Born Pedro Aguilar on June 14th, 1927, in Peurto Rico, "Cuban Pete" is a legendary dancer known worldwide for his talent and passion for the Mambo. He has been the choreographer and consultant for such hit movies as "The Mambo Kings" and won scores of prizes for his innovative movements which have become standards in Latin Dancing. He has been immortalized by Desi Arnaz & Lucille Ball on "The Lucy Show", as well as by Jim Carey in the hit movie, "The Mask". Meet the real "Cuban Pete" and his partner Barbara Craddock as they chat and "chick chicky boom" with DanceScape...

We all know you as the "King of the Latin Beat," the "Maestro of Mambo," and the "The Prince of the Palladium". As well, you have been immortalized in the movie "The Mask" where comedian Jim Carey sang a tribute to you, "Cuban Pete". But like all successful people, you had to overcome many challenges early in your life.

Cuban Pete: Yes, I had an extremely difficult childhood. I lived in an orphanage, a hospital and many different foster homes as a child. In fact, I was tormented by physical and psychological abuse from one horrible foster mother. But I survived the pain through my passions - first, for boxing, and then later for Latin dancing. Boxing was how I earned my respect and protected myself. It was how I was able to release a lot of my pain and anger at the time.

How did you discover your passion for Latin Dancing?

Cuban Pete: My mother, and god bless her. She taught me how to dance socially for every party that was held on the weekend at one of my six aunt's house. I learned the Danzon and Bolero from her. She started me off on this, and watched me always. My mom said to me, "Peter, you sure can dance, yes you can dance." Ever since then, nobody can tell me how good I dance - it's all my mom - since she is the one that taught me.

But it was my good friend Miguelito Valdez who encouraged me to give up Boxing and start Dancing. He entered me in a dance contest in 1950 and I won $1,000. It was at this moment that I discovered that I could make money and change my life with what I loved to do most!

Do you ever experience stage fright? How do you cope with it?

Cuban Pete: No. Never. As a fighter, I could never get nervous, so I took that to the dance floor. I like to dance and I don't do tricks - I am rhythm only. But for people who do get stage fright, my advice: count to ten, pick it up and carry it with you, concentrate on it. One must focus and be focused at all times. I always check out the audience first and by the feel of the audience I know how sexy to be or not to be on stage.

What was one of your most embarrassing moments as a dancer?

Cuban Pete: I was at a theater dancing with my wife and dance partner at the time, Millie. We were in the dressing room talking before our performance. A knock at the door and it was time to go on stage. I went to the men's washroom first and quickly rushed on stage. I grabbed Millie's hand and realized that the whole audience started laughing. I didn't know what was so funny, until I turned Millie around and noticed that my shirt was sticking out of my fly. I fixed the problem and the applause carried me on.

You have made great contributions to the world of dance in your lifetime. What are some of your memorable or rewarding experiences to date?

Cuban Pete: I have always considered myself lucky because I had a hard childhood, and I found what I love. I am 77, going on 80 and I can still do what I love, without knowing what is going to come next. I became called Maestro, which means master in Spanish. Everybody knows me as the Master of the Clave. I will always remember that. In Mambo, I established the forward and back movement of the dance, which I carried over from being a boxer. In 1952, in New York at Palladium, I started dancing and everybody wanted to copy my movements. Then, Mambo took life and went around the world. I also will always remember dancing all around the world, and dancing for the Queen of England.

The King of the Clave

You have said that in Latin Dancing, it is so important to understand the difference in various basic rhythms.

Cuban Pete: Yes, I learned the Latin Rhythms, Cuban Rhythms, Rhumba, and Bolero from my friends, Miguelito, Machito, and Tito Puente, may god bless his soul; Tito stayed on my back like a stick! They taught me the importance of dancing to the "Clave", it is our metronome, and I mastered it! And then people began to know me as the master of Clave on the dance floor!

Please explain more about the Clave and the importance of its rhythmic patterns in Latin Music and Dancing.

Cuban Pete: All of the rhythms of Latin music carry the Clave. You have to know how to dance to its beat. Everybody must take Clave 101 because it is like the foundation they put on the Empire State Building to build it, students need that foundation and knowledge in order to learn and apply steps to the dance. This is something that you need to know, or else you are out of it. Latin has so much music going on at the same time and some people cannot even know which sound is from a harmonica.

The basics of Latin Dancing is that it goes to the five clicks of the Clave, which fall within eight counts of music. Everybody now depends on certain steps that they like to show in competitions, but to me that is not dancing at all. I don't like when people focus more on their steps than the rhythm. Dancing is about rhythm and the music tells you how to do it. Your ear is your third leg on the dance floor - without you even knowing it.

Can dance exist without music then?

Cuban Pete: Like my dear friend Tito Puente always said, "Without the dance, there is no music, without the music, there is no dance" and I agree.

Choreographing "Mambo Kings"










Cuban Pete, what was it like being the choreographer of the movie, Mambo Kings? And what did that movie, or its storyline mean to you?

Cuban Pete: The choreography that I was asked to do gave me an opportunity to show what I can do. From my background, people in the industry were saying that the only person who can do this is Cuban Pete, so doing that for the Mambo Kings was the greatest thing. I, of course, started by teaching about the importance of the Clave.

