Cortez was born in Manila, Philippines, and spent his early years in British Columbia, where he began his dance training at Vancouver's Pacific Ballet Theatre. He graduated with honors from Purchase College Conservatory of Dance in 1985, receiving the President's Award for Achievement. Soon after, he was invited to join Feld Ballets/NY. In 1987, he joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company, performing leading roles in such renowned Taylor repertory as Arden Court, Cloven Kingdom, and Company B through 1996. His own choreography is showcased in the Taylor company's Funny Papers. He also performed with Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project on their 1998 national tour. He has served on faculty at Purchase College Conservatory of Dance and at the Paul Taylor Dance Studios.

KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)/EXECUTOR OF ESTATE:
Hernando Cortez
Cortez & Co. Contemporary/Ballet
320 West 89th St., #1D
New York, NY 10024
212-799-8682 (home)
212-799-1561 (fax)
Hernando@cortezandcompany.com

c/o The Repertory Project
2140 Lee Road, #206
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

HUMAN REPOSITORIES OF THE WORK
(name and contact info, relationship to the artist and the work, assessment):
Hernando Cortez

VIDEO DOCUMENTATION
(location, format, condition, assessment):
The Dance Collection of the New York Public Library holds no video documentation of Cortez’s AIDS-related pieces; however, many of these pieces have been documented and are in Cortez's possession.

PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
(location, format, condition, assessment):
The company holds photographs in its files.

MOVEMENT NOTATION
(location, type [including notes taken by dancers], assessment):
None identified.

PRODUCTION MATERIALS
(scores, sound recordings, set/costume designs):
The company holds all production materials.

ORAL HISTORY:
None identified.

PERSONAL PAPERS
(location of newspaper clippings, printed programs, press releases, notes, files, diaries; assessment):
Cortez holds his own personal papers. Clipping files for "Dancers Responding to AIDS" and "Cortez, Hernando," are maintained at the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library, call number MGZR.

IMMEDIATE NEEDS
(archival assistance? storage? other?):
None identified.

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
For additional information, see webpages at cortezandcompany.com and DRAdance.org.

LIST OR OVERVIEW OF WORKS
(title, premiere date, music, production notes, performers):

A Matter of Time (1989)—music by Rose/Jolson; Cunningham Studios.

At Night's Edge (1991)—music by Robert Schumann; Cunningham Studios.

Out of the Darkness (1991)—music by Ennio Morricone; Cunningham Studios.

Red Tape (1992)—music by Throbbing Gristle; Dance Theatre Workshop, commissioned by Thelma Hill Performing Arts.

After-Image (1992)—music by Budd/Eno/Lanois/Brook; Taylor Studios.

A Moment More (1995)—music by Philip Glass; various venues, commissioned by Dancers Responding to AIDS.

Nero's Fiddle (1996)—music by Michael Brook; Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Inside/Out Theater.

Whisper at a Thousand (1997)—music by Philip Glass; commissioned by James Sewell Ballet with funds from the Jerome Foundation, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• Anderson, Jack. 1992. "Dance in Review: Hernando Cortez and Dancers." New York Times (27 January): C18.
• Dance Magazine. 1999. "Hotline: Dance Spaces in the News" (September): 29.
• Dohse, Chris. 1997. "Reviews, New York City: Cortez & Co. Contemporary Ballet." Dance Magazine (October): 103.
• Dunning, Jennifer. 1996. "Dance Notes: Doing Something About AIDS." New York Times (1 August): C14.
• Johnson, Robert. 1997. "Dance in the Dunes: Dancers Responding to AIDS Lights up Fire Island." Bay Area Reporter (14 August): 44, 54.