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the amount
of talent there amazed us, this plus encouragement from Nelson Flores
and some friends who wanted us to teach them, prompted us to start
MamboCity, which we did in August 1999, our first class had about
15 of our friends and steadily grew, we held our first party in
October of that year, which was a Halloween
Fancy Dress/Mask Party, we like themes as it keeps the party atmosphere.
The
following month (November), we got involved in promoting a New York
dance group who wanted to come to the UK, Luis Zegarra of Fuerza
Latina and Ismael Otero of Caribean Soul, This happend by chance,
due a promoter who was responsible for organising the event pulling
out, Luis Zegarra persuaded us to go ahead with the promotion.
Since
then MamboCity has gone on to host and promote Workshops and Showcase
weekends for the following events:
November
1999:
Luis
Zegarra of Fuerza Latina and Ismael Otero of Caribean Soul (Photo's)
April
2000:
We
had the pleasure of having the Mambo King himself Eddie Torres and
Nelida perform and Henry Knowles DJ at Bootsy Brogans, Wembley,
Middlesex (Photo's)
February
2001:
Nelson
Flores – Descarga Latina, SantoRico Dancer Co, Alma y Sabor
(Featuring Daniela and Graziano), 17 Dancers from New York and Italy
took part in a Show called “Latin Connection” for a
St Valentines weekend of Workshops and showcase, this showcase was
only ever perform once and was the fore-runner for the much acclaimed
off Broadway show “Latin Madness” (Photo's)
October
2001:
SantoRico
Dance Co, Halloween Weekend of Workshops and Shows and production
of the Mambocity Presents SantoRico Video. (Photo's
# 1) and (Photo's
# 2)
November
2001:
The
Cobo Brothers Weekend of Workshops and Shows (Photo's)
December
2001:
Christmas
Party, featuring Frankie Martinez, Aisha Koswara and Henry Knowles
(Photo's)
April
2002:
Nelson
Flores – Descarga Latina, Jai and Candy Weekend of Workshops
and Shows
World Premier of "Merecumbe Dance Routine" (Photo's)
July
2002:
Frankie
Martinez and Aisha Koswara Workshop and Show.
World Premier of "Welcome to The Party Dance Routine"
(Photo's)
December
2003:
"The
Palladium Mambo Legends" Freddie Rios and Mike Ramos End of
year Workshop and Show. (Photo's)
March
1st 2003:
Frankie
Martinez and Lori - Perez Workshop and Show. (Photo's)
July
2003:
SalsaSplash
Weekender @Hayling Island (Photo's)
December
2003:
5
Star Weekend @The Radisson Edwardian Hotel Heathrow,
a End Of Year Weekender featuring SantoRico, Nelson Flores,
Duplessy Walker, Mario "B", Susana
Montero, Rafael & Janet, Homero Gonzalez, Osbanis and many
more (Photo's)
April
2004:
5
Star Congress @The Radisson Edwardian Hotel Heathrow,
MamboCity's 1st Salsa Congress featuring Eddie Torres and
The Eddie Torres Dancers, Felipe Polanco, Rene Guiets and
Salsa Lovers, Daniela and Graziano, Susana
Montero, Rafael & Janet and many more (Photo's)
Why
the name Mambo City?
The
Mambo: of African and European parentage, Mambo, Conga and Bongo
were originally Bantu names for musical instruments that were used
in rituals and gradually became secular. Mambo means "conversation
with the gods" and in Cuba designates a sacred song of the
Congo (Cubans of Bantu origin).
The
Congos absorbed a variety of foreign influences and the mambo drum
rhythm became a cocktail of Bantu, Spanish and Yoruba. Coupled with
Western Jazz, these beats provided the basis for the creation of
the Mambo then the Cha Cha Cha and Salsa. The mambo is the result
of a long cross-cultural journey, A journey through life with Music
and Dance.
______________________________________________________________
Robert
White AKA (DJ Cruz and Bobby Blanco),
Has a strong and diverse back ground in music and is a former
session musician who has played Reggae and R&B on a semi professional
basis, he has always enjoyed a wide variety of music from Reggae,
Soca, R&B, Jazz to Salsa, Mambo, Merengue, Zouk and Bachatta
etc.
Some of his favourite artists are: Isidro Infante, Jose Alberto,
Gilberto Santa Rosa, Tito Puente, Juan Luis Guerra, Louie Ramirez,
Rey de la Paz, Oscar De Leon, Africando’s and Los Van Van
to name but a few.
Robert regularly DJ's @MamboCity events but has had the pleasure
of being invited to Dj at the following events:
Salsa Congresses:
The New York Salsa Congress 2001
German Congress (Darmstadt) 2001
Both UK and British Salsa Congress 2002
Dubai Congress 2002
“Salsa Fusion 2” Dubai 2002
Paris Salsa Congress 2003
Barcelona Salsa Congress 2003
Norwegian Salsa Congress Oslo 2003
Both UK and British Salsa Congress 2003
Clubs SOS London and MamboCity Events
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