Tito Del Saz

Title

Modern (Nikolais)/Choreographer

Department

Dance

Phone

tdelsaz@mmm.edu

About

Alberto del Saz (Tito) is the Artistic Director of the Nikolais/Louis foundation for Dance. Mr. del Saz is a vital and important link in keeping the Nikolais/Louis repertory active and alive.

Mr. del Saz was born in Bilbao, Spain. At an early age he studied ice-skating, which later lead to his performing career. In 1980 Mr. del Saz became the Spanish National Champion in figure skating and soon made his debut with Holiday on Ice International. His early dance training was received at the Nikolais/Louis Dance Lab from the great teachers of the technique: Hanya Holm, Alwin Nikolais, Murray Louis, Claudia Gitelman, Tandy Beal, Beverly Blossom and others.

In 1985 Mr. del Saz made his debut as a lead soloist with the Nikolais Dance Theater, later renamed the Murray Louis and Nikolais dance Company. As a member of this internationally acclaimed company he has toured to virtually every continent of the globe.

Mr. del Saz has appeared for President Reagan at the Kennedy Center Honors in a CBS telecast featuring the Nikolais Dance Theatre as well as on a PBS American Masters series in “Nik and Murray”, an award winning documentary film by Christian Blackwood. He has also represented the United States State Department on a tour of India, appeared at the Paris Opera Garnier in a Homage to Alwin Nikolais and at the Next Wave Festival with Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane Dance Company.

In 1990 he went to Japan where he appeared as a guest artist in “V”, a project by Mr. Ushio Amagatsu, artistic director of Sankai Juku. He has also performed at “Men Brazil”. Mr. del Saz has appeared as a solo artist in works by Hanya Holm, Maureen Fleming, Sara Pearson, Cleo Parker Robinson and others.

Mr. del Saz is the reconstruction director of the Nikolais/Louis repertory and has staged the repertory on university and professional dance companies around the world.

In 1997 he danced the role Rudolph Nureyev’s role in “Moments” a work created by Mr. Louis.

Mr. del Saz work has been funded by NYSCA in collaboration with Ice Theater of New York. His skating work has appeared on Ice-Wars, Grand Slam and the Professional World Championships televised on CBS, FOX and ABC networks as well as the official openings of Rockefeller and Bryant Park.

Mr. del Saz has been with the Nikolais/Louis Foundation for 40 years, at the moment his focus is in preserving the Nikolais/Louis technique, repertory and legacy through his teaching and directing.