Palladium Mambo, Palladium Era Mambo Dancers - Keeping the History Alive
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Compiled and maintained by Juliet McMains, Ph.D.

This website celebrates dancers of Palladium Era Mambo who created and nurtured mambo dancing in 1950s New York. Included here are short biographies outlining the dance careers of elite amateur and professional mambo dancers who performed at the Palladium. All of these dancers also danced and often performed at other venues throughout New York; some toured the country; and a few took their mambo acts on international tours. All began their careers as social mambo dancers on the floor of the Palladium and other iconic New York Latin dance halls.

Please Contribute

Each biography on this website is a work in progress, open to revision and expansion. If you danced at the Palladium or have any information about any of the dancers listed here (or Palladium dancers not yet included), I would love to hear from you! Please contact me to share your memories so that I can continue to expand this resource.

— Juliet McMains, Ph.D.

Palladium Era Dancers

  • Joe Lustig
  • Luis Máquina
  • Mike Greenbaum (Mambo Mike)
  • Gene Ortiz
  • Peanuts
  • Killer Joe Piro
  • Cuban Pete
  • Mike Ramos
  • Horacio Riambau
  • Freddie Rios
  • Augie Rodríguez
  • Margo Rodríguez
  • Chino Romano
  • Julio Sabater
  • Steve Sands
  • Larry Seldon
  • Artie Shepard
  • François Szony
  • Tandelayo
  • Elita Terrace
  • Michael Terrace
  • Nilda Terrace
  • Aníbal/Andy Vázquez
  • Mike Vázquez
  • Joe Vega
  • Jill Wells
  • Marilyn Winters
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Header photos: Mambo Aces (Aníbal Vázquez and Mike Vázquez) and Jackie Danois Website Design: Wren McMains, Additional Credits