Maria Tortuga
Maria Tortuga
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.
Known For Acting
Most Rating 0
Birthday 1949-09-14
Place of Birth Seattle, Washington, USA
Also Known As Mana La Fantuna, Brenda Hale, Maria Tartuga, Marie Tortuga, Robin Comings, Maria Sharp, Maria Torres, Tara, Maria Maines,
I Wanna Be Teased!
1984

I Wanna Be Teased!

Taxi Girls 2
1986

Taxi Girls 2

Susie's Bed
1978

Susie's Bed

Nude Aerobics
1983

Nude Aerobics

Love Goddesses
1982

Love Goddesses

Remember Connie
1978

Remember Connie

John Holmes: The Lost Tapes
2003

John Holmes: The Lost Tapes

Loving Lesbos
1983

Loving Lesbos

The Vanessa Obsession
1987

The Vanessa Obsession

The New Erotic Adventures of Casanova 2
1982

The New Erotic Adventures of Casanova 2

Tawny Pearl Collection
2005

Tawny Pearl Collection

What Would Your Mother Say?
1982

What Would Your Mother Say?

Frat House
1979

Frat House

Never So Deep
1981

Never So Deep

Pleasure Dome
1982

Pleasure Dome

Intimate Lessons
1982

Intimate Lessons

Jezebel
1979

Jezebel

Ballgame
1980

Ballgame

For Services Rendered
1985

For Services Rendered

A Lacy Affair
1983

A Lacy Affair

Plato's: The Movie
1980

Plato's: The Movie

Love to Mother
1984

Love to Mother

Foreplay
1982

Foreplay

Skintight
1981

Skintight

Carnal Encounters of the Barest Kind
1978

Carnal Encounters of the Barest Kind

Pink Champagne
1979

Pink Champagne

The Sensuous Detective
1980

The Sensuous Detective

Deep Ghost
1984

Deep Ghost

Bad Girl
1983

Bad Girl

Weekend Fantasy
1980

Weekend Fantasy

Trouble Down Below
1981

Trouble Down Below

Inspirations
1982

Inspirations

The Satisfiers of Alpha Blue
1980

The Satisfiers of Alpha Blue

Undercovers
1982

Undercovers

Ginger Lynn & Company
1989

Ginger Lynn & Company

Voyeur's Delight
1986

Voyeur's Delight

Golden Age of Porn: Annette Haven
2004

Golden Age of Porn: Annette Haven

Heat of the Moment
1984

Heat of the Moment

Cherry Ettes For Hire
1984

Cherry Ettes For Hire

Night Flight
1980

Night Flight

Young and Restless
1983

Young and Restless

Sounds of Sex
1985

Sounds of Sex

Let Me Tell Ya 'Bout White Chicks
1984

Let Me Tell Ya 'Bout White Chicks

Hot Love
1980

Hot Love

Burning Desire
1983

Burning Desire

Why Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1983

Why Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Bisexual Fantasies
1986

Bisexual Fantasies

Colleen Brennan Collection
2005

Colleen Brennan Collection

The Sounds Of Sex
1986

The Sounds Of Sex