A native of Chile, Mr. Muñoz was born into a family of dancers. Both of his parents were pioneers of the dance movement in Chile during the late 40’s and 50’s. With them, he traveled throughout South America and the Caribbean: first with Ballet de Concepción and later on with Ballet Municipal de Maracaibo and Ballet de la Universidad del Zulia, taking this art form to places where Ballet had rarely been seen before. Thanks to his parents’ influence and under their tutelage, Roberto Muñoz began his career at a very early age.
His professional dancing career began at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater in 1972, where he was fortunate to work with Ballet Masters such as: Nicholas Petrov, Leonid Massine, Edward Caton, Vitale Fokine, Ruth Page, JohnTaras, John Butler, Frano Jelencic.
He later danced with Ballet Internacional de Caracas, under the direction of the late Vicente Nebrada and with Hartford Ballet, under the direction of Michael Uthoff, where he was introduced to the works of Alvin Ailley, Margot Sappington and Josñ Limon.
In 1980, the Venezuelan government appointed Mr. Muñoz as the Artistic Director of Ballet del Zulia, where he was in charge of both, the School and the Company.pany. His commitment as a teacher and coach takes strong hold and establishes during this period, thus leading the company to two thriving seasons with great critical and popular acclaim.
Back in the USA, Mr. Muñoz continued his teaching career at the Dance Department of Point Park College (Now University). There, he was appointed as the Director of the Conservatory of Dance and Music, where he created two very successful programs: the Pre-professional Division and the International Summer Dance Program, where students received intensive training in the classroom as well as in the performing arena.
Among the faculty Mr. Muñoz assembled were: Laura Alonso, Haidñe Gutiñrrez. Karen Brown, Eva Evdokimova, Wily Burmann, Alexander Filipov, Nicholas Petrov, John McFall, Josñ Molina, Michael Uthoff, Magda Aunon, Anthony Salatino,Kenneth Johnson, Barbara Sandonato.
Mr. Munoz was a faculty member at Point Park College for 13 years, teaching all levels of Ballet technique, Character Dance and Male Ballet Technique. During that time, Mr. Munoz also served as part time faculty at the PBT school and Company under the direction of Patricia Wilde.
Alumni of these programs are currently dancing or have danced at: Arizona Ballet, Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, Hubbart Street, Ballet Met, Ballet West, New York City Ballet, Ballet British Columbia, Pittsburgh Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, on Broadway and on tours across the USA and overseas.
Mr. Munoz was also a full time faculty member at the Baltimore School for the Performing Arts from 1995 to 1997 after which he returned to Pittsburgh to join PBT as Ballet Master.
Mr. Munoz has served as Panelist for the Ohio Arts Council and has been a Guest Teacher at: Atlanta Ballet, Annapolis Ballet Theater, Ballet Met, Boston Ballet, Canton Ballet, Mary Grove College (Detroit,MI), Houston Ballet, Prodanza in Havana Cuba, Ballet de Monterrey (Mexico), West Virginia Dance Festival, Nureyev International Dance Competition (Budapest, Hungary) and Jackson International Dance Competition, among others.
Finally, Roberto Muñoz, received the Harry Shualb “Award of Excellence” and the Edward Caton award for “Most Influential Teacher.”
Mr. Muñoz has been Ballet Master for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater since 1997. On July 2004, he was appointed Director of the Pittsburgh Ballet theater School and Associate Ballet Master for the Company. He is also currently listed as Principal Character Dancer in the PBT Company’s playbill.
He collaborates with artistic director Terrence Orr in re-staging full length Ballets like: Coppelia, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Giselle and, most recently, a brand new production of The Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet.
He has assisted choreographers like: Kevin O’Day, Dwight Rhoden, Lisa De Ribere , Robert Hill and has rehearsed the Ballets of Glenn Tetley, Paul Taylor, Ben Stevenson, Daniel Pelzigh and George Balanchine.