Having lived most of my acting career in Portugal - where the market is quite different - I've had the opportunity to play very different characters, human and otherwise, female and male, adults and children, and of diverse socio-economical backgrounds... in a variety of vehicles.
This has allowed me to develop my range... and have a blast, while at it! :)

In the United States, my focus has been mostly on on-camera work.

I'd say my most relevant "(arche)types" are the CARE-GIVER and the SAGE (mother, nurse, social worker... medical doctor, phychologist... teacher, lawyer...).

And would describe my most marketable characteristics as "empathetic, joyful and intelligent care-giver of strong vulnerability, who can be stubborn and aggressive, at times".

Sandra is a Portuguese actress and former dancer, currently based in NYC.

Between Dance and Acting, she has performed in Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the USA.

Some of her past credits include:

  - Film: shorts and indie features
  - TV, fiction: series, soaps, animation voiceover

 - TV, other: music videos, commercials, show co-hosting (gameshow, variety talkshow), gala performances, talkshow guest appearences.


  - Theatre: 24 productions, including Fool for Love (as May) in Lisbon, and He & She (as She) in NYC.

She's a certified and experienced teacher, with a Licentiate degree in Clinical Psychology.
Sandra has a deep interest in transformation through art, and a profound admiration of "The Innocence Project", with which she hopes to, one day, collaborate.
She's still a proud member of "CDA", the theatre company/cultural association she co-founded/directed, in Portugal (2004-13), where she was also a producer, an occasional writer and director.

The only daughter of two Physical Education teachers, I was born in Nova Lisboa, Angola - a Portuguese colony, at the time.

I was months old when my family returned to Lisbon, Portugal, where I grew up enjoying a (never wealthy, but) happy childhood, in a safe neiborhood where we could smell the ocean, and kids could run free. I had plenty opportunities to scuff my knees and experiment different activities.

 

Having practiced several sports during childhood and teenage years, I was always in love with Dance. At the age of 11-12, I was hired to dance in the Disney feature of a popular Portuguese TV show and, at 18, while in college, auditioned for and obtained a full scholarship at Rui Horta's Dance School, where that same year, I booked a show which became my stepping stone into professional dancing.

 

At the turn of the century, after encouraging words from a director I had worked with (who became a dear friend), I decided to fuel the long-time closeted dream and started studying acting. I became a union-affiliated professional actress in Portugal, in 2003.

 

In order to keep acting instruments sharp, I often go back to class. In 2007, during an "artistic recycling" stay in New York expected to last 6 months, I met my now husband, and stayed two years! We got married in 2011 and lived in different continents until I received my GreenCard and moved back to New York, in 2015.

After settling down and adjusting, I was back to business!!

 

From my diversified training, I highlight the "Professional Fine Arts Training in Theatre" (Hagen Technique, NYC, 2007-2009) and its teachers Carol Rosenfeld, Trudy Steibl, Karen Ludwig, Lorraine Serabian and Austin Pendleton... as well as Marcia Haufrecht, Michael Margotta, Antônio Terra, John Mowat and Van Hansis.

 

Between stage, television and film, Dance and Acting, I was fortunate to perform in Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the USA.

In film, I played the lead in many shorts and participated in three indie features.

In TV, did a variety of fiction and commercial/hosting work.
In theater, was cast in two dozen productions, having been directed by Rasa Allan Kazlas and David Teschendorff (NYC); Antônio Terra, Attílio Riccó, Pedro Pires, Amauri Tangará, Nuno M. Cardoso, Hugo Barreiros and Tiago Torres da Silva (Portugal). I designed the set for and directed the musical "The little lost kitten" (with an adorable 3-5 year-old cast); Created/directed "Não há dois sem três" and "Doze"; And wrote/set-designed/directed the play "Ponto de encontro".

 

With a Licentiate degree in Clinical Psychology and being a certified teacher, I have a deep interest in transformation through art. In Portugal, I taught physical expression and theatrical interpretation, developing artistic and human/social skills ("soft skills").

 

I'm a co-founder of the Portuguese non-for-profit theatre group and cultural association "Companhia de Actores" (CDA). It's my Portuguese "child", born April 2004, which board I integrated from its foundation until 2013, and to which I gave sweat, tears, and I think actually some blood...

It was born from my relationship with Antônio Terra (the visionary and very creative director/set designer/actor, who dreamt it), and motivated by his desire to create his own theatre language, by our love for Theatre and wish to keep developing as artists, and by our dream to use art to change people's lives.

 

Our social work was granted 2 awards: a Merit Award from Oeiras City Hall to the Company; and one from the prestigious Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to that same City Hall, for CDA's "Ampliarte Project - Culture and social intervention", which they supported and of which I am also a co-founder.

(Personally, I deeply care about a few social causes, and whole-heartedly wish to one day collaborate with "The Innocence Project", which work I profoundly admire.)

For CDA, besides performing, I also taught, produced, and dabbled into writing and directing.

 

As the last of the founding members still in the Company, I'm currently far, but never detached. I wish for it to perform in New York and, when it does, hope you'll come see us! Remember that name.  ;-)