The Home of Mambo - THE PALLADIUM - New York City in the 50's and 60's

In the period from the 1950's until the shut down of the Palladium in 1966, the foundation of New York on2 style was layed. This was the place where the best dancers in the world met for socials several times a week. The concept was then as now: Classes, dancing and shows - and always 2-3 live bands per night. The closing of the Mambo Stronghold also meant a goodbye to many of the mambo dancers and teachers of the time. The young Latinos (Puerto Ricans) turned towards Boogaloo and Latin Hustle (swing like) and since the interest for salsa music was also waning (main boom was with the Romantica in the 1980's), the Mambo was hardly danced any longer.... But... "you have to start somewhere" - with these words and with the purpose of spreading the Mambo on2 and making it an art form, Eddie Torres started teaching New York Mambo on2 in the 1970's (classes of 3-4 students). He set the basic steps on a formula (which is still used for teaching world wide today): 123 567 and had a curriculum consisting of 300 named shines and more than 200 figures/turn patterns.

In 1980 Eddie and Maria Torres performed for the first time a SHOW at a live concert with Tito Puente Orchestra. This collaboration with Tito (also an accomplished Mambo dancer) continued until Tito's death in the summer of 2000, and the fact that New York on2 is today spread throughout the entire world can unconditionally be attributed to these two gentlemen and their enormous passion for both the dance and the music.

Eddie Torres and many of his "disciples" (who live and teach in several European cities) teach in New York and at a number of Salsa Congresses throughout the world.