maria maragaki

Maria Maragaki has had a passion for the performing arts since early childhood. She was born and raised in Greece in an artistic environment where she was lucky enough to be surrounded by a variety of multicultural influences. Her dancing career started in 1981 when she focused on classical dance at Morianov Ballet School in Greece and is being continued with on-going training until present. This has served as the benchmark for a lifelong training in dance.

Maria has studied a range of other subjects apart from dance and music including Economic Science and Arts & Cultural Management for which she received a BA degree from the University of Piraeus in Greece and a MA degree from Northumbria University in UK accordingly. However, her passion and dedication to dance led her to the career choice of a dancer.

Although her roots were in studying dances from the Greek tradition she was inspired to widen her horizons towards Spain and Argentina. Falling in love with the music and dance of Flamenco, she began advanced training in Europe. This journey in ethnic music and dance led her to discover the culture of Argentina where the passion and magic of the Tango captured her soul. Since then she has undergone training by well-known dancers and teachers in Europe and Argentina such as Raul Bravo, Angela Ruth Manonellas and Andreas Erbsen, Andres “Tanguito” Cejas and Genoveva Fernandez. Other important maestros include Mimi Santapa, Stella Barba, Fernando Sanchez, Nayla Vacca, Natacha Poberaj, Juan Cabrera, Ricardo Oria and Jenny Frances, Pablo Rodríguez, Daniel Rodriguez, Hugo “Gato” Valdez and Andrea Monti, Eduardo “El Gaucho” Villegas.

Maria has also studied music intensively, specialising in classical form. In 1998 she graduated from The National Conservatory in Greece with Distinction In Piano Performance. Her interest in music extends to studying traditional/folk music in order to understand the form and structure of the different dances associated with it.

Maria’s extensive teaching experience includes teaching Argentine Tango to adults as well as piano and music to young people. With Guillermo they give workshops of Argentine Tango also in schools. She also takes Flamenco and Greek dancing classes mainly in primary schools for the Newcastle Music Service but also runs workshops in secondary and high schools. 

Maria’s considerable dance performance career started in ballet. Traditional Greek dancing tours followed. She has performed in theatres and collaborated with festivals and tours. For many years she danced flamenco at festivals and various British art venues mostly with the band “Electroflamenko”. Since 2009 she has been perfroming Argentine Tango with Guillermo Torrens in various art venues and festivals and their repertoire includes tango salon (improvisation) and escenario (choreography). Maria's latest performing work is with Guillermo and for the UK tour of Midnight tango show 2011.