Osvaldo Zotto

Osvaldo Zotto was a tango dancer, described in press reports of his death as a tango teacher and dancer (maestro y bailarín) ^[7]. His date of birth is recorded as 14 May 1963 ^[2].

In December 1989 Zotto won the first Campeonato Municipal 'Hugo del Carril' with Guillermina Quiroga ^[1]. Soon after this title he joined Tango x 2, the company of his brother, and appeared in its productions 'Perfumes de Tango' and 'Una Noche de Tango'; the year of joining, around 1990, is approximate ^[1]. From 1997 he danced with Lorena Ermocida ^[1].

A video listing associates Zotto with a number of dance partners, among them Lorena Ermocida, Geraldine Rojas, Milena Plebs, Alejandra Mantinan, Guillermina Quiroga, Mora Godoy and Laura Grandi ^[3]. He died at home of a heart attack on 8 January 2010 and was found by Andrés 'Tanguito' Cejas ^[1][7]. Tributes were held in his honour both during his lifetime and after his death ^[6][8][9].

Career

Zotto's competitive breakthrough came in December 1989, when he and Guillermina Quiroga won the first edition of the Campeonato Municipal 'Hugo del Carril' ^[1]. Soon afterwards, in a year given only approximately as about 1990, he joined Tango x 2, his brother's company, and took part in its shows 'Perfumes de Tango' and 'Una Noche de Tango' ^[1]. The available source does not name the brother ^[1].

In 1997 Zotto began dancing with Lorena Ermocida ^[1]. Ermocida is also named among his partners in a separate video listing ^[3].

In 1998 an article marking the golden anniversary of Mingo Pugliese listed Zotto among the dancers who named Mingo Pugliese as an inspirational master ^[4].

In 2007 the dancer Osvaldo Cartery told La Nación that Zotto had 'gave him a huge hand' in turning professional ^[5].

Dance partners

A video listing names the following dancers as partners of Zotto ^[3]:

- Lorena Ermocida ^[3] - Geraldine Rojas ^[3] - Milena Plebs ^[3] - Alejandra Mantinan ^[3] - Guillermina Quiroga ^[3] - Gisele Avanzi ^[3] - Mora Godoy ^[3] - Laura Grandi ^[3] - Mariela Gisela Avanzi ^[3]

The same listing gives both 'Gisele Avanzi' and 'Mariela Gisela Avanzi' as separate entries, and the available material does not establish whether these refer to one dancer or two ^[3]. Of these partnerships, those with Guillermina Quiroga, with whom he won the 1989 municipal championship, and with Lorena Ermocida, with whom he danced from 1997, are dated in a biographical sketch ^[1]. The listing gives no dates for the other partnerships ^[3].

Tributes

On 19 March 2009 a tribute night was held for Zotto at El Parakultural, at which leading women dancers danced with him and for him ^[6]. A video from the occasion is titled as showing Zotto and Roxana Fontán dancing 'Tu el cielo y tu' at a homage to him ^[6].

On 20 August 2010, after his death, a tribute took place at La Baldosa, with speeches by El Flaco Dany, Leandro Oliver, Lorena Ermocida and Guillermina Quiroga ^[8].

In 2014, on the fourth anniversary of his death, the blog Tangos al bardo published a tribute recalling him as humble despite his success ^[9].

Death

Zotto died of a heart attack at his home on 8 January 2010, and Tanguito Cejas found him ^[1]. Ámbito Financiero, Rosario3 and other outlets reported his death the same day, giving his age as 46 and the cause as an apparent heart attack, and identifying the person who found him as Andrés 'Tanguito' Cejas ^[7].