Born in Bahia, Brazil, João began dancing at age 12. He continued his training at Escola de Dança Alice Arja in Rio de Janeiro and later joined Cia de Ballet do Rio de Janeiro, performing principal and soloist roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Carnival of the Animals.
At 17, João moved to the U.S. to study at Miami City Ballet School, where he made his debut with the company shortly after in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He was a member of Collage Dance Collective for four years and has also collaborated with Dance Theatre of Harlem. His career has taken him to major stages across the U.S., including The Kennedy Center and Jacob’s Pillow.
He has worked with renowned choreographers such as Camille A. Brown, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Amy Hall Garner, Hope Boykin, Durante Verzola, and Christopher Huggins. His work has been featured in Folha de S. Paulo, Pointe Magazine, The Commercial Appeal, Correio, and on Brazil’s biggest national television network, Globo.
