person

Maria Tortuga

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Gender

Female

Birthday

1949-09-14

Place of Birth

Seattle, Washington, USA

Maria Tortuga

Biography

Maria Tortuga was born on September 14, 1949 in Seattle, Washington. Her mother was a member of the first Mexican folk dance company in the United States. Maria grew up in a family with three other siblings. Following graduation from high school Tortuga moved to California to pursue her interest in conceptual art. Maria studied with feminist artist Judy Chicago at the nonprofit arts and education center the Woman's Building in Los Angeles. In addition, Tortuga also studied both Spanish and flamenco dancing with renowned performer Roberto Amaral in the late 1970's as well as served as the flamenco soloist in the Layalina Folkloric Ensemble. After graduating with an MFA, Maria went on to work for many years as the principal designer at local carpet mills. Tortuga decided to supplement her income and express herself sexually by doing hardcore loops and modeling for assorted men's magazines (she often posed for photos with a bondage motif). Maria began appearing in explicit hardcore movies in the late 1970's; among the notable adult cinema directors she worked for are Gerard Damiano, William Margold, Don Christian, David Worth, Ed De Priest, Alan Colberg, and Vinnie Rossi. After retiring from the adult film industry in 1987, Maria decided to follow her key passion for dancing full time by moving to Chicago, Illinois and changing her name to Maria Gitana. Tortuga studied with the Spanish Dance Society and traveled over to Europe to dance for a while at Amor de Dios with Maria Magdalena, who was the Ballet Mistress of the Ballet Nacional de Espana. Maria was awarded a grant to study classical Spanish dance with Spanish Dance Society founding member Dame Marina Keet in 1992. After achieving the status of Maestra de Baile with the Spanish Dance Society, Tortuga returned to Chicago and started the flamenco dance troupe Manteca Colora. Maria moved back to her home state of Washington to be closer to her aging parents in 1998 and started the performing dance troupe Flamenco Gitana in 2004. Moreover, Tortuga taught dance and pilates at several local schools and community centers. Starting in 2010 Maria was the recipient of several Youth Arts Awards from the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture Affairs. Tortuga used the associated grant to establish cultural arts programs in flamenco dance at local youth centers. Maria also did the choreography for a number of local theater productions. Tortuga died from cancer at age 65 on November 3, 2014.

Also Known For

poster

70

I Wanna Be Teased!

Jan 01, 1984

poster

65

Taxi Girls 2

Dec 04, 1986

poster

NA

Susie's Bed

Jan 01, 1978

poster

100

Nude Aerobics

Jan 01, 1983

poster

48

Love Goddesses

Feb 12, 1982

poster

60

Remember Connie

Jun 15, 1978

poster

NA

John Holmes: The Lost Tapes

May 13, 2003

poster

NA

Loving Lesbos

Jan 01, 1983

poster

30

The Vanessa Obsession

Jan 01, 1987

poster

75

The New Erotic Adventures of Casanova 2

Jan 01, 1982

poster

NA

Seka Triple Feature 2

Feb 28, 2008

poster

70

Tawny Pearl Collection

Jan 31, 2005

poster

NA

What Would Your Mother Say?

Jan 01, 1982

poster

48

Frat House

Mar 22, 1979

poster

60

Never So Deep

Sep 17, 1981

poster

NA

Pleasure Dome

Dec 26, 1982

poster

60

Intimate Lessons

Jan 01, 1982

poster

NA

Jezebel

May 23, 1979

poster

54

Ballgame

Feb 01, 1980

poster

50

For Services Rendered

Feb 18, 1985

poster

NA

A Lacy Affair

Mar 27, 1983

poster

50

Plato's: The Movie

Oct 29, 1980

poster

30

Love to Mother

Jan 01, 1984

poster

10

Foreplay

Jan 01, 1982

poster

55

Skintight

Jun 01, 1981

poster

NA

Carnal Encounters of the Barest Kind

Jan 01, 1978

poster

NA

Pink Champagne

Apr 13, 1979

poster

NA

The Sensuous Detective

Jan 01, 1980

poster

10

Deep Ghost

Jan 01, 1984

poster

NA

Bad Girl

Jan 01, 1983

poster

NA

Weekend Fantasy

Jan 01, 1980

poster

NA

Trouble Down Below

Jan 01, 1981

poster

50

Inspirations

Oct 14, 1982

poster

53

The Satisfiers of Alpha Blue

Oct 17, 1980

poster

NA

Undercovers

Jan 01, 1982

poster

NA

Ginger Lynn & Company

Feb 09, 1989

poster

NA

Voyeur's Delight

Jan 31, 1986

poster

NA

Golden Age of Porn: Annette Haven

Jan 01, 2004

poster

NA

Heat of the Moment

Jan 01, 1984

poster

NA

Cherry Ettes For Hire

Jan 01, 1984

poster

NA

Night Flight

Jan 01, 1980

poster

NA

Young and Restless

Jan 01, 1983

poster

NA

Sounds of Sex

Jan 01, 1985

poster

30

Let Me Tell Ya 'Bout White Chicks

Jan 01, 1984

poster

NA

Hot Love

Jan 01, 1980

poster

NA

Burning Desire

Jan 01, 1983

poster

NA

Why Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Aug 22, 1983

poster

NA

Bisexual Fantasies

Jan 01, 1986

poster

NA

Colleen Brennan Collection

Jan 17, 2005