ROCÍO DE LOS SANTOS (Giselle). The public and critics world-wide describe Rocío de Los Santos as one of the most remarkable tango dancers who project elegance, subtility, and technique, being able to interpret tango from its traditional essence to its best contemporary expression. At the age of eight she started her artistic preparation in classic dancewith Raquel Rosetti, dancer and professor of the famous Theater Colón inArgentina. Rocío de Los Santos completed her studies of ballet with contemporary dance, theater, jazz, folklore, and corporal expression. Later, the tango managed to catch her attention impelled by a family tradition and soon turned into one of her biggest passions. She participated in different competitions standing out as one of the most awarded in her category. She began her professional career doing performances in recognized tango houses as The Querandi, Piazzolla Tango, Café Tortoni, and Casablanca, among others. Her artistic growth enabled her to work in successful touring companies like Tango Emoción and Tango Fire, whom she worked with for three years, touring in the U.S., Canada, England, Scotland, South Africa,Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, among others. She directed the company Corazon de Tango, performing in South America. She was the protagonist of the show Tango Buenos Aires, touring internationally. In 2003 she was chosen to participate in the acclaimed musical Tanguera, interpreting the main roll. With Tanguera, she has performed at all the important theaters in Argentina and did international tours in Russia, China, Mexico, Germany, and Chile.
OSCAR MARTÍNEZ PEY (Gaudencio) completed his dance and musical training in folklore dance, malambo, and timpani drum at the Instituto de Enseñanza Artística Nativa. He then went on to join the Ballet Argentino Zupay under the direction of Maestro Juan Cáceres and Maestra Elba Maceira. He also received training in classical dance from Carina Pazzaglini and Mónica Souto, jazz dance from Laura Roatta, and vocals from Roxana Fontan. He perfected his skills in tango in master classes led by Celia Blanco at one of the most renowned tango schools in Argentina, the Los Dinzel. In 1997 and 1999 he repeatedly appeared in the revue Supertango in Buenos Aires' oldest tango hall, the Michelangelo. He was awarded with the silver medal at the "Festival International de Danza de los Pirineos y Dijon" for his outstanding performances together with the Grupo Danza Argentina. Furthermore, the musical Tango Caño 14, in which Oscar Martínez Pey embodied a leading role, was honored with the prestigious Estrella del Mar in The category "best musical." He recently increased his dedication to teaching tango, vals und milonga at the schools Viejo Soho and Escuela de Tango Carlos Copello. In 2006, he scintillated in the musical Rojo Tango, which was nominated for the prominent Asociación de Crónistas del Espectáculo prize in The category "best musical." In addition to his engagement for Tanguera as the lead dancer and répétiteur, he was responsible for Tango Connection at the Lincoln Center in New York as choreographer and dancer in 2007.
Tanguera opened on January 8, 2002 at the El Nacional de Buenos Aires Theatre where the most successful musicals in Argentina have been presented. With more than thirty actors on stage, Tanguera reached an audience of over 220,000 people. It received five awards from the Asociación de Cronistas del Espectaculo de la Argentina (Association of Argentine Entertainment Industry Reporters) for Best Musical, Best Production, Best Choreography, Best Lighting and Best Female Performance. Clarin, the prestigious Argentine newspaper, also gave Tanguera the award for the Best Musical of 2002.
Tanguera was performed at the opera house in Santiago, Chile and successfully attracted an audience of 15,000 people in only 10 performances. After the performances in Chile, Tanguera was invited to the opening of the New Alcala Theatre in Madrid, where it ran for three months.
Since 2003, Tanguera has been performing to sold-out audiences around the world as well as return engagements in Buenos Aires, Madrid, Tokyo and Santiago. This past year, Tanguera played to standing room audiences in Berlin at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden as well as in Paris for a 3 week engagement at the Théâtre du Châtelet.
