Alex Romero

Alex Romero born Alexander Bernard Quiroga in San Antonio Texas was the son of a Mexican general and politician His family fled to the United States during the Mexican Revolution after his father and many brothers were killed Raised in a family of performers Alex initially had no formal dance training but learned tap by observing Black dancers in vaudeville acts At fifteen he joined his brothers Spanish dance troupe adopting the stage name Romero and toured extensively across the US and Europe In 1936 while on tour in Norway he married Faun and the couple returned to the US in 1939 as World War II began Romero soon joined Jack Coles dance team at Columbia Pictures and transitioned into film choreography He worked with legendary figures like Gene Kelly Fred Astaire Busby Berkeley and Michael Kidd contributing to iconic films such as An American in Paris On the Town and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers His solo choreography debut came in Words and Music 1948 where he created standout numbers like Thou Swell and Lady is a Tramp Romero became known for his inventive humorous style and masterful use of props and camera angles He choreographed for stars including Doris Day Debbie Reynolds Bob Fosse and Russ Tamblyn and created the unforgettable Jailhouse Rock number for Elvis Presley with whom he developed a close friendship His work extended to television Broadway and nightclubs with credits on The Perry Como Show Fantasy Island and the musical Happy Hunting starring Ethel Merman A founding member of the Professional Dancers Society Romero was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Jazz Dance LA Foundation in 2001 He was celebrated not only for his artistic contributions but also for mentoring young dancers and choreographers Alex Romero passed away peacefully in 2007 at the age of 94 leaving behind a legacy that helped shape the future of dance in film and television