Pedro Aguilar
Encyclopedia
Pedro "Cuban Pete" Aguilar (June 14, 1927 – January 13, 2009) was a Puerto Rican
dancer, referred to as "the greatest Mambo
dancer ever" by Life
magazine and Tito Puente
. His nickname, "Cuban Pete," was conferred upon him in 1949 in the famous Palladium
dance hall in New York City
, in reference to the classic mambo song "Cuban Pete" by Desi Arnaz
, and it was endorsed by Arnaz himself.
Aguilar won numerous prizes in Latin dancing during the Mambo era, together with his dance partner Millie Donay
. He is a recipient of many prestigious awards for his work. Pete is the only Latin dancer recognized in the Latin Jazz
exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution
.
He continued to dance professionally, coach teams for competition, and was a judge for various Latin dance events. Barbara Craddock
was his last dance partner (since 1998) and manager.
He, together with Barbara Craddock are inducted in the International Latin Music Hall of Fame
.
On November 14, 2007 it was announced they were the recipients of the Latin Jazz USA Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2007/08 Ms. Latina International Pageant, with the presentation scheduled to happen on December 22, 2007 at the Manuel Artime Theater, Miami, Florida
. They were the first Latin dancers to receive this award.
He died January 13, 2009 from heart failure at Sinai Plaza Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Miami, Florida
. Aguilar is survived by his daughters Denise Gerard and Petrina Aguilar, son Sean Peter Aguilar, granddaughter Gina Gerard and grandson Noah Aguilar.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
dancer, referred to as "the greatest Mambo
Mambo (dance)
Mambo .In the late 1940s, Perez Prado came up with the dance for the mambo music and became the first person to market his music as "mambo". After Havana, Prado moved his music to Mexico, where his music and the dance was adopted. The original mambo dance was characterized by freedom and...
dancer ever" by Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine and Tito Puente
Tito Puente
Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
. His nickname, "Cuban Pete," was conferred upon him in 1949 in the famous Palladium
Palladium
Palladium is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pd and an atomic number of 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired...
dance hall in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, in reference to the classic mambo song "Cuban Pete" by Desi Arnaz
Desi Arnaz
Desi Arnaz was a Cuban-born American musician, actor and television producer. While he gained international renown for leading a Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, he is probably best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo on the American TV series I Love Lucy, starring with Lucille Ball, to...
, and it was endorsed by Arnaz himself.
Aguilar won numerous prizes in Latin dancing during the Mambo era, together with his dance partner Millie Donay
Millie Donay
Millie Donay was an American professional Latin dancer, a female pioneer of Mambo dance.Her first partner was Pedro "Cuban Pete" Aguilar of the Palladium Ballroom...
. He is a recipient of many prestigious awards for his work. Pete is the only Latin dancer recognized in the Latin Jazz
Latin jazz
Latin jazz is the general term given to jazz with Latin American rhythms.The three main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican:# Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova...
exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
.
He continued to dance professionally, coach teams for competition, and was a judge for various Latin dance events. Barbara Craddock
Barbara Craddock
Barbara Craddock is an American professional dancer and choreographer specializing in Latin dance and an internationally accredited dance competition judge...
was his last dance partner (since 1998) and manager.
He, together with Barbara Craddock are inducted in the International Latin Music Hall of Fame
International Latin Music Hall of Fame
The International Latin Music Hall of Fame was established in 1999.In addition to the induction into the Hall of Fame, the award ceremonies include Special Recognition Awards and Beny Moré Memorial Award.-1999:...
.
On November 14, 2007 it was announced they were the recipients of the Latin Jazz USA Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2007/08 Ms. Latina International Pageant, with the presentation scheduled to happen on December 22, 2007 at the Manuel Artime Theater, Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. They were the first Latin dancers to receive this award.
He died January 13, 2009 from heart failure at Sinai Plaza Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Aguilar is survived by his daughters Denise Gerard and Petrina Aguilar, son Sean Peter Aguilar, granddaughter Gina Gerard and grandson Noah Aguilar.