About Us
Monica Romero
Los Ocampo are Mónica Romero and Omar Ocampo, a partnership of over 39 years made up of performing, teaching and sharing Argentine Tango and Folklore around the world. They have a rich dance background and began dancing at an early age, meeting when they were dancers in the Carlos Copes tango company in Buenos Aires and later becoming a stage couple and marrying in 1984.
Their charismatic stage presence and personalities combined with their elegant style, creativity and extensive knowledge make them hugely popular with audiences and students alike. They have performed on some of the most prestigious world stages, both with their own dance company, Tango Bravo and as part of international shows, such as: Mariano Mores; The Carlos Copes Tango Show; and Tango Pasión with the renowned Sexteto Mayor, and where they were original cast members and toured with the show for over 17 years. Los Ocampo are the directors and organisers of the annual National Argentinean Festival of Folkloric Dance, Encuentro con Los Maestros.
Los Ocampo divide their time between teaching at their schools around the world, touring widely and performing at prestigious international venues. They are also official adjudicators at the annual International Tango Championships in Argentina and other international competitions. They are often engaged as cultural and artistic ambassadors for Argentine music and dance. Los Ocampo are masters not only of Argentine Tango, but also of Argentina’s folkloric dances, such as Chacarera, Zamba and Malambo.
They are sought after as coaches and have trained, and choreographed for, celebrities and professionals of Latin & Ballroom as well as Tango and Folkloric. Their motto is “dancing around the world”, this they do with great verve and generosity, their good humour and approachable nature is what is remembered by their students and colleagues.
Daughter of Argentinean singer Estela Raval and musician Ricardo Romero (creators of Los 5 Latinos), Mónica was born in Buenos Aires. She studied jazz and contemporary dance specialising in modern dance. Mónica is a natural performer and studied with some of the most prestigious Argentine teachers and choreographers: Nuri Cid, Beatriz & Victor Ferrari, Moria Chapman, Olga Francés, Hector Estevez and Daniel Fernandez.
Mónica appeared in many musicals such as Chorus Line, El Diluvio Que Viene and La Sexta Esposa with famous artists such as Moira Casan, Susana Gimenez, Nélida Lobato, Porcel and Olmedo. She was lead dancer in major TV productions Porcel’s Program, Badia & Company and Percivalle’s Show.
Mónica joined the Juan Carlos Copes tango company where she met her husband Omar Ocampo and as Los Ocampo, they have toured the world performing, teaching and choreographing. She co-directed and created the show Tango Bravo with Omar Ocampo and has performed in and created many notable tango shows including Tango Pasión (link) which toured world-wide for more than 17 years.
Mónica now divides her time between the Los Ocampo tango and folkloric schools round the world and touring commitments to perform and teach. In Buenos Aires, she and Omar are directors of the annual folkloric festival, Encuentro con Los Maestros (link) and are members of the official jury at the Tango Championships both in Argentina and worldwide.
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**From 2022 Mónica is deputy Vice President of the AMBCTA (Asociacion de maestros , coreógrafos y bailarines de tango Argentino), headquarters Buenos Aires.
Omar Ocampo
Omar is an exceptional and gifted dancer, a passionate milonguero and folklorista. Born in Entre Ríos he started his professional career in Buenos Aires when, at age 16, hearing of the dance master Santiago Ayala, “El Chúcaro”, he discovered his mentor and spiritual father.
“El Chúcaro” and Norma Viola invited Omar to join their folkloric company Ballet Argentino. Omar quickly progressed to be the lead dancer and dance master of the company, travelling round the world with them for eleven years. During this time he created lead roles in some of the most important masterpieces in the genre: El Martín Fierro, La Vida de San MartÍn, Homenaje a Ezequiel Navarra, Juegos Pampeanos and the famous Del Gaucho Al Compadrito, specially choreographed for him by “El Chúcaro” and noted for containing a beautiful and tasteful disrobing during his transformation from gaucho to compadrito.
While pursuing his folkloric career, Omar was for several years a member of the Juan Carlos Copes tango company where he met his wife Mónica Romero and, as Los Ocampo, they went on to tour the world performing, teaching and choreographing.
Today considered the best dancer of Argentine folklore, Omar is the repetiteur and curator of the choreographies of Santiago Ayala “El Chúcaro” and Norma Viola and their natural successor. As an honorary teacher, each time he returns to Argentina, he gives classes of Folklore to the Ballet Folklórico Nacional. He is a the senior judge at many folkloric and tango competitions.
As a choreographer Omar is an exponent of all the Argentinean dance forms. His show Tango Bravo, developed with his wife Mónica, blends Tango with Folkloric dance; and, he also choreographed for Tango Pasión and Mariano Mores’ show.
Omar is an exceptional and gifted dancer, a passionate milonguero and folklorista. Born in Entre Ríos he started his professional career in Buenos Aires when, at age 16, hearing of the dance master Santiago Ayala, “El Chúcaro”, he discovered his mentor and spiritual father.
“El Chúcaro” and Norma Viola invited Omar to join their folkloric company Ballet Argentino. Omar quickly progressed to be the lead dancer and dance master of the company, travelling round the world with them for eleven years. During this time he created lead roles in some of the most important masterpieces in the genre: El Martín Fierro, La Vida de San MartÍn, Homenaje a Ezequiel Navarra, Juegos Pampeanos and the famous Del Gaucho Al Compadrito, specially choreographed for him by “El Chúcaro” and noted for containing a beautiful and tasteful disrobing during his transformation from gaucho to compadrito.
While pursuing his folkloric career, Omar was for several years a member of the Juan Carlos Copes tango company where he met his wife Mónica Romero and, as Los Ocampo, they went on to tour the world performing, teaching and choreographing.
Today considered the best dancer of Argentine folklore, Omar is the repetiteur and curator of the choreographies of Santiago Ayala “El Chúcaro” and Norma Viola and their natural successor. As an honorary teacher, each time he returns to Argentina, he gives classes of Folklore to the Ballet Folklórico Nacional. He is a the senior judge at many folkloric and tango competitions.
As a choreographer Omar is an exponent of all the Argentinean dance forms. His show Tango Bravo, developed with his wife Mónica, blends Tango with Folkloric dance; and, he also choreographed for Tango Pasión and Mariano Mores’ show.
