Biography |
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Ortos J. Gutiérrez Ortiz, better know as “Tito Ortos”, was born in Santurce,
Puerto Rico on the 26th of December, 1974. His father, Ortos D.
Gutiérrez Colón, a piano and clarinet player and his mother Awilda Ortíz Molina,
a guitar and French tube player, both graduated from the "Escuela Libre de Música"
in Hato Rey, PR. Years later, Tito took on their footsteps and studied both bass
and clarinet during two years at the "Escuela Libre de Música" in Carolina, PR.
His musical heritage was undeniable for not only his parent, but also his great-grandfather,
Domingo Colón, was a musician. Domingo was the creator of "Mingo
and his Whoopee Kids" band, where the famous Puerto Rican singer Ruth Fernández, started her career.
Tito began his career as a salsa dancer because of his parent’s initiative. They took him to his first dance teacher, the outstanding dancer, Papito Jala Jala. He taught him the foundations of salsa and his trademark, the art of dancing with flavor. Soon enough Tito was invited to be a member of famous salsa dance group, the Jala Jala Dancers. He also had the honor of being able to take lessons with another spectacular salsa dancer Mr. Tito Bey. During his years as a Jala Jala Dancer, he participates in many local and international events as well as in shows with performers such as Roberto Roena, Cheo Feliciano and La Sonora Ponceña among others.
At that same time, Tito was one of the singers in his father’s orchestra "De Menor a Mayor" which later became "Songo". In the near future he began to work with choreographer and dancer Stacey López with whom he got to dance for Jerry Rivera and several more artists of RMM Music Company. Other groups in which he participated were "Danzarines de Papa Tambor", directed by Jorge Santana; "Bailadores D’aki", directed by Felipe Polanco and "International Dancers", directed by Angel Martínez.
Ortos completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico. Here he also took modern dance classes and worked with choreographer Viveca Vázquez and Paulette Beauchamp. Because of his open mind and his desire to become a more completed dancer, Tito challenged himself and took upon the experience of moving for several months to the city of New York. His friend and colleague, Jhesus Aponte, inspired him greatly in taking this step. During his stay at New York, he trained very hard in jazz and other disciplines such as ballet, tap and acrobatics at the respectful academy, Broadway Dance Center. Since then, he has visited over 30 countries offering workshops and shows and participating year after year with congresses around the world.
In addition to his dancing career, Tito works with the government of Puerto Rico as the director of the Salsa Dance Program, "San Juan es Salsa", of the Department of Recreation and Sport of San Juan. This Program has over 1,000 students and still growing every year. He also is in charge of the dance competition "San Juan es Salsa". Tito also has acting experience for he has done over 10 TV commercials and was one of the dancers in the films "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights", Yellow, El Cantante: Hector Lavoe y American Gangster.
Nowadays not only has he established himself as a dancer but also as choreographer. He does all the choreographic work for Gilberto Santa Rosa and Víctor Manuelle and has choreographed for El Gran Combo, Michael Stuart, Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz, Domingo Quiñones, Ismael Miranda, Elvis Crespo, Modesto Cepeda, Andy Montañez and Tego Calderón. In addition to all this, he also choreographed the "Bomba" and "Cha-Cha-Cha" intervention of Ricky Martin in the presentation of "Miss Universe 2001 Pegeant" and the 2003 tibute to Celia Cruz, the TV Special "Azúcar" which was held in Miami. Even though he is best know for salsa dancing, Tito is also an outstanding jazz dancer and has performed with Melina León, Yaire, Elvis Crespo, Olga Tañón and among others.