... was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil. She began her dance training in 1966 and moved to New York in 1980 where she studied contemporary dance at the Alvin Ailey Dance Center. She was a member of the Terra Cia de Danca Company in Brazil before accepting an invitation from Susanne Linke in 1985 to attend the Folkwang Academy in Essen. Following an engagement as dancer and choreographic assistant with the "Tanztheater Christine Brunel" company in Essen, she created three productions in collaboration with fellow Brazilian dancer and choreographer, Simonne Rorato, which were performed in Germany and oversees. She produced her first solo choreography "Saudades" in 1996 followed by "Puls" in 1997 and "Caminhos" in 1998. In 1999 Sayonara Pereira was engaged as a guest teacher with the Mark Sieczkarek Company in Essen and Neuer Tanz in Düsseldorf and, sponsored by the Goethe Institute Porto Alegro, the Kulturbüro Essen and Performing Arts Fund e.V, produced and presented her first ensemble choreography entitled "Caledoscopia das Aguas" in co-operation with "Terpsi Teatro de Danca" in Brazil. This year she has choreographed two new works, "Chun" and "Briefwechsel", in collaboration with Simonne Rorato.