Luis
Ortigoza

Benois de la Danse nominee

An Argentinean, Ortigoza had studied ballet at the Superior Institute of Art at the Colon Theatre in Buenos Aires (Mario Galizzi's class). In 1988 he entered Argentinean Theatre de la Plata. In the same year he joined Santiago de Chile Ballet company as a member of the corps de ballet. In 1989 he was promoted to Soloist and in 1990, after winning the Silver medal at the IV International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi (USA), he became the Principal Dancer. He danced the title roles in several performances at Balle Esteble del Theatro Colone (Buenos Aires), also performed with the Stuttgart Ballet, Argentinean Theatre de la Plata, Ballet del Sur, S. O. D. R. E Ballet (Uruguay). Participated in International Galas and Festivals in Moscow, Madrid, Budapest, Tokyo, Havana, Berlin, Miami, Mexico, Italy, Paraguay, and also in Bolivia together with the eminent world ballet artists.

His polished technique and the desire to explore different choreographer's styles made his repertoire wider and more varied, which included the works of M. Bejart, J. Cranko, K. MacMillan, F. Ashton, G. Balanchine, J. Robbins, R. Nouriev. He collaborated with such prominent ballet figures as Marcia Haydee, Natalia Makarova, Ivan Nad', Roland Hind, Glen Tetley. His repertoire includes the roles in ballets: Manon, La Bayadere, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Carmen, Rosalinda, Theme and Variations, Tchaikovsky Pas de deux, Etudes, Pas de deux Diana and Acteon, Petrushka, Sacre du Printemps, Gaite Parisienne, In the night, The Merry Widow and the Tango Dancer — which was especially created for Ortigoza by a prominent Argentinean choreographer Mora Godoy.

Among his partners one can find Julie Kent, Paloma Herrera, Sessil Kershe, Nicole Rodes, Agness Oks, Roberta Marces, Alesca Popova, Karina Olme-do, Marcela Goicoechea, Lidia Olmos, Natalia Berio.

He was awarded many prizes such as The Critic's Prize (1992 Chile), APES Prize 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, and the Diploma of KONEX Fund (1999, Argentina) — for being one of the five famous ballet figures of the recent decade. From the Season 2004-2005 he was promoted to the artistic direction of Santiago de Chile Ballet.

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