ALBERTO DEL SAZ
DANCER
TEACHER
CHOREOGRAPHER
ABOUT ME
“The most compelling performer Alberto del Saz, a cross between the
quicksilver, whimsical Louis of old and the legendary, magisterial Jose Limon.”
Tobi Tobias
THE NEW YORK MAGAZINE
“…Mr. Del Saz, a master of the style, exuberant, demonstrates what is important in Mr. Louis's choreography, the quality of movement and how it is phrased.”
Anna Kisselgoff,
THE NEW YORK TIMES
“… A quietly stunning solo for Mr. Del Saz epitomizes the fluid yet crisply articulated motion that in part identifies a Louis or Nikolais Dancer. Mr. Del Saz himself typifies the strong presence of the company’s dancers, from early performers, like Beverly Blossom and Phyllis Lamhut.”
Jennifer Dunning,
THE NEW YORK TIMES
“In Alberto del Saz Mr. Louis has found someone who can convey his particular quicksilver qualities of movement that were once unique to Mr. Louis. It is encouraging to see how the tradition is being carried on.”
THE WESTSIDER
THE ARTIST
Alberto del Saz is the director of the Nikolais/Louis Foundation for Dance. Mr. del Saz is a vital and essential 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, leading to his performing career. In 1980, Mr. del Saz became the Spanish National Champion in figure skating and soon debuted 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 debuted as a lead soloist with the Nikolais Dance Theater, which was later renamed the Murray Louis and Nikolais Dance Company. As a member of this internationally acclaimed company, he has toured virtually every continent globally.
Mr. del Saz has appeared for President Reagan at the Kennedy Center Honors in a CBS telecast featuring the Nikolais Dance Theatre and on a PBS American Masters series "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. He appeared at the Paris Opera Garnier in a Homage to Alwin Nikolais and at the Next Wave Festival at BAM 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 worldwide.
In 1997, he danced Rudolph Nureyev's role in "Moments," a work created by Mr. Louis.
NYSCA has funded Mr. del Saz's work in collaboration with the 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; now, he focuses on preserving the Nikolais/Louis technique, repertory, and legacy through his teaching and directing.