About us

Tony Hernandez

Tony was born of Puerto Rican decent and raised in the South Bronx to the rhythms and sounds of his mother's love for Disco & Latin Music.  In the early 80's Freestyle Music was the craze and that is where Tony's passion for music and dance began.  Breaking into the world of Freestyle allowed him to travel the world as a dancer with singing artists such as Chrissy-I-Eece, Arlene, and Boy's In The Lab, just to name a few.  In the early 90's Tony discovered a little known place in the Bronx called "Side Street", which happened to be the Mecca of NY's finest Mambo dancing Icons.   Thus, beginning his journey into the Mambo scene and where he met the world famous Stracy Diaz.  Shortly thereafter, he decided to pursue another dream, to serve his country in The United States Marine Corps.  While on deployment to Japan and later Iraq, Tony kept himself grounded and connected to his roots by listening to music, teaching his fellow Marines the basic fundamentals of Mambo dancing and developing his ideas for promotional party planning.   After returning to his home in San Diego and reconnecting with friends, he and Stracy decided to collaborate and put forth a company in which to showcase their combined talents and love for performing, producing & event planning.  Tony is the life of the party wherever he goes and with "Luvin The Mambo" is committed to promoting the best events in the Latino party scene.

Stracy Diaz

Stracy's forte is the New York technique of Mambo/Salsa and the Latin Hustle. She is also New York's first Puerto Rican stunt woman and has earned an impressive resume in Film/TV and Stage. Stracy has had the pleasure of working with many of the best in the history of Latino Artist's such as touring with the late Tito Puente and Celia Cruz and the cast of "The Combinacion Perfecta Tour", starring many of the biggest names in Latin Music history, to Sonia Braga, Fat Joe, and John Leguizamo in the movie "Empire". She has recently worked on feature films titled "Illegal Tender " and will begin filming her third film with John Leguizamo and Director Franc Reyes titled "The Ministers" in Feb 2007. She has also worked on the hit TV show's & soap opera "All My Children, "Third Watch", "Johnny Zero" and three episodes of "Law & Order", and early on in her career, as stunt double for Lauren Velez on 11 episodes of "New York Undercover". She has an extensive career as an instructor of Dance & Physical Fitness/Performer & Choreographer and has starred in two of NY's Off-B'way musical hits "Latin Madness" and "Quen Mato a Hector Lavoe." She has traveled the world as a principal dancer with "The Descarga Latina Dance Co" and with her most recent partners Jhesus Aponte & Tony Hernandez. Stracy strives on sharing her passion for Music, Dance, Fitness & Fun and respectfully thanks all those who have inspired her throughout her career.

Melody Star Gonzales

Melody Gonzales is a member of the Luvin the Mambo event production crew. She and Tony performed together with the Salsa Y Fuego Dance company in San Diego a few years ago, and she's happy to reconnect with him, Stracy, and the Luvin the Mambo crew out here in DC. Melody has studied at la Universidad de Sevilla in Spain and Oxford University in England. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from the University of California San Diego and a Professional Event & Meeting Planning Certificate from San Diego State University. Prior to coming to DC, Melody worked as General Manager of the Chula Vista Convention & Visitors Bureau in San Diego and as a News Writer/Assistant Producer for San Diego's NBC affiliate. Melody is now finishing her master's degree at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute, where she has led a team of 31 graduate students to plan the department's 12th annual policy conference, "Breaking Through the Noise of Democracy. The six-panel event, held February 3, 2006 at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill, featured many distinguished policy speakers and drew over 200 attendees. Melody recently began dancing with the Clavekazi Professional Dance Company. In the past, she has performed with various groups at salsa congresses and dance competitions in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hawaii, New York, Nevada, Florida, and Puerto Rico (twice). Melody has acted or performed at most of the major theatre venues in San Diego, served as keynote speaker/MC for community events, spoken in a few commercials, sung with the Mo-town Legends The Temptations, completed 4 marathons, and been seen in the movie, "Bring It On." Melody held a few pageant titles back in San Diego, and was recently named a top-10 finalist while competing as Miss Alexandria in the Miss Virginia USA pageant.

Shirley Basurto

Shirley's love for Salsa and Mambo started when she was barely able to walk. She grew up listening to some of the greatest salseros such as Fania All Stars, Celia Cruz, Oscar De Leon, El Gran Combo, Hector Lavoe, Andy Montanez, El Grupo Niche and so on. Her Favorite song to dance to when she was only 2 years old was Brujeria by El Gran Combo. She always loved dancing and performing as a young girl and continued to do so as she grew older. Shirley got more involved in the DC Mambo scene just a few years ago by joining Son Mulato Dance Company and working closely with Yeson2Salsa Productions by coordinating various events for both. She has worked closely with various area promoters and DJ's organizing special events for the DC mambo community. Her passion for Events Coordinating and Promotions was revived when she met Tony & Stracy and joined them in starting the Luvin' The Mambo revolution in DC! Since then she has helped to coordinate events and is responsible for PR work in the company. Shirley loves to hang out, dance, and have a good time by always making a major fashion statement wherever she goes.

Ramon Orlando Machuca

Orlando's is an El Salvadorian young man born in Arlington, Virginia who's love for Salsa music and dance started at an early age. Orlando started his performance career participating in various shows and the school dance team. In 2000, while teaching dance to middle school kids, Orlando met Eileen Torres - a promoter in Washington DC who introduced Orlando to Mambo and what it meant to dance Salsa on 2. Together they started a teen dance group in 2001 called LPG (Latin Performance Group). The next year he met Dee Scott and Shaka Brown, directors of a successful professional dance group called ClaveKazi. Orlando was asked to join ClaveKazi in March of 2003. While in this dance team he traveled and performed in many cities, such as Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago to name a few. He danced with ClaveKazi till December 2005. Orlando’s talent has brought him many successes. He has won numerous awards and is recognized as one of the best dancers in the Washington DC area. His contributions to the Salsa community and friendly, outgoing demeanor has made Orlando’s popularity abundant among his peers.
Now, with his experience and expertise, he is a part of The Luvin the Mambo crew and is looking to further develop his passion for teaching and travel on a regular basis while sharing his passion for salsa/mambo.

MoneyPit & Major

 

MoneyPit Diaz has been Stracy's sidekick for over 5 years and has traveled throughout the United States attending several Salsa Congresses and Salsa Socials including Jimmy Anton & Santo Rico socials. He is well known in the NY Salsa community and was the first Mascott for the Off Broadway Hit "Latin Madness", attending all rehearsals and performances and making sure everyones socks where kept safe in his travel bag. Money was also a backstage crew member for his Mommy Stracy in the show "Havana After Dark" at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic CIty.

 

Major Hernandez joined the LTM family in June 2005 and has been a constant source of unconditional love, encouragement and comic relief. Always ready to join in on rehearsals and road trips, Major is committed to being a lifelong member of the LTM family. He along with his older brother Money are always availalble at LTM Headquaters and will make the occassional appearence at an LTM event, ready and willing for high fives, kisses and picture opportunities. Be sure to say hello if you ever spot them around town.