Hernando Cortez (Choreographer) 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 from Purchase College Conservatory of Dance in 1985. 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. He was featured in two PBS/WNET Dance in America specials (Speaking in Tongues and The Wrecker's Ball), and his own choreography is showcased in the Taylor Company's critically acclaimed smash hit Funny Papers. He performed with Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project in their 1998 national tour. Also a freelance choreographer, Cortez has created dances for: American Ballet Theatre (the Studio Company), the Williamstown Theater Festival (Camino Real, 1999, starring Ethan Hawke; Where’s Charley?, directed by Nicholas Martin), the Sands Hotel in Atlantic City (Latin Sol, a theatrical revue co-created with actor Taylor Negron and director David Schweizer). He has been on the faculties of Purchase College Conservatory of Dance, The Boston Conservatory, the Joffrey School, and the school of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Cortez is Founding Director of Dancers Responding to AIDS (DRA). Cortez was awarded a 1997 Dance Magazine Award and a 1996 New York Dance and Performance Award (aka Bessie) for his work with DRA. Mr. Cortez is a proud recipient of a 2004 Northern Ohio Live Award of Achievement. He was the Artistic Director of Verb Ballets from 2002 – 2008.