Dancer and choreographer of international renown, Pampa Cortés, "whose experience puts him in the same class as the great maestros of Argentine dance…" (Danza Hoy), hails from the Argentine province of Santiago del Estero. At age 15, he embarked on a professional career that has spanned five decades and on which he draws to create dance magic all over the world.

Cortés initially studied and performed with master folk dancers such as Mario Machaco y Norma Rey, the Malón Ballet, and with Santiago Ayala "El Chúcaro" and Norma Viola, the creators of modern folkoric stage performance. As a member of the Victor Rayo Ballet, he performed in the movie "El Pájaro Loco" with the great Toro Santiageño. He partnered Celia Queiros in her famous company for two years. With his own company Ballet Pampa, he was invited to present in the most prestigious folkloric festival in Argentina at Cosquín, performing to great acclaim. He has worked alongside such folkloric music greats Los Chalchaleros, Los Fronterisos, Horacio Guaraní, y los Hermanos Abalos.

While in his twenties, Pampa was invited to dance in the famous tango Ballet of Juan Carlos Copes. He performed for six years and achieving the post of assistant choreographer. He directed the folkloric & tango company that performed for Argentine TV's "Grandes Valores del Tango". His tango credits include roles in the best houses in Buenos Aires: La Ventana, El Viejo Almacén, Taconeando, La Carreta, Caño 14, and as principal dancer at La Casa de Carlos Gardel. He has worked with many masters of tango music including Alfredo De Angeles, Horacio Salgán, Libertad Lamarque, Roberto Rufino, Mariano Mores, Los Solistas de D'Arienzo, Carlos Acuña, Roberto Goyeneche, Nely Omar, Sexteto Mayor, Sexteto Canyengue, and Enrique Cadícamo (Carlos Gardel's lyricist).

Cortés brought his formidable dance skills to the United States with the international tour of "Tango Revue" in Miami for which he was choreographer. He then toured the US for more than two years with the stage hit "Forever Tango". Cortés settled in San Francisco, California; founding and directing "Los Tangueros de San Francisco" (tango), and Pampa y Estrellas (malambo). Both groups were audience favorites in the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, the acknowledged leader of ethnic dance presenters in the U.S. He now directs and trains a new generation of young dancers in his reprised group, Ballet Pampa Argentina.

It is in San Francisco, California that Pampa Cortés formed his own company, Tango A Media Luz, through which he presented full-length stage shows in various West Coast cities. Cortés likes to juxtapose the sophisticated tango and the energetic folkloric dances and malambo rhythms to share the multifaceted and rich Argentine spirit. His creations include ¡Así Se Baila el Tango!, ¡Argentina! Tango & Malambos, Destino de Tango, Fantasía Argentina, and in Houston, Texas: "The Americas in Dance & Song". He created works as guest choreographer for Khadra International Dance Theatre and Carolina Lugo's Brisas de España, and for the 2011 San Francisco theater production "Fabulation" as guest choreographer.

Maestro Cortes is Artist in Residence for Tango & More Argentine Dance in San Francisco, California. In collaboration with Tango & More, Cortés hosted his own tango congress in Houston, Texas, May 2010, "Pampa Cortes presents Memorial Day Argentine Tango Festival". Participants from all over the United States studied with top-level faculty from Argentina and the U.S.

Maestro Cortés shares his experience as a performer, choreographer, director, and teacher with audiences and students in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, and in several Central & South American countries. He directed and performed in "Alma de Tango de Pampa Cortes" in Guatemala City for the prestigious ArteCentro Cultural Graciela Andrade de Paiz.

Pampa Cortés' clean footwork and elegant masculinity have inspired thousands of people. Pampa's presence in the international press, his extensive work for Japanese TV, his photos in tango books and on CD covers, including his photo on the back cover of the hit CD "Tango" by Julio Iglesias, have made him recognizable by millions. His long, prosperous career and large body of artistic work confirm Pampa Cortés as a dance legend, who continues to share his love of Argentine dance with the world.

Gigi's brief bio:

Colombian-born Patricia “Gigi” Jensen grew up in Seattle and now lives in the San Francisco, CA area. She has danced Argentine tango for over 14 years with additional studies in other dance disciplines. She has taught Argentine tango for six years in the San Francisco area with her husband, Warren, as a guest lecturer at several universities, and several times in Guatemala as a guest artist. She assists Pampa Cortés teaching weekly classes and in giving guest workshops in Seattle, Portland, Houston, Sacramento, and Santa Barbara.

Ms. Jensen performs in Ballet Pampa Argentina and as Pampa Cortes’ fokloric dance partner. She founded DanzArgentina, a community level performance group, and directed and choreographed her first stage production “Argentina Dances” in January 2009. She created and performs in a program that presents Argentine dance & music programs in schools and senior communities. She founded Tango A Media Luz (1998-2006) with Cortés, and went solo with Tango & More Argentine Dance (2006 to date).

Workshops with Mirabai and Marcelo

Sept 16th-18th

Location: Sonny Newman's Dance Hall