Maria Pogee (sometimes credited as "Maria Pohji") (born 7 April 1942) is an Argentine-American dancer who performed on stage, television and film in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. She is also a choreographer, dance teacher and actress. She appeared in the movie Wacky Taxi (1972).

Biography

Pogee was born Elvira Maria Victoria Garcia in Santa Fe, Argentina, to Carlos Victor García, a sergeant major in the Argentine army, and Elvira Paulina García, an elementary school teacher. In 1941, her father was transferred from Buenos Aires to the province of Santa Fe, where her family settled in the community of Cañada de Gomez.

In 1945, her parents and older brother, Carlos José Luis García, were transferred back to Buenos Aires, where her father worked as director of personnel for Buenos Aires City Hall, and later as Chief Personnel Officer of the Eva Perón Foundation.

Pogee's uncle, author José Constantino Barro, was the Minister of Industry and Commerce during the era of Juan Perón (1947–1952). His wife, Agueda G. de Barro, was a professor of the National Academy of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires and in 1951 was designated Inspector of the National Political Female Party branch by Eva Perón.

María was seven years old when she began her formal dance training at the Teatro Colón, Argentina's equivalent of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre. During her training, she began participating as an extra in operas and ballets. Her first performance was in 1952 at the Teatro Colón, as one of the characters in the ballet: "Hansel and Gretel", choreographed by Jorge Tomin. As her career progressed, Pogee attended the National School of Dance where she studied dancing, piano, singing and many others stages of the performing arts. During her studies, Maria studied with Marcel Marceau circa 1975.

In December 1961, English producer Barry Ashton become her mentor, giving her a working visa. She was supposed to work in a French review Bounjour Paris at the Douville Hotel in Miami Beach. He wanted to change her name from María Victoria to something French, so Maria suggested using her nickname. Choreographer Larry Maldonado and Barry Ashton played with the phonetic sound and rhythm of Polli and Poyi to create the pseudonym: Marie Pohji. It was in 1974 that her name was legally changed to Maria Pogee.

In 1966, Pogee became assistant to producer/choreographer Hal Belfer on the motion picture The Bandit (later released as The Ride to Hangman’s Tree), at Universal Studios. In the same year she was assistant to mime and director Richmond Shepard and performed in "The Technique and Performance of Mime" at the Valley City Jewish Community Center’s Kesselman Auditorium, Van Nuys, California.

In 1971, Pogee was appointed by Line Renaud as the Ballet Mistress and Coordinator of "Love Inn," at the King's Castle Hotel in Lake Tahoe, California. In 1973, she was assistant to Bob Finkle, producer/director of Herculian Tasks at Burbank Studios. In 1974, she was assistant to producer/ choreographer Jerry Jackson for The Tony Orlando and Dawn TV series. She was also Jackson’s assistant, performer and Line Captain on "The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show", at Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Later she assisted Jerry Jackson for Charlie Henchis spectacular at the then exclusive "Casino Du Libanon" in Beirut, Lebanon.

In 1974, she was called to Las Vegas, Nevada, to assist choreographer Nick Navarro at The Frontier Hotel for the "In Vogue" show starring Liliane Montevecchi. She assisted Navarro at the Desert Inn Hotel on the "Juliet Prowse" show.

In 1975, Maria Pogee was working as Assistant to Nick Navarro under the direction of Donn Arden for the new “Lido de Paris” show at the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada and the show to be titled Merci Beaucoup.

During this time, Pogee was also active on the international scene, choreographing, directing, and performing extensively for TV, theater, and cabarets all over the world in Mexico, Spain, the UK, and Ireland. During this time, she worked with stars such as Olga Breeskin, Los Chiripitifláuticos, Manoella, and the Brothers Castro, known in Spanish as Los Hermanos Castro and director Oscar Banegas.

Before long she was back in the USA collaborating on productions starring Shirley MacLaine and Juliet Prowse.

Another Legendary Producer, Federic Apcar, contracted Pogee to direct and choreograph his “Las Vegas Show” for its European engagements and his Les Sizzle Production at Harrah’s Hotel, Reno, Nevada. Apcar engaged her again for his memorable ‘Bare Touch of Vegas’ show at the Marina Hotel, Las Vegas.
While in Las Vegas she staged a Magic Act for Kirby Van Burch’s appearance in Jubilee at Bally’s Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Intrigued by the opportunity to work in Africa, Pogee staged and choreographed the spectacular extravaganza ‘Stars!’ produced by Anthony Farmer, featuring a cast of 40 dancers plus principals, specialty acts and incredible sets, in Sun City, Bophuthatswana, South Africa.
Upon her return to the USA, she served as Direction and Production Consultant for renowned Spanish dancer, Luisa Triana in a performance of El Amor Brujo and Capriccio Espagnol, in homage to Garcia Lorca, accompanied by the Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra. Shortly afterwards, Ms. Pogee accepted an offer from the Walt Disney Company to be their Director and Show Consultant of Marketing, Entertainment and Special Events at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

An invitation to choreograph a tango ballet to the music of Astor Piazzolla for the Academy of Nevada Dance Theatre brought her back to Las Vegas. Dance critic, Hal De Becker wrote in Las Vegas CityLife Magazine that "Maria Pogee, one of Las Vegas best dancers in the ‘60s and 70s. Her well-danced, well-lit number for 12 girls may have been the high point of the concert. Her choreography ’Esencia de Tango’ possessed an almost architectural sense of balance, focus and symmetry besides being thoroughly entertaining. It belongs in the repertoire of a professional company.”

The University of Nevada Las Vegas also had her choreograph the Musical Comedy ‘The Mystery of Edwing Drood”. Anthony Del Valle wrote in Las Vegas CityLife Review Journal ”Quietly, magically, she not only does what the script demands with maximum grace and minimum fuss but makes one want to see more.”

Around this time a new creative avenue was presented to Ms. Pogee: Choreographing and Directing Fashion and Trades Shows at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Las Vegas Dunes Hotel. Her innovative fashion productions for Paolo Altamura, Beconta ski clothing, Colmar USA, Sears Inc., Toyota Industry and Ellesse USA, to name just a few, were distinguished by the unique brilliance of her fashion movements, projection and sets, as well as the professional dancers and specialty acts she engaged. Her Fashion Productions were especially noted for their story themes, Spice and Glamour.

She returned to her origins in classical ballet as vice-president, artistic director and choreographer of the American Dance Company with Linda de Becker Shoemaker with a Board of Directors including, Cynthia Gregory, retired Prima Ballerina of American Ballet Theater; Desi Arnaz Jr. and his wife, and Nevada State Assemblyman J. Harry Mortenson, among others.

From 1976, María and her husband, Ruben Grinspanas, simultaneously owned and conducted “Ra-Ma Tours,” a highly successful tour operators company dedicated to International Tourism in United States which Maria operated until 2006. In recognition of his constant support, Ruben Grinspanas became vice president of the Las Vegas Reception Tour Operators Association.

In 1991, she began painting dry flowers, in particular roses, using water colors and acrylics in an original system she called ‘Canvavita.' These paintings and poetry, which were composed by herself and her father, were exhibited at the offices of Cirque du Soleil located in Las Vegas, Nevada and are included in her book, “Petalos de amor y dolor” (“Petals of Love and Pain”).

Currently, Maria is President of Ma-Ra Inc. of Las Vegas, Nevada and continues to combine entrepreneurial business ventures with numerous artistic pursuits.