By 1929, he was considered a top ballroom dancer. At that time, a “catchy” Cuban song “The Peanut Vendor,” was introduced to America. It heralded a new dance, that all the Latin’s from Manhattan called “The Columbia” which started the “Rumba years.”
As a professional dancer, Tony made frequent visits to Havana, Cuba and adapted to the Cuban Rumba – or more to the point: The Cuban style.

In the early ‘40s, he was one of three male dancers appearing nightly with a bevy of chorus girls at Ben Marden’s Riviera. The Riviera (later known as Bill Miller’s) was one of the most famous night clubs in the Metropolitan area.
Across the Hudson River it brightened the dark, lonesome Jersey shore like a sparkling jewel necklace; resplendent on the neck of a not so lovely woman. Its clientele attracted the famous and infamous alike. It was there, in the summer of 1943, that Tony & Lucille met – in a scene right out of “Guys and Dolls.”
Tony was seated with Godfather racketeer Meyer Lansky when he spotted Lucille dancing. Impressed… he approached and asked for a dance.
Also present that evening – and impressed with their dancing – was Jenny Grossinger.

They began “dating” and became a team. Their professional style and personable manner appealed to Jenny Grossinger, and she offered them the “hotel.” But because of a previous commitment, they were unable to accept. Pedro & Olga Vavarro landed posh GROSSINGER’S with Tony & Lucille going to the CONCORD. 1946 was a pivotal year for them. After completing three years at the CONCORD, they moved to GROSSINGER’S. In September, they were married. They would remain at Grossinger’s until 1968, without a written contract – only a handshake. Most contemporaries agree that it was Tony & Lucille who were responsible for the growth of mambo at

New York’s Palladium. Although its origin was Cuban, it was not a dance, but a rhythm such as montuno, guaguanco, etc.
Vacationing, and working in Havana in his earlier years, Tony was well acquainted with Cuban dancing and, like Cubans, always used the “cut box” when dancing the rumba, as opposed to the regular box step used in American style rumba.
Rather than closing perfectly on the count of 2 – as you would in American Rumba –
Latin dancers using the “cut box,” closed a half step backward and/or forward on “2” which, of course, was the precursor to mambo.
Discussing this technique of stepping with a Cuban band leader, Tony said: “…I forget who the guy was, but I remember saying ‘I’d like to give it a new name,’ I had just finished dancing to a mambo rhythm, so the guy said, ‘why not call it mambo?’
It’s quite possible – I’m sure very probable – that other top dancers were using it as well.

When the mambo went national (around 1949), leading the list of Palladium stars was its host: Killer Joe Piro.
A “darling” of the press, a local newspaper did a story on his career and erroneously gave him credit for introducing the mambo. The story angered many, and John Lucchese called the newspaper to set them straight. The newspaper then retracted the story, noting that it was Tony & Lucille “of Grossingers” who introduced mambo to America – or at the very least, were in the forefront of the elite “corps” of New York dancers that introduced it to the Palladium.
Should Tony & Lucille be given the credit? Well, it’s a mute point, like the undetermined thought about the “chicken or the egg” – which came first.
My final word is this…I have to take the word of the original Palladium dancers who were there – Tony & Lucille introduced it as a new dance and gave it its name – mambo.

I have spent many enjoyable evenings at their “dollhouse” like, penthouse studio; until they were forced to close, it was a favorite spot with the dance crowd.
The studio provided separate rooms for dancing, the lower for ballroom dancing – where you could enjoy a lindy or peabody, then ascending upstairs via a spiral staircase to the Latin room where, of course, the action was.
When not engaged in preparing one of his delicious buffets, Tony would be seen banging away on one of his percussion intruments.
It was there that he told this humorous story of “The Clave.”

The claves, along with the maracas, cowbell and guiro, are percussion instruments used by all Latin bands. The expert blending of these instruments enhances the musical sounds, producing what is commonly called: “Latin Rhythms.”
Anyone with a natural sense of rhythm can learn to play these simple, percussion instruments. But to do it well requires consistency, perfect timing and skill.

Part 2

Dancers – particularly Mamboniks – love to try their hand at playing these instruments.
The Maracas: two rattle-like gourds, filled with seeds, are perhaps, the best known . The player fronts the band with maracas in hand, arms in animated motion.
The Cowbell: is just that…! The player striking it with a small stick.
The Guiro: A long notched gourd, that the player makes scratching sounds on with a round stick (the shaft of a wooden coat hanger makes an excellent “scratcher.”)
The Claves: Two round pieces of mahogany about an inch in diameter and five inches long. They are played by holding one loosely in the palm of the hand and striking it with the other – five times to a two measure phrase, which produces a syncopated beat.

Simple enough? Yes. But no other instrument has been the topic of more controversy. Discussions become heated…tempers flair, causing arguments that could turn downright hostile – could even start a shooting war, well…not a war, but it once precipitated a shooting! In the old days (long before Fidel Castro), Havana’s hotels were popular with American tourists, with everyone wanting to learn authentic rumba. But real Cuban dancers would be found in “offbeat” places. Its local patrons – like the joints they frequented, a little on the rough side. As Tony told the story: a group of “revelers” were together one night when one – unwisely – said to another: “Hey, my friend, you were off the beat – you were not on the clave. What…? Well, to question a Cuban’s rhythm is almost akin to doubting his manhood – a blight on his honor!

