RAICES Latin Music Museum to Display First Cuban Pete Costume at Museum of the City of New York October 5, 2002 -- January 19, 2003

Mambo legend, Cuban Pete, has donated a reproduction of his first costume, recreated by Miami City Ballet designer, Haydee Morales, to RAICES Latin Music Museum. The costume will be part of an exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York entitled, RAICES: The History of Latin Music in New York City," and will be on display from October 5, 2002 through January 19, 2003.

For immediate release: May 22, 2002         Contact: Barbara Craddock
305-931-3336 or cubanpeteent@aol.com
Nina Olson
212-427-2244 x 551
nolson@boysharbor.org

RAICES Latin Music Museum to Display First Cuban Pete Costume at Museum of the City of New York October 5, 2002 -- January 19, 2003

Mambo legend, Cuban Pete, has donated a reproduction of his first costume, recreated by Miami City Ballet designer, Haydee Morales, to RAICES Latin Music Museum. The costume will be part of an exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York entitled, RAICES: The History of Latin Music in New York City," and will be on display from October 5, 2002 through January 19, 2003.

Cuban Pete, the King of the Latin Beat," is a legendary dancer known worldwide for his talent and passion for the mambo genre. His signature style makes him an icon on the dance floor and continues to confirm his titles, Prince of the Palladium, Maestro of Mambo...Master of the Clave." Nicknamed by the master of ceremonies at the Palladium in 1949, Cuban Pete was a regular weekly performer at the dance palace. Cuban Pete has won numerous awards for his contributions to Latin dance, his dance style and impeccable timing. He has invented scores of movements recognized as standards of Latin dance. He was the choreographer and consultant for the hit movie, Mambo Kings, starring Antonio Banderas and Armand Assante. Cuban Pete also had a role in the film, Mambo Madness," which prompted a LIFE magazine article and led to performances at Carnegie Hall, The RKO Palace, The Waldorf Astoria and the Apollo Theater, plus two performances at the White House.

The chartreuse silk/satin costume was originally designed and fashioned by Cuban Petes mother, Nellie Trujillo Masdeu. It was meticulously reconstructed in Miami City Ballets Costume Shop, by Harriett Lefler and Gladys Sunabria, using old photographs supplied by Cuban Pete and his dance partner, Barbara Craddock. Items donated to RAICES Latin Music Museum include a photograph of Cuban Pete in the original costume, the reconstructed costume -- complete with shoes, and a current photograph, by Joe Gato, of Cuban Pete wearing the costume reproduction.

The shoes donated with the costume were worn by Cuban Pete during his tenure with Miami City Ballet, where most recently he and Barbara made history in the preservation of clave by blending it with ballet: They served as choreographic consultants and instructors for Miami City Ballets unprecedented and innovative work, Mambo No 2 a.m.," under the direction of Edward Villella.

RAICES Latin Music Museum is an extraordinary 15,000 plus-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, artist bios, instruments, artifacts, posters and memorabilia. RAICES has been declared an American Treasure by the White House and National Trust for Historic Preservation and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian.

For more information on RAICES please call 212-427-2244 ext. 572. For additional information on Cuban Pete and Barbara Craddock, please call 305-931-3336 or email cubanpeteent@aol.com.