Sonjé Mayo is a Classical Pilates instructor, former professional dancer, choreographer, and physical therapist whose work has spanned dance, rehabilitation, and movement education for more than five decades. Born in South Africa in 1945, Sonjé began studying classical ballet at the age of four before later earning her physical therapy certification from the University of Cape Town.

Her professional dance career took her to London and eventually New York City, where she studied jazz dance with Luigi and contemporary dance at the Martha Graham School. It was through Martha Graham that Sonjé was introduced to Joseph Pilates and began studying directly with Joseph Pilates, Clara Pilates, and Romana Kryzanowska during the mid-1960s. Those years working with Joe Pilates profoundly shaped her future approach to movement and teaching.

During her years in New York, Sonjé performed in television, theater, and commercial productions and danced with the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. Inspired by her experiences in the United States, she returned to South Africa in 1972 and founded JAZZART, the country’s first multi-racial modern dance company. Through her groundbreaking choreography and fusion of contemporary dance with African movement influences, Sonjé became internationally recognized while using dance as a powerful artistic response to Apartheid.

After relocating to Nashville in 1995, Sonjé transitioned fully back into Pilates and completed certifications through both Power Pilates and Peak Pilates. She later expanded her rehabilitative expertise through advanced certification in the Schroth Best Practice Method for scoliosis treatment in Germany and the United States. Today, she is widely respected for her ability to combine Classical Pilates, rehabilitation, and movement science in a deeply individualized way.

Sonjé is the owner of The Pilates Atelier in Nashville and teaches workshops internationally throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, South America, and South Africa. Featured extensively on Pilatesology, she is recognized worldwide for her precision, artistry, and dedication to preserving the authentic Classical Pilates method on Gratz apparatus.