Robert and Jean White
MamboCity was founded by Robert and Jean White in August 1999, they both started dancing Salsa in 1992 and gained seven years of dance experience in Colombian, Cuban and Cross body Style Salsa before going on to teach, they quickly established themselves as teachers, promoters and gained a reputation for running great events.They were introduced to ‘cross-body’ Salsa by Pedro Gomez, a Puerto Rican Instructor based in Italy. this lead them to go on to take classes with many famous US proponents of that style including Eddie Torres, Nelson Flores, Tomas Guerrero, Frankie Martinez and Delille Thomas. Classes with these instructors lead them to promote workshops in the UK and the production of the inspirational video in 2001, “MamboCity Presents SantoRico”. this was instrumental in inspiring a generation of dancers from the early 2000’s, helping to shape cross body dancing in the UK and further afield.
They went on to start a number of festivals around the UK and abroad.
July 2003: Salsa Splash @Hayling IslandKDecember 2003: 5Star Christmas Weekend
May 2004: 5Star London Salsa Congress
September 2006: Salsa Splash Spain
Since Running the above events we have gone on to partner other promoters to run other annual festivals in the UK and abroad.
Our History
How we started and what we currently do
Our first Salsa experience, was at a night club in Toronto Canada called Berlins where the Salsa night was hosted by Josie Neglia, it wasn’t until our returned to London that we decided to take lessons in 1992 with the first generation of UK Instructors Xihomara Granados, Nelson Batiste, Ramiro Zapata and Zinia, the style of dance at the time was Colombian Cali (style Salsa), Cumbia, Merengue and Casino (Cuban Salsa), We were first introduced to cross body style dancing by Pedro Gomez in 1997 and have since gone on to work with and learn different styles from such salsa luminaries as Eddie Torres, Nelson Flores (Descarga Latina), Thomas Guerrero (SantoRico), Frankie Martínez. Delille Thomas and many others. Owing to these influences, we have experienced a variety in styles ranging from Columbian and Cuban Salsa, to the Cross Body styles “On 1″ / “On 2″ and Cha Cha Cha.
In May 1999, we had our first Salsa Congress experience at the first SalsaWeb Convention Organised by Edie Salsa Freak, (which was hosted in Washington DC), we were really inspired by the amount of talent on display there, this plus the encouragement from Nelson Flores and some friends who wanted us to teach them, prompted us to start MamboCity which we did in August 1999, our first class had about 15 of our friends, we held our first party in October of that year which was a Halloween Fancy Dress/Mask Party.The following month (November), we got involved in promoting a New York dance group who wanted to come to the UK, Luis Zegarra of Fuerza Latina and Ismael Otero of Caribean Soul, This happened by chance, due to a promoter friend, who was responsible for organising the event pulling out at the last minute, Luis Zegarra persuaded us to go ahead with the promotion. Since then MamboCity has gone on to host and promote Workshops and Showcase weekends <br/l><br/l>
November 1999: Luis Zegarra of Fuerza Latina and Ismael Otero of Caribean Soul
March 2000: We held the UK’s very first On2 Social at the The Globe (Cellar Bar) Marylebone Road.
April 2000: We had the pleasure of having the Mambo King himself Eddie Torres and Nelida perform and Henry Knowles DJ at Bootsy Brogans, Wembley, Middlesex
February 2001: Nelson Flores – Descarga Latina, SantoRico Dancer Co, Alma y Sabor (Featuring Daniela and Graziano), 18 Dancers from New York and Italy took part in a Show called “Latin Connection” for a St Valentines weekend of Workshops and showcase, this showcase was only ever perform once and was the fore-runner for the much acclaimed off Broadway show “Latin Madness” (Photo’s) it was a collaboration that saw us work with Joseph Davids of Latin 8.
June 2001: Launch Party of Salsa @Tudor Rose (23rd June), Featured Leon Rose, Susana Montero & DJ Julian “The Duke”
October 2001: SantoRico Dance Co, Weekend of Workshops and Shows and production of the Mambocity Presents SantoRico Video.
November 2001: The Cobo Brothers Weekend of Workshops and Shows
December 2001: Christmas Party, featuring Frankie Martinez, Aisha Koswara and Henry Knowles
March 2002: Launch Night of Monthly Saturday @The Camden Center (2nd March) Tribute to Xhiromara Granados
April 2002: Nelson Flores – Descarga Latina, Jai and Candy Weekend of Workshops and Shows World Premier of “Merecumbe Dance Routine” (Photo’s)
May 2002: Launch of Annual Trip To Cuba (Photos)
May 2002: Launch Party of Monthly Fridays @Ealing Town Hall (3rd May)
July 2002: Frankie Martinez and Aisha Koswara Workshop and Show. World Premier of “Welcome to The Party Dance Routine” @Tudor Rose (Photo’s)
August 2002: Annual Trip to Barcelona
December 2002: ”The Palladium Mambo Legends” Freddie Rios and Mike Ramos End of year Workshop and Show. (Photo’s)
March 1st 2003: Frankie Martinez and Lori – Perez Workshop and Show.
July 2003: The First SalsaSplash Weekender @Hayling Island
August 2003: Launch Party Monthly Saturdays @Carisbrook Hall (9th August)
December 2003: The first 5 Star Weekend @The Radisson Edwardian Hotel Heathrow, a End Of Year Weekender featuring SantoRico, Nelson Flores, Duplessy Walker, Mario “B”, Susana Montero, Rafael & Janet, Homero Gonzalez, Osbanis and many more
February 2004: Weekly Fridays @Ealing Town Hall (13th Feb)
April 2004: The First 5 Star Congress @The Radisson Edwardian Hotel Heathrow, MamboCity’s 1st Salsa Congress featuring Eddie Torres and The Eddie Torres Dancers, Felipe Polanco, Rene Guiets and Salsa Lovers, Daniela and Graziano, Susana Montero, Rafael & Janet and many more
July 2004: SalsaSplash Weekender @Hayling Island
December 2004: 5 Star Weekend @The Radisson Edwardian Hotel Heathrow, a End Of Year Weekender featuring Hacha y Machete, Nelson Flores, Jesus Aponte, Raphael & Janet, Herve Suzan (Uforia Dance Co), Farid Ferchach
April 2005: 5 Star Congress @The Radisson Edwardian Hotel Heathrow, MamboCity’s Salsa Congress featuring Eddie Torres and The Eddie Torres Dancers, Felipe Polanco, Tito & Tamara, Edie Salsa Freak & Al Espinoza, Joby Brava, Daniela & Graziano, Susana Montero, Leon Rose, Carmen & Raul and many more
October 2006: The First SalsaSpash Spain, Held at Hotel Guitart, Llorett De Mar near Barcelona
July 2007: Manolito Simonet Y Su Trabuco in Concert, Our First Major Concert with international Cuban Artiste.
May 2008: Grupo Latin Vibe, Live at The 5Star Congress
October 2008: The First Sexy & Sensual Latin dance Festival with Partners Tony Lara & Daniela
March 2013: The First Zoukfest Festival with Partners, Solange Dias and Joseph Koniak
August 2013: The First Motion City Weekend with Partner Mauricio Reyes of Latin Motion
February 2014: The First “Love Like London” Kizomba Festival with Partners Joao & Giedre Rocha.