Come and Celebrate the Birthday of CUBAN PETE, THE KING OF THE LATIN BEAT

RAICES presents MAMBO/SALSA EN CLAVÉ Master Class with Cuban Pete and Dance Partner Barbara Craddock Followed by a Birthday Dance Party

For immediate release: contact Barbara Craddock 305-931-3336 or cubanpeteent@aol.com

Come and Celebrate the Birthday of CUBAN PETE, THE KING OF THE LATIN BEAT

RAICES presents
MAMBO/SALSA EN CLAVÉ
Master Class with Cuban Pete and Dance Partner
Barbara Craddock
Followed by a Birthday Dance Party Featuring

The Harbor Conservatory Latin Big Band with Musical Director Louis Bauzo

Special Guest Performance by the SIDE STREET KIDS

RAICES is proud to present on June 14, 2002, a mambo/salsa master class taught by the maestro himself, Pedro Aguilar, better known as Cuban Pete. Joining Pete will be his wonderful dance partner, Barbara Craddock. Dancing and a birthday celebration honoring Pete will follow. The class is from 7:00 -8:00 pm and the Dance Party is from 8:00 - 10 pm and will be held on the Roof Top Gym @ Boys & Girls Harbor, One East 104th Street (Fifth Avenue) in Manhattan. Tickets are $15 and will be sold at the door. All proceeds go to benefit RAICES, the largest collection documenting the history of Afro-Caribbean Latin Music in New York City. In this master class participants will learn to identify clave and apply it in turns, patterns, styling, shines and distinctive body movements. For more information please call (212) 427-2244 ext. 578.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York's El Barrio, Pedro Aguilar is a legendary dancer known worldwide since the 1950s for his talent and passion for the mambo genre; his nickname "Cuban Pete" refers to a hit mambo tune of the day. His signature style made him an icon on the dance floor and continues to confirm his titles, "King of the Latin Beat," "Prince of the Palladium," and "Maestro of Mambo/Master of Clave." Recipients of numerous awards for his contributions to Latin dance, Cuban Pete invented scores of movements now recognized as standards of Latin dance. Modern audiences may know Pete best for his work behind the scenes as choreographer and consultant for the hit movie Mambo Kings.

Barbara Craddock has been a professional dancer since the age of 15 and brings more than 40 years of teaching and performance experience to the dance floor. She has partnered with renowned dancers in New York, New Jersey and Florida, in both nightclub and revues of varied dance styles. She is a schooled ballroom dancer and specializes in Latin dance, but is also trained in ballet, tap and jazz. Most recently, Pete and Barbara made history by blending "clave" (the structure of Latin music) with ballet while working as choreographic consultants to the Miami City Ballet. They are each certified by the National Dance Teachers of America, and hold international licenses from the International Dance Organization.

The Harbor Conservatory Latin Big Band under the direction of Louis Bauzo, is dedicated to preserving the big band sound and style of the golden era of Latin music, especially as it was played in New York City. Mr. Bauzo and arranger Jose Madera, Jr. have lovingly worked to bring this music alive. Drawing on the resources of the Harbor's extensive RAICES collection, The Harbor Conservatory Latin Big Band plays original arrangements by such musical greats as Tito Puente, Ray Santos, Jose Madera, Sr., Chico O'Farrill, Rene Hernandez and others. Mambo/Salsa en Clave follows such important concerts as "OH...So Many Stars" a Celebration of the Sideman of the Palladium Era; "1997 GRAMMY Tribute to Tito Puente"; "Park Palace Remembered/Tribute to Al Santiago and the Alegre All-Stars"; and "Cubop: The Best of All Worlds", and "Puente: Santeria to Swing". The Big Band has performed with many of the legends of Latin music including: Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Santos Colon, Luis Mangual, Sr., Mauricio Smith, Sr., "Little" Ray Romero and others.

RAICES, established by Ramon Rodriguez, Louis Bauzo and Joe Conzo, is now an unprecedented 15,0000-piece collection and includes a library of material on the folklore of the Caribbean, many rare or out-of-print books, magazines; video and audio tapes of Latin performers, rare slides and photos; original musical scores and arrangements, oral histories, artists bios, instruments, artifacts, posters, and memorabilia. The Harbor's ultimate goal is the establishment of the RAICES Museum and Archive as a new cultural institution in East Harlem dedicated to preserving the music's history, developing exhibitions, education programs and performances and to serve as the primary center for research on Latin music. RAICES has been declared an American Treasure by the White House and National Trust for Historic Preservation and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian. Collectors, musicians and dancers are all invited to donate materials to RAICES for preservation.

RAICES Director and Co-Founder Ramon Rodriguez had this to say, "Mambo/Salsa en Clave is another example of RAICES' commitment to providing public programs which honor and document the pioneers of Latin music both on the bandstand and the dance floor. We are pleased to celebrate an extraordinary dancer who has shared his passion for and knowledge of Latin dance with so many others, and in doing so brought clave into their lives."

The next RAICES event will be the October 5, 2002 opening of a major exhibition on the history of Latin music at the Museum of the City of New York. Curated by RAICES Co-Founder Louis Bauzo, the exhibition will include items on loan from the Smithsonian and will be on view at the museum until January 19, 2003.

For more information about RAICES please call 212/427-2244 ext. 572. For more information on Cuban Pete and Barbara Craddock please call 305-931-3336, cubanpeteent@aol.com or 1925 South Oak Haven Circle, North Miami Beach, FL 33179.

Mambo/Salsa en Clave is made possible with support from The Vranos Family Foundation.
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RAICES is made possible with support from: GOYA FOODS, The Reed Foundation, New York State Legislative Member Item Award-Senator Olga Mendez, a Special New York State Grant from The Office of Parks and Recreation, and Historic Preservation, The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, the friends and family of Bill Gordon and other generous individuals.