Our Patrons
We are honoured to have two of the most prestigious couples in the the world of Argentine tango as our Patrons -Carlos & Maria Rivarola and Nito & Elba Garcia
Carlos & Maria Rivarola
María and Carlos Rivarola are one of the most renowned couples of the tango world. They are known for their embodiment of the essence of traditional Argentine Tango, taking it to the world through their stage shows and on film.
They were part of the original cast of “Tango Argentino”, the stage show that ignited worldwide interest in tango in 1983. Starting in Paris the show was a huge success and moved to tour in Italy, and Canada before arriving in on Broadway in New York in 1985.
Carlos became well known for his work on screen - as both dancer and choreographer in Marcos Zurinaga’s film Tango Bar (1989), Leonard Schrader’s Naked Tango (1991) and Carlos Saura’s Tango. His work on the film Tango won him the National Film Award for Best Choreography 1999 awarded by the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts, Music and Dance of the United States.
Carlos and María Rivarola continue to teach, dance and share tango with the world.
Nito & Elba
Nito & Elba have become references for generations of tango dancers. Dancing together for 50 years, they have become one of the most highly respected and beloved tango couples worldwide
Nito learned to dance tango as a child by watching his uncle and aunt dance tango on packed-earth patios; he began to dance formally as a teenager, in the days when men practiced together because women could tango only if closely chaperoned by their mothers. As a young man, he polished his skills in the dance halls of Buenos Aires and in the 1950s, he was a principal dancer with the orchestra of Osvaldo Pugliese.
In 1996 they won the prestigious Lobo del Mar award for their outstanding contribution to the arts. We feel truly privileged to have their support for the work of UKATA