Considered
one of the last of the great mambo dancers from
the New York City Palladium era, Anibal Vazquez
was a member of the legendary dance team "
The Mambo Aces." His peers included the great
dancers and bandleaders of Latin music. Anibal
collapsed while dancing at New York City's Copacabana
on June 29, 1999. He was rushed to Roosevelt Hospital
where he died the following day at the age of
73.
At
the Ortiz Funeral Home on 72nd Street, I ran into
professional dancer Freddy Rios who said that
Anibal had taught him a great deal about dancing.
One
highlight for Anibal had been a 1989 performance
with Kika Pinheiro in San Juan, Puerto Rico. When
he collapsed, Anibal was dancing to the music
of his nephew, Roberto Roena.
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