A shouting match quickly ensued with the maligned dancer drawing a pistol and taking a shot at his friend.
The police were called, with the good senor subdued and taken into custody. As he was being led away he turned to his table of companions and tried to explain in typical Cuban logic: “The guy say I don’t dance on the clave.”
It makes a good story and we all had a good laugh over it.
The moral…? Simple: You can add the clave to religion and politics as topics that are sacrosanct – subjects never to argue over.
However, if you do, and the guy has a Cuban accent, well be warned: you do so at your peril.

Lucille was one of the most gracious women I have ever known. I remember the first time I danced with her, it was at Roseland back in the ‘50s (1957 to be exact, my “breakout” year,) she was at a table with other notables.
By then I was pretty sure of myself and approached…“Lucille, may I have the pleasure of this dance?” I asked. She smiled and took my extended hand.
After a few running steps she said: “Honey, the pleasure is all mine. At that time, I was developing a “budding” reputation, but still…I was a nobody, while she, one of New York’s biggest names was complimenting me – graciousness was her style

They’re both gone now, but they left a legacy of fond memories, Lucille in particular, who had a soft spot in her heart for me since her daughter-in-law was Armenian.

Part 3

In an interview with them for my first book: Diary of a Street Dancer, Lucille did most of the talking. I was enthralled listening, as she related stories of the Grossinger years: Jenny…the celebrities…Finally, I said: “Lucille, you should write a book.” Her face brightened into a sunny smile. Laughing, she said “Could I write a book…” Then, shaking her head “no,” added: “I haven’t got the time.
But a thoughtful expression formed on her lovely face – I had given her something to think about.

The Studios

The “hub” of activity for New York’s social dancers was, of course, the ballrooms and night clubs of Manhattan and Greater New York.
But another equally popular entity were: the independent dance studios.
The nationally franchised studios, though, were not on the social dancer’s itinerary.
Even before succumbing to the “lucrative” appeal of International Style, the big name, nationally known studios were detached from the lesser known local studios (a.k.a. the Studio Circuit.)
It was understandable.
Held “captive” – with lavishly planned programs of activities – their students and teachers were content to do their dancing within the confines of their studios.
However, there were exceptions: One, a “classy” gentleman, was a dedicated studio teacher for over fifty years; firmly entrenched in the Bronze, Silver and Gold Standard that was the big name studios method of operations. He was also a regular on the New York Studio Circuit and a good friend.

Curious, I once asked him, “Vinny, you’ve been with the Manhattan studio for a lifetime, but you’re also one of us. How come…? His reply was succinct and direct: “New York style is what I prefer.” Enough said. The one thing that all the independent studios had in common was they attracted the same group of social dancers – an “army” that encompassed all of Greater NewYork, New Jersey and Connecticut. Let me tell you about the one that touched, and shaped my life and career. Number one, of course, was “Phillips,” whose operations were well described and documented in an earlier chapter.

Not only was Phillips the most revered and popular studio, it was also a successful “chain,” the only independent to achieve that lofty status.
In teaching…they were all business, instructing 500 to 800 students per week with their highly successful group lessons, but it was the socials, particularly at the East Side Manhattan studio that was the talk of the town.
Fifty-five years have passed since I made my first visit to a Phillips Saturday night social and I can honestly say, I have never seen a more skilled group of social dancers (at the same time.) Their ballroom – a misnomer, because it was a small room and crowded with only fifty/sixty dancers in attendance – was alive and “swinging.”
But what dancers!

Part 4

They were an outpouring of New York’s “top” social dancers. Although no longer young, they were, however, still in their prime.
Half of the crowd were professionals, the remainder were students from Phillips private groups, who were among the best social dancers in New York.
At the mid point of the evening, John Phillips interrupted the festivities to impose on his friends…asking to do an extemporaneous, ad-lib show.
Wow…!
Suddenly it was like New Year’s Eve in July…or The Mardi Gras… as one couple after another thrilled their contemporaries who were seated and watching – waiting to be called upon to perform, to out do, or if you like. “up-stage” the other.

Years later on television, I watched a similar gathering of “ageing tap dancers,” hanging out…having fun. People like Honi Coles, Buster Brown, “Sandman Sims,” et al.
The old time hoofers, about eight dancers, would each do a solo performance. Now, if you tap dance, you’ll agree, that it’s a little harder and/or easier to do the step on the other foot/side.
Finally the last one (a comical little fellow) after completing his act, strutted in front of his buddies with his chest puffed waiting for their applause.
Instead…what he heard was a deflating: “Alright, now let’s see you do it on the other side.”
It was all staged of course, in a spirit of camaraderie and pure entertainment for the TV audience.

A lifetime has passed since that memorable Saturday night at Phillips and it remains: the greatest gathering of social dancing I have ever seen.
Why?
Perhaps because the crème de la crème – all of New York’s top dancers were there – at the same time!

There were many more memorable events of my career worth mentioning (perhaps in another chapter), but if someone were to ask me to name “the top ten,” well, I would start with that Saturday night at Phillips – then the top ten would follow.

© *This story and others to follow are excerpts from my first book “Diary of a Street Dancer.” My email number for anyone interested in a copy is: wdarian23@att.net

30-Sep-2010

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