It seems interesting that your childhood friends, like Tito Puente, and Desi Arnaz Jr. - whose father and mother, Desi Arnaz Sr. and Lucille Ball immortalized you in his song, "Cuban Pete" - all ended up in the same film. Was that planned or a coincidence?

Cuban Pete: It was a coincidence and the movie even reflected many of our real-life personalities.

What was Antonio Banderas like?

Cuban Pete: He kept me out late, having fun, listening to all the bands in New York City. When it came to learning, he was a fast learner; however, I am an excellent teacher!

Miami City Ballet With Edward Villella

What was it like for you and your present partner, Barbara Craddock, to be the first to merge together Latin, Mambo and Ballet for the Miami City Ballet?

Cuban Pete: Edward Villella, from Miami City Ballet came to us. He said, "I need good authenticity, on which I can build my Ballet." He wanted to merge these dance styles and make Mambo the finale. So, we gave his dancers the authentic steps, upon which they added the ballet.I thought at first, what am I going to do with Ballet; it's not my thing. But I came to Florida, and we did it. It was so good. The Ballet Students were on time - they were all on time the whole time. I cried after because I had helped with the accomplishment of something great by the end result of the Ballet.

Dancing for Queen Elizabeth

How did you get the opportunity to dance for Queen Elizabeth?

Cuban Pete: I was working in Canada at a club and got asked to go to Europe to dance. I said, "Wow, why not!" So the arrangements were made and I went. That was - wow - people were so nice and it was the biggest reception I had ever had. That was a happy time for me. I get emotional about that because it let me see another side of life, different from my childhood.

How did you and Barbara Craddock become dance partners?

Cuban Pete: We have known each other since we were fifteen. When I left Warner Brothers after eighteen years, I went back east to be with my youngest daughter. I quit to spend time with my family and just kept dancing as a social activity. At the time I worked selling clothing, I found it very creative and enjoyed it. One day Barbara came in the store and asked me why I wasn't dancing and selling clothes instead. She told me that I had an obligation to my heritage, to pass on my knowledge to the children. So, I got back in the business, and after an hour of dancing with her, I said to Barbara, "You are a wonderful dancer, would you do me a favor, would you dance with me? You've got a good idea of
what you want to do, but I don't want a Jewish Mambo, I want it Latin!"

Barbara: Pete said to me, " I am going to bring things out of you and put some things back in the shadows, and you may not like me because I am a tough teacher." He changed my approach and now my wish is that Latin dancers would allow themselves to hear the music the way that Pete taught me to hear it. Pete has a gift for hearing music, and combined with some ear training, he has become a genius! I know that I will never hear the music the way he does.

Cuban Pete: So, we began lecturing and preaching at different universities to teach the clave, and certain beats of other Caribbean and African based instruments.We have been lecturing since then and teaching workshops, and I like the idea. Once people learn the clave and understand the music, a freedom of expression is created. And when people get it, I tell them, "You're now able to dance inside the music!"

Barbara: We don't count; we hear the music and then step.

How do you teach your students how to dance in your instructional classes? What do you start off with? And what was it like teaching students at the University Arts School of Dance for their Latin Magic Project?

Cuban Pete: When I teach, I always start by teaching the music first. It's the clave that is the most important thing for our students to grasp. Then I teach them where to step and how to step. I remember when we first showed up to teach the kids for the project the kids had no idea of Latin music, but when we left them, they were amazing! These kids practiced, rehearsed, asked questions and were just amazing.

Barbara, you are both Pete's manager, dancing partner and long-time friend, what is the secret to maintaining a healthy relationship with your dance partner? Does one partner influence the other more while you are dancing?

Barbara: I think that chemistry and communication play a very important part. It's about blending your style and finding a balance. For example, Pete's timing and rhythm balances my set of skills, allowing each of us to do what we do best. Communication and respect, in a non-competitive manner, is the secret.

Cuban Pete: You have to know who the boss is. A lieutenant and a general, that's what makes the team. I am the General and she is the Lieutenant. I have been very lucky all my life with teams as far as I am concerned.

Barbara: Even though Pete has the final words, it's not a one-sided relationship. It's "You are the King, but I am the Queen"

Cuban Pete: You are not the Queen.

Barbara: (Laughs) Then, what am I?

Cuban Pete: You are the Princess.

Barbara: (Laughs) We have a good synergy together - a synergistic relationship. Pete also is always placing me in the right spot when we are on stage, and he tells me work front, work back, play it front, play it square. And a new expression always comes out of him when he dances. One day in the studio, he took off dancing. He hears more than the notes in the music, he hears the layers of music. He has such a gifted sense of rhythm, is extremely creative and is very musical.

Cuban Pete: I played the clave first, then the maraca and played very little conga. A new expression always comes out. I remember when I was four years old, a maid taught me how to tap dance to the peanut vendor.

To the Future Dancers

Are there any new trends in Latin dancing?

Cuban Pete: No new trends in Salsa. We call Salsa the sauce on spaghetti. We used to say give me the sauce, which means spice it up. Each rhythm brings its own company with it.

What final thoughts or words of advice would you like to share with other dancers?

If dancers ever visit the Miami area, I invite them to call us and take part in any of our classes. But, keep in mind, I am not an easy teacher. I want dancers to learn. They must learn the Clave correctly, then work with me on their rhythm and dance. When the class ends, they will do every single one of the dances that I taught them. I don't mind giving my dances away, as long as they practice. Rehearse everyday, at least twice a day!