http://www.maria-torres.com/about.html “My father played the congas and on Saturdays my mom would cook and then we would spend the rest of the
evening, all five of us, dancing. The music and the dancing was a norm, and I knew young that I wanted to be a
performer,” says Maria Torres of her early years....... Maria Torres is a dancer, working choreographer, actor and instructor and more. Maria Torres has starred as the "girl in red" in the Tony nominated Broadway musical Swing. She also performed at the Radio City Spring Extravaganza, in Public Theatre in The Skin of Our Teeth, and featured in the film Dance with Me.

As a choreographer, her work can be seen in the Off-Broadway hit The Donkey Show, in Enrigue Iglesias Ballamos video, in John Leguiszamo's international Budweiser Commercial, in Segram's Latin Rock Show, and in Four Guys Named Jose at The Blue Angel Theater in New York City. Maria has been nominated for the Off-Broadway Lucille Lortel Award for Best Choreographer for Four Guys Named Jose.

Maria has been featured and interviewed by New Yorker Magazine, The NY Times, Newsday, and People En Espanol. Her life-story will be chronicled in Current Biography which will be available in all NY Public Libraries.

She is the winner of numerous awards; with the most current being the Latin Achievement Award by Bacardi.

Maria is the Co-Chairperson of Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing (a summer program of dance music, performances and instruction) and Producer and President of Hustle USA Dance Championships (an organization dedicated to the art of the dance Hustle, as well as a yearly dance competition).

So! Maria Torres O'Connor is renown as an award-winning director, choreographer, dancer, actor, and master teacher for Broadway, stage, film, corporate projects, community events, and television. Her extensive credits include the sizzling choreography on the hit TV show "So You Think You Can Dance" for which she won the 2008 Choreography Media Honor for outstanding achievement in choreography. Maria choreographed the Off-Broadway musical hit Celia currently on US and World tour. She can be seen globally in her "World of Dance" lessons on the podcastGO internet broadcast network. 



Maria has worked with celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Williams, Andre Benjamin from OUTKAST, John Leguizamo, Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Pena, Patrick Dempsey, Amy Adams, Enrique Iglesias, Tim Allen, Epatha Merkerson, Jenna Elfman, Andie McDowell and Raven-Symone among others. Besides her community involvement, she has taught at prestigious schools in the US and abroad including Alvin Ailey, Dance Theatre of Harlem and Broadway Dance Center.