Born in Lisbon where she began her ballet studies with Wanda Ribeiro da Silva and later with Maria Antónia Luna Andermatt, Margarida Sá Fialho completed her training at the Teatro Guaríia, Curitiba, Brasil, with Carlos Trincheiras and Jair Morais, and also at Studio D with Hugo Delavalle.

In 1980, having gained her degree in Psychology at the Universidade Catolica do Paraná, Curitiba, she travelled to New York to study at the American Ballet Theatre with Leon Danielan, Michel Maule, Valentina Pereyalavek and Patricia Wilde. Later that year she studied at the Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey Dance Centre and with David Howard.

Returning to Brazil, Margarida Sá Fialho attended courses at Ballet Dalal Achcar, Rio de Janeiro, Ballet Stagium, Sao Paulo, and danced with Studio D.

She returned to Portugal to join the Companhia Nacional de Bailado and since 1983 has taught children and students in the Colegio Valsassina, at the School of the Companhia de Dança de Lisboa and in many schools in the Lisbon area.

In 1999 she completed her degree in Dance Education at the Escola Superior de Dança and in 2001 opened Dance etc…., her own integrated Dance School in Lisbon.

Today, as National Administrator for the Royal Academy of Dance, Margarida Sá Fialho is responsible for the implementation of the Royal Academy’s dance teaching and examining programmes in Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.

Having begun his career with the Grupo de Bailados Verde Gaio it was in the Grands Ballets Canadiennes that Armando Jorge – under the influence of some of the most prestigious ballet masters and choreographers – secured his place as a leading dancer accomplished at interpreting a wide variety of rôles such as Albrecht, Siegfried, Petruschka or as the Poet in LES SYLPHIDES in addition to much of the Balanchine repertoire.

As a member of the Ballet Gulbenkian and respected by both the public and critics, he undertook further training in the area of artistic direction under Maurice Béjart in 1976.

Ending his career as a dancer and following a year in which he co-directed the Ballet Jazz de Montréal, he participated in the creation of the Companhia Nacional de Bailado, in Lisbon, and in 1978, became its artistic director

His renown as a theatrical producer was confirmed by his full-length versions of classics (Nutcracker, Swan Lake) as well as by his interest in teaching at the Centro de Formação de Bailarinos. Armando Jorge’s choreographies such as Canto da Solidão, Diálogos ou Carmina Burana, reveal deep creativity, as well as an innate aestheticism and vision.

From 1982 onwards, as an artistic director and independent producer he has been responsible for bringing to Portugal established International Ballet and Opera Companies for performances in the Coliseus de Lisboa and Porto. He has been a member of the international jury for competitions in VARNA and LUXEMBURG.

For services rendered to the culture of his country, in 1983, Armando Jorge was made an Oficial da Ordem Militar de Sant'Iago da Espada.

  Other awards: 

• Press Awards for best male dancer in 1969 e 1973. 
• Nova-Gente Trophy for best choreography in 1982. 
• Honorary Citizen -Alabama USA em 1965. 
• Portuguese Red Cross Medal - 1985. 
• Gold Municipal Medal of Merit – C.M. Sintra 2001.