Portuguese actress and former dancer, currently based in NYC.

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

Past credits include:

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

  - TV, other: music videos, commercials, show co-hosting (gameshows, variety talkshows), gala performances,

     talkshow guest appearences.


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

Certified and experienced teacher, with a Licenciate degree in Clinical Psychology.
Deep interest in transformation through art.
Still a proud member of "CDA", the theatre company/cultural association I co-founded/directed, in Portugal (2004-13).
Also: producer and 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, booked a variety stage 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 to study 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, but kept living in different continents. In 2015, I received my GreenCard and moved back to New York.

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 the teachers Carol Rosenfeld, Trudy Steibl, Karen Ludwig, Lorraine Serabian, Marcia Haufrecht, Austin Pendleton, 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 staged 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 and staged/directed the play "Ponto de encontro".

 

With a Licenciate 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 19th 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, our love for Theatre and wish to keep developing as artists, and our dream to use art to change people's lives.

 

Our social work was granted 2 awards: a City Hall merit award for the Company; and for Oeiras City Hall, an award by the prestigious Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, honoring our "Ampliarte Project - Culture and social intervention", of which I am also a co-founder.

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.  ;-)