Tambutti, Susana 1947-

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TAMBUTTI, Susana 1947-

PERSONAL: Born October 4, 1947, in Buenos Aires, Argentina; divorced. Education: University of Buenos Aires, degree in architecture, 1972; studied dance at the London School of Contemporary Dance and with Martha Graham.

ADDRESSES: Home—Buenos Aires, Argentina. Offıce—c/o University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

CAREER: Choreographer and dancer. Nucleodanza, co-founder and co-artistic director, 1974—; University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina, dance theory instructor, 1987—.

AWARDS, HONORS: National Choreography Award for the Arts and Sciences, Argentina, 1983; Estrella de mar Award, 1990; Venice Festival Critics' Award, 1995, for choreography in Tangos: El exilio de gardel; Fulbright Fiftieth Anniversary Distinguished Fellowship, 1996.

WRITINGS:

Closing in on the Study of the History of Western Dance, [Buenos Aires, Argentina], 1995.

SIDELIGHTS: Susana Tambutti did not become interested in dance and choreography until after she graduated from the University of Buenos Aires with a degree in architecture. While working as an architect she attended a modern dance class taught by Ana Kamien, a well-known choreographer. She recognized her love for dance, and soon after she quit architecture for good to commit her career to dance.

In 1974 Tambutti and Margarita Ball formed the dance group Nucleodanza, which has become the longest running independent contemporary dance company in Argentina. Nucleodanza started touring around the world in the late 1980s. News & Record contributor Stephanie Nelson reported, "the company has won international attention and praise for its amalgam of dance and performance art."

Tambutti began her career as a choreographer in the early 1980s, choreographing works for Nucleodanza. Winning Argentina's National Choreography Award for the Arts and Sciences in 1983 brought her more recognition and the chance to choreograph for the prestigious Ballet Contemporaneo del Teatro Municipal General San Martin, the only official modern dance company in Argentina. An International Dictionary of Modern Dance contributor noted, "Her work is marked by the permanent search of the internal conflict of the work, in whichever domain this is to be found: movement, emotion, or narrative."