Pampa Cortés Artist in Residence starting 2009-2012
Dancer and choreographer of international renown, Pampa Cortés continues to seduce audiences in South and North America, Japan and Europe in various stage productions. In the United States, he has often been called the “Fred Astaire of tango” for his charismatic and masculine elegance on stage.

Native of Argentina, Cortés made his professional debut at age 15 in Buenos Aires in the country’s most prestigious folkloric dance companies under the direction of maestros Celia Queiros, Mario Machaco, Santiago Ayala “El Chúcaro”, and in the Malón Ballet. He then was invited to dance in the tango Ballet of Juan Carlos Copes, which he did for six years, ultimately serving as assistant choreographer.

Cortés came to the US with the international tour of the show Tango Revue in Miami for which he was choreographer. He then toured the US for two years with the show Forever Tango, critically acclaimed in Broadway, San Francisco and London. Cortés settled in San Francisco, California, where he founded his own tango dance and production company, Tango A Media Luz, in 1998.

In San Francisco and various other cities of the West Coast, Cortés created and directed several stage shows, including an adaptation of a Borges work. Cortés likes to juxtapose the sophisticated tango and the energetic folkloric dances and malambo rhythms to render the multifaceted and rich Argentine spirit. His creations include ¡Así Se Baila el Tango!,  ¡Argentina! Tango & Malambos, Destino de Tango, and Fantasía Argentina. He created works as guest choreographer for Khadra International Dance Theatre and Carolina Lugo’s Brisas de España, among others.

Pampa Cortés performed in numerous tango venues, stages and television sets in Argentina, working closely with Cadícamo, Pugliese, Salgán, Goyenche, A. De Angelis, Copes & Nieve, to name a few. Throughout his career, his presence in the international press, his extensive work for Japanese TV, his photos in tango books and on CD covers, including Julio Iglesias’  “Tango” CD, confirm Pampa Cortés place as a tango legend.

Maestro Cortés shares his experience as a performer, choreographer, director, and teacher with audiences and students in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Japan, and in several Central & South American countries. He was recently returned to perform and teach in Guatemala City for the prestigious ArteCentro Cultural Graciela Andrade de Paiz.

Find more photos & information about Pampa Cortés, visit his website  www.pampatangosoul.com

Patricia "Gigi" Jensen Director
Colombian born Patricia “Gigi” Jensen has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1980. She began dancing Argentine tango in 1997, studying extensively with Argentine dance star Pampa Cortés. She has also studied w/ Christy Cote, Nora Dinzelbacher, Carlos Rivarola, and Facundo Posadas. She teaches with her husband, Warren, in Oakland.

In 1998, Gigi founded Tango A Media Luz with Pampa Cortés, filling the role of Administrative Director. She is a teaching assistant and translator for Maestro Cortés, a role which has taken her to Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Sacramento, around the Bay Area, and Guatemala. She co-taught w/ Cortés at the 2008 Summer Dance Intensive at Mills College, Oakland, CA. Ms. Jensen has narrated at tango and folkloric performances at the California Academy of Sciences, Mills College, Santa Clara University, and in Bay Area Tango's "Tango in the Square" Union Square.

Mrs. Jensen founded Tango & More – Argentine Dance in 2006. It is fiscally sponsored by World Arts West (San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival). The company produced its first full-length stage show "Argentina Dances" in January 2008.

In July 2007, Ms. Jensen was invited as a guest artist to teach Argentine tango at the Artecentro Cultural Graciela Andrade de Paiz in Guatemala, returning four more times since. She was consultant and performer at Guatemala City’s inaugural Argentine tango milonga, and special guest at La Milonga de Gigi in April 2009. In August 2009 Tango & More returned with the stage show "Alma de Tango de Pampa Cortés" presenting for the prestigious Rotary Club of Guatemala City.

Gigi was a panelist for the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards (2005-2009), works as a consultant for World Arts West, and is a consultant for San Francisco Grants for the Arts. She served on Theatre Bay Area’s CA$H panels for both dance and theatre grants. She has written dance articles for "Danza Hoy" and the “Ballroom Dancer’s Rag”.

Warren Jensen Technical Director
An Oakland native, Warren Jensen fulfills Tango & More's technology needs. His tasks include videotaping company events, creating sales videos, video archival documents, and props for productions. He has twice been awarded Middle School Teacher of the Year by CITEA in California. He teaches tango with his wife, Gigi Jensen.

Warren's email:  Warren@tangoandmore.org

Company Dancers

Brooke Byrne Artistic Director of Khadra International Dance Theatre and a member of Las Estrellas
Juan Orosco Dancer in Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco
Gilma Pereda Dancer & graphic designer

Board of Directors:
Dan Wilson Information Specialist, WestEd
Mark Lemley Manager/Partner, Copy Central, Emeryville

Advisory Board:
Amanda Almonte Board of Directors Vice President, World Arts West
Juan Domínguez Coordinador de Danza, Artecentro Cultural Graciela Andrade de Paiz, Guatemala
David Lincoln King General Manager, Beach Blanket Babylon