Luis Pereyra was born to a humble working-class family, in the province of Santiago del Estero. At the age of five he danced in folk dancing groups. At the age of eleven he made his first professional appearance as a member of the ballet Argentino directed by Mario Machaco and Norma Ré. He made his first appearance on stage at the legendary Caño 14,[1][2] where the famous bandoneón player Aníbal Troilo appeared at the same time. Later Luis Pereyra became a member of the Ballett Salta, directed by Marina and Hugo Jiménez.
Luis Pereyra studied choreography under Maestro Alfredo Caruso direction in Teatro Colón,[3] the opera house of Buenos Aires, and at Escuela Nacional de Danzas. He took studies with renowned maestros such as Santiago Ayala "El Chúcaro",[4][5] Hugo Jiménez, Mario Machaco, Héctor Zaraspe, Irene Acosta, Ana Marini, Vasil Tupin and Mercedes Serrano. His professional education comprises modern dance, classical ballet, jazz dance, folk dances, tap dance and he studied music.
He took part in all of the outstanding tango productions, e.g., Forever Tango,[6] Tango Pasión[7] and – from 1987 to 2000 in the musical Tango Argentino,[8] produced by Claudio Segovia and Héctor Orrezoli. It was here that Luis Pereyra was nominated for the Tony Award[9] He went on tour through the U.S.A., Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Austria, Switzerland and France. In 2001 he danced the solo part in the opera Orestes – Last Tango,[10] directed by choreographer Oscar Araiz, produced on the occasion of WMTF Festival, the Netherlands.[11] In the course of his career he danced on the important stages e.g., Gershwin Theater[12]onBroadway, Théâtre du Châtelet,[13][14] Paris, Aldwych Theatre[15] in London´s West End - where in June 91 Lady Diana assisted the performance,[16] Cologne Philharmonie, Alte Oper in Frankfurt am Main and Deutsches Theater München (Munic). In 1994 he danced for Paramount Pictures and was presented by Al Pacino. In 1995 he danced in the Castro Theater in San Francisco on stage with Robin Williams and Peter Coyote.[17]
Luis Pereyra was invited to Buckingham Palace to show Lady Diana and King Charles III, then Prince Charles, the Tango Argentino. The journalist Colin Wills then published an article in the Sunday Mirror with a photo collage of both couples.[18]
Luis Pereyra´s choreographic work is influenced mainly by his Argentine origin. His works are closely related to popular and folk dances and show a pure choice of elements. His oeuvre is based on his principle: "Unity. What belongs together, should not be separated." He regards the culture of Argentine as a unity, and Tango Argentino as an integral part of Argentine folklore. From his very start he has followed this principle. It is his aim to unite all of Argentine's dances on one stage: Argentine Tango, Chacarera, Milonga, Milonga Sureña ("Souther Milonga"), Zamba, Gato and Malambo, Chamamé just to mention a few of them, being on the same level, in connection with each other and creating a picture of the country Argentine as a whole, as one unity.
Luis Pereyra considers music as genesis of all dance. For this reason he chooses carefully strong and expressive compositions of original Argentine music and cares about authentic instruments, as Bandoneón, Cajas, Bombo, and others.
Tom Noga wrote on 19 August 2004 in Frankfurter Rundschau, German daily paper: "El Sonido de mi Tierra is a revue of dance and music. A declaration of love to Argentine, her people and landscapes."
In most of his productions Luis Pereyra personally takes part as a dancer and musician. Among his last productions you can find Café de los Angelitos – El Tango[19] as well as all of the productions of his music and dance company El Sonido de mi Tierra (The Sound of my Earth).
1986: A todo Tango, with Mariano Mores - Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Mexico
1987–2000: Tango Argentino, Musical by Claudio Segovia and Héctor Orezzoli - USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, The Netherlands and France
2011: Misa Criolla at the Plaza Mayor of Monte Grande Argentina. Choreography, Dance and Percussion. Life transmission on TV by the Argentine channel C5N. Artists: Zamba Quipildor and the Oscar winner Soledad Villamil.[38]
2012: Cronica TV - Argentinisima La Peña de Martin Márbiz Artistic Direction of the TV Programm since 18.3.2012
2012: Carabajalazo in the City Center Rosario
2012: Tango Puro Argentino y más! artistic director, choreographer and artist. Première at the Centro Cultural Borges, Buenos Aires 17 June 2012.[41] Further Tour through Europe, as Berlin Tipizelt, Theaterhaus Stuttgart, Konzerttheater Coesfeld
2014: Festival Cosquin Edition 54. Presentation with the own company El Sonido de mi Tierra.
2014: Performance during the presentation of the book of Nicole Nau Tanze Tango mit dem Leben in the German embassy, Buenos Aires Deutschen Botschaft Buenos Aires. The event was organized by ambassador Graf Bernhard von Waldersee and his wife Gräfin Katerina von Waldersee.
2000: nomination for the Tony Award as best revival of a musical for Tango - Argentino www.ibdb.com[50]
2012: Tango Puro Argentino y Más has been declared as De Interés Cultural by Secretaría de Cultura de la Presidencia de la Nación, Ref.Expete.S.C.Nro 6020/12
2016: His production Vida! Argentino and company El Sonido de mi Tierra is declared as De Alto Interés Artistico y Cultural, Dirección General del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto el día 31 de mayo 2016, NOTA DICUL 273/2016
