Sandor & Parissa
Argentine Tango
Performers . Choreographers . Instructors
SANDOR
Sandor, born in Buenos Aires Argentina, is one of our times' top Argentine Tango
choreographers, performers, & instructors, with his own unique signature style. His entire family were artists & entertainers. His parents produced, directed, choreographed, & danced for countless television, theatre, & circus productions around the world. At the age of eight, Sandor joined them to tour throughout South America. With an extensive background in Ballet, Contemporary, & Jazz dance forms, he was later featured in numerous television, film, & theatrical productions in Argentina.
Since 1987 the world of Tango embraced him with its passion & beauty, and from then on he chose Tango to express his art. Sandor's unique story-telling choreographies weave breathtaking tango footwork with gorgeous lines and original daredevil theatrical lifts & drops. Among his peers in the Tango world, he is known for his innovative style, originality, & creativity. He was one of the first Tango performers to give more open lines to this dance form, and add contemporary elements of lifts to intensify the drama & effect of this already passionate dance. His influence & signature imprint on the art form that is Argentine Tango can be seen in many of the artists of today.
Sandor's expertise showmanship landed him the principal part as an original cast member of the Broadway/London hit show Forever Tango, which he toured with from 1990 to 1998. Sandor's exceptional choreography in this hit show was among those nominated for the Tony Award in 1997. During Forever Tango's seasonal breaks, he performed with Tango, Tango (1992) and Corazon de Tango (1994), each time touring 65 cities in Japan. In 1992 he was also a featured dancer in the Warner Brothers' film Mambo Kings. In 1993 he won First Place Honors in the Theatre Arts competitions of Emerald Ball, Nevada Star Ball, and The Extravaganza Northwest Dance Competitions in the U.S. In 1999 Sandor created, directed, choreographed, & performed his own show, Magique Tango Vivo !, which has toured the U.S., Singapore, & Canada achieving outstanding reviews such as : “Brilliant, Sensational, Nothing Short of Awesome”- L.A. Times, “Sensuous, Sexy, and Superb”-Montreal Gazette.
Since then, he has created & directed numerous other successful shows, and has been a featured dancer & choreographer for countless television, film, & theatrical productions worldwide, including Latin Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl with the L.A. Philharmonic broadcast live on UPN, the PBS TV Special Tango Magic recorded in Sony Studios N.Y., and Passions Latines at the Olympia Theatre in Paris, just to name a few. Sandor has also choreographed for Olympic & World Champion Ice Dancers, and he has been honored with The Carlos Gardel Tango Lifetime Achievement Award. He has participated as a Master Instructor in Tango Congresses around the world for over three decades, and is also a highly distinguished instructor in his base-town of Los Angeles, CA.
Sandor was the coach for the Gold-Medalist Argentine Tango Duet, Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo, on NBC's Superstars of Dance 2009, and assisted by his wife Parissa, he choreographs many of the Argentine Tangos on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, starting with the one performed by Cheryl Burke & Gilles Marini, which was voted “The Best Argentine Tango” ever performed by a celebrity competitor on the show. In 2011 Sandor & Parissa were also featured performing on DWTS, and were announced as “The Most Spectacular Argentine Tango Dancers in the World”. Sandor & Parissa have been the chosen Tango Couple to perform for events presented by the Consulate of the Argentine Republic, as well as for numerous celebrity events & shows.
In 2016 Sandor & Parissa were special guest artists performing with the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, in the concert Tango Under the Stars with Dudamel, where they shared the stage with outstanding conductor Gustavo Dudamel & phenomenal composer Lalo Schifrin, as they danced to the music of legendary Astor Piazzolla! In 2019 Sandor & Parissa were the featured Tango dancers at the Pasadena Tournament of Roses President's Ball, honoring the legendary star of film, stage, & television, the magnificent Rita Moreno, who greeted them warmly with an enthusiastic "Bravo, Incredible" after their performance!
Partnering with the lovely & exquisite Parissa since 2000 has brought great joy & passion to his work. Sandor & Parissa are internationally acclaimed performers whose distinctive style, fire, & grace touch the souls of audiences worldwide. Sandor is a true original whose works will always be celebrated, and will stand the test of time.
PARISSA
Parissa, born Persian, spent most of her early childhood in the south of France.
The San Francisco Bay Area became her home at age eight, at which time she started performing pre-pointe Ballet, Tap, & Jazz in various theatrical productions. After relocating to Southern California to pursue her acting career, she discovered her talents for Ballroom Dance. Parissa has been featured dancing all styles of Rhythm, Latin, Salsa, Swing, Smooth, & Theatre Arts.
With an extensive background in performing & teaching all partnering dance styles, Parissa has been specializing in Argentine Tango since 2000, when she & Sandor became partners. They have been very happily married since 2005! Together, they have been featured in & choreographed for countless Television, Film, & Theatrical Productions, and have participated as Master Instructors in Tango Congresses worldwide.
They have choreographed for U.S. Olympic Ice Dancers Melissa Gregory & Denis Petukhov, and Bulgarian World Ice Dancing Champions Albena Denkova & Maxim Staviski. Sandor & Parissa have been the chosen Tango Couple to perform for events presented by the Consulate of the Argentine Republic, as well as for numerous celebrity events & shows presented by stars such as Debbie Reynolds, Ricardo Montalban, Charo, Jennifer Lopez, & many others.
Parissa has worked with several renowned public figures, including Antonio Banderas as his Tango & Ballroom coach, to prepare him for the movie Take the Lead, and she has worked with Halle Berry as her Latin Dance choreographer for a Revlon commercial. Parissa assists Sandor in choreographing many of the Argentine Tangos on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, including the one performed by Cheryl Burke & Gilles Marini, which was voted "The Best Argentine Tango" ever performed by a celebrity competitor on the show. Sandor & Parissa have also been featured performing on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, and were announced as "The Most Spectacular Argentine Tango Dancers in the World."
This dynamic duo were special guest artists performing with the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, in the concert Tango Under the Stars with Dudamel, where they shared the stage with outstanding conductor Gustavo Dudamel & phenomenal composer Lalo Schifrin, as they danced to the music of legendary Astor Piazzolla! More recently Sandor & Parissa were the featured Tango dancers at the Pasadena Tournament of Roses President's Ball, honoring the legendary star of film, stage, & television, the magnificent Rita Moreno, who greeted them warmly with an enthusiastic "Bravo, Incredible" after their performance!
As well as being a highly revered dance instructor, Parissa has achieved outstanding reviews as an internationally acclaimed choreographer & performer.
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