Granddaughter of painter Federico Sirigu, as a teenager she Classical ballet at La Scala in Milan in 1980, then moved to Reggio Emilia in 1981 to attend the school of Liliana Cosi and Marinel Stefanescu.

She won a scholarship to Doreen Bird College in London and concurrently released her first character dance instructional video, the result of a collaboration with Russian master Mikhail Berkut.

She found true popularity by participating in the famous pre-evening program Striscia la notizia, filling in as “sexy nurse” for actress Sonia Grey until January 1992 Some of the letters she received were collected in a book, titled You are more beautiful than my goat.

[4] In the same year, a media fight between Cavagna, supported by her manager and then-husband Orlando Portento, and Sabrina Salerno, a singer with whom she had collaborated in her early days, also caused a stir.

[3][5] Following her experience on Striscia la notizia, in June 1992 she also took on the role of valet on the summer vacation TG, hosted by the comedy duo Gigi and Andrea.