Alberto Paz Obituary

 

Alberto Bernardino Paz, age 70, tango historian, teacher, and dancer, passed away on February 3, 2014. Argentine born, in the Northern province of Tucuman, he moved with his family to Buenos Aires at the age of 9 months. He graduated from the School of Electrical Engineering of the University of Buenos Aires. In 1968, at age 25, he moved to the United States, becoming a proud citizen in 1985. He lived in California, working for high-tech video companies, founding his own in the 1980s. During the 1980’s he also worked at San Francisco’s radio station KIQI as a soccer announcer and color commentator. In 1990 he produced a night-time program playing South American music, that rapidly became a popular all tango music program.

For 18 years, with his beloved partner, Valorie Hart, he performed, gave master classes, lectured, and conducted workshops in cities across America, as well as in Italy, Portugal, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and the Philippines. Alberto and Valorie migrated to New Orleans in 2000, establishing a vital tango community, hosting and teaching tango. They wrote the seminal book, “GottaTango,” and were instrumental in developing new communities, training qualified local teachers and encouraging efforts to preserve, foster and educate people on the core social and cultural values of the Argentine Tango music, poetry and dance.

Alberto is survived by his wife Valorie Hart, son, Alberto Paz Jr., daughter, Maria Eugenia (Gina) Staropoli, grandson, Dylan Paz, sister Noemi Paz-Palacios, niece, Carla Palacios, and nephew, Arial Palacios.

Family and friends are invite to attend the memorial service to be held at Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Home, 3827 Canal Street in New Orleans, on Saturday February 15, 2014 at 12 Noon. Visitation will begin at 11 AM and continue until service time. Repast at the home of Alberto and Valorie afterwards.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations via Paypal to boutique@planet-tango.com. Condolences may be expressed at www.schoencanalstreet.com