take the road with us
FOUNDERS
NURIA MARTINEZ
Nuria Martinez was born in Spain. Her first training in Ballet was received at the Madrid’s National School of Ballet under the direction of Maya Plisetskaya. Nuria completed a Dance Diploma at the Laban Center in London and the Merce Cunningham Studio in NYC with various fellowships from the Spanish Ministry of Culture and the Cunningham Studio. She also completed music and piano studies at a proficient level.
Ms. Martinez has performed a wide range of world dance approaches in NYC and Europe including those of choreographers working in various modern dance techniques, Afro Cuban dance, Tango, and musical theatre. Her first international appearance was at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the production of “West Side Story”. In NYC, she performed as a modern dancer for the Dance on Camera Film Festival, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, and the NY State Theater. In 2004, Ms. Martínez became an apprentice for Jennifer Muller/The Works and a highlighted dancer of the Washington National Opera. She has appeared in theater as a dancer/actress in off-Broadway productions, the Midtown International Theater Festival, and at the Cherry Lane Theater, in NYC.
In 2005, Nuria Martinez began to study Tango professionally with Armando Orzuza, achieving an important place in the professional tango world. To the precious and valuable experience of learning, sharing and dancing with Armando, she also brings in to her work the vast previous knowledge and performing experience, as well as the inspiration gathered from concepts by Graciela Gonzalez and Rodolfo Dinzel after her first trip and stay in Buenos Aires in the year 2007.
As a Tango dancer she appeared in numerous shows in the US, Europe, and Argentina such as: “Jazz at Lincoln Center” with Avantango, “Cuartetango”, “Tango Fusion”, “Y Borges Cuenta Que…” directed by Luis Bacalov, “We” with Jon Secada in the Broadway-style show directed by Neil Goldberg, “Tango Nuevo Cabaret”, “C’est Rouge” directed by Blanca Li, “Once Upon a Tango”, “Tango Maestro”, and “Baires Tango”, directed by Armando Orzuza & Nuria Martinez.
Ms. Martinez has also appeared in documentaries, theater, film and TV in Spain and The United States. She has taught Master Classes to professional dancers at prestigious dance schools in Spain and at the London Contemporary School, and has served as an invited juror at the Carmen Senra annual choreographic showcase in Madrid.
Ms. Martinez has extensive experience conducting Arts in Education programs in the New York City and Miami public school systems. She has designed and implemented dance curriculum for PreK-8 and after school programs; conducted professional development workshops; auditioned, trained, and mentored new teaching artists; coordinated administrative aspects during implementation of the dance programs; collected and analyzed data. Ms. Martinez designed the "College for Teens" Dance & Culture Program at LaGuardia Community College, NY. The curriculum was based on the theme of conflict resolution in connection with the theatre program. Ms. Martinez collaborated with a variety of teaching artists specializing in mask making, puppetry, visual arts and music to integrate dance & creative movement in their residencies.
Ms. Martinez served as a peer advisory panelist and as mentor for the "Parents as Arts Partners" grant program. Duties included identifying weaknesses and strengths in the proposed program activities in order to facilitate successful implementation of the program. In this role, she also evaluated and scored grant proposals, conducted site visits to establish compliance and reported on implementation of the funded programs.
Ms. Martínez graduated at Empire State College with a BA in Dance and Education.
"The Road To The Arts represents for me the culmination of my almost 35 year career as an Argentine tango dancer. I feel that I can pour all my knowledge and experience into this project. As an artist, the road we take at times is not that easy, but nevertheless is amazing. I can identify what an artist feels and needs. The Road to the Arts will serve as a conduit to make a difference in the lives of many artists. This is why I am very grateful to be part of this journey". Armando Orzuza.
Armando Orzuza was born in "La Boca", a suburb of Buenos Aires, known as the birthplace of Argentine Tango. His first professional contact with Tango was at the age of fourteen as a sound technician for a tangueria (Tango dance hall) in Buenos Aires. This enriching experience surrounded him with the foremost dancers, singers and orchestras of the Tango world.
Ten years later, he began to study Tango himself. Armando learned to dance from the original milongueros and began his professional career in 1990 with Daniela Arcuri.
As dancer, Armando performed in the Broadway show “Tango Passion”; in promotion for the album "Tango" by Julio Iglesias; Jazz at Lincoln Center with Avantango and Cuartetango; “Tango Fusion”; the opera “Y Borges Cuenta Que…” directed by Luis Bacalov; the Broadway-style show “We” with Jon Secada, directed by Neil Goldberg; “Tango Nuevo Cabaret”; “C’est Rouge” directed by Blanca Li; “Once Upon a Tango”; “Tango Maestro”, and “Baires Tango”, directed by Armando Orzuza & Nuria Martinez.
As dance consultant and choreographer, he worked in Alan Parker’s movie "Evita", and in Madonna’s 2004 “Re-invention” touring show. Armando also appeared as principal dancer in the movie “Assassination Tango” directed by Robert Duvall.
Mr. Orzuza has self-produced “Tangoing” in the West Coast, “Tango, the Show” in USA and Japan, and coordinated and supervised the recording of the double CD album of “Quilombo” in Buenos Aires in 2016. He has performed and taught tango at tango festivals, public and private events, cultural organizations, embassies, consulates, schools, universities, and theaters, throughout Europe, Japan, South America and the United States.
