dissimilar to her native Portugal. It is more than a happy coincidence that she is now back for a full season.
Sofia’s gymnastic career began at age 6, when she tagged along with her elder sister and joined a local club. She didn’t find it particularly easy at first and despite her attempts to drop out, she was encouraged by her mother to stick with it. It was the right choice and before long Sofia was successfully competing in national events. Throughout her teenage years Sofia’s consistent training and determination, resulted in a World ranking of #2 and approval to compete in the World Games. Sofia also went on to study Physical Education at college and soon decided that performance acrobatics would be more rewarding than competing. The rest as they say is history.
The dedication and hard work put in as a child has certainly paid dividends and given Sofia the innate discipline needed to be creative and committed in such a demanding role. Two hours daily training is the norm, either at Son Amar, or sometimes at home. She prefers to train solo, as her unusual routine and extraordinary flexibility attracts a little unwanted attention in public gyms. The routine varies, but consistency is key regardless of how she is feeling. Sometimes she concentrates on her flexibility, sometimes on a particular muscle group, and often she just hangs upside down in a handstand… for an aerial acrobat, balance is everything.
Sofia is excited about her role as the Princess and describes the Ohalá story as a traditional fairy tale with a twist. After all, this Princess is an acrobat! Her role as a flyer in the team involves a lot of discipline, courage, bravery and above all trust. To be able to balance, jump and fly through the air with grace and ease, mental maturity is essential.
Aware of her position as a role model to young impressionable audience members, Sofia is acutely mindful of positive body image and as a healthy energetic young woman of 27, she interacts with them as much as possible to make them feel special and involved.
When she isn’t performing at Son Amar, Sofia lives in Palma and spends much of her day either training or walking Tissot, her 1 year old Chihuahua (Tissot often joins her at work but is yet to display any acrobatic talent). When her schedule permits, of course Sofia enjoys everything that Mallorca has to offer. She adores the beach and makes the most of the beautiful countryside, which she claims is very reminiscent of Lisbon where she grew up.
Ohalá opens on Saturday, June 3 and runs throughout the summer until September. You can find out more about the show and book your tickets online at www.sonamar.com
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