Olga Roriz is one of the most important Portuguese choreographers and dancers. Born in the North of Portugal, Olga had an artistic training in dance in the course of S. Carlos National Theater Dance School with Ana Ivanova and in the course of Lisbon National Conservatory Dance School.
From 1976 to 1992, she took part of the Gulbenkian Ballet cast under the direction of Jorge Salavisa, where she was the prima ballerina and the main choreographer. She worked with renowned choreographers such as: Alvin Nikolais, Jiri Kylián, Louis Falco, Hans Van Manen, Vasco Wellenkamp, Karine Saporta, Lar Lubovitch, Peter Sparling, Elisa Monte and Christopher Bruce.
In 1992, she took the lead of the Lisbon’s Dance Company artistic direction. In 1995 she founded the Olga Roriz Company, in which she is both director and choreographer.
Her dance, theatre and video repertoire is formed by more than ninety works. She has created and re-established works to several national and international companies, among them the Gulbenkian Ballet, National Ballet Company (Portugal), Ballet Teatro Guaira (Brazil), Monte Carlo Ballets (Monaco), National Ballet Company (Spain), English National Ballet (England), American Repertory Ballet (USA), Maggio Danza and Alla Scala (Italy).
Internationally her works were presented in the main European capitals, as well as in the USA, Brazil, Japan, Egypt, Cape Verde, Senegal, Thailand, Macao, Mozambique and South Korea. She has a vast path in creation and movement in Theatre and Opera. In the video area she directed three films and several of her works are edited in DVD by the Real Films production, directed by Rui Simões.
An extensive biography about her life and work was published by Assírio&Alvim publisher and written by Mónica Guerreiro. Since 1982, Olga Roriz has been distinguished with relevant awards, both nationally and internationally. Among these it stands out the 1º Prize of The Dance Contest in Osaka, Japan (1988), The Dance Choreography Award of the London Time Out Magazine (1993), Almada Award (2004), Commendation with The Order of Infante D.Henrique insignia – Grand Officer by the President of the Republic (2004), Portuguese Society of Authors and Millenium BCP Grand Prize (2008), Latinidade Award (2012), among others equally important.