Cortometraje: The Palladium Ballroom. Duración: 12 minutos. Idiomas: Inglés y Castellano. 

The Palladium ballroom actually opened on April 15th, 1946. It started out with different Anglo bands playing swing music and ONE "Latin" ensemble performing Afro-Cuban music led by a Puerto Rican trumpeter from Brooklyn named "Kiki" Garcia. On Friday June 6th, 1947 Garcia's residency at the Palladium ended. On Thursday June 12, 1947 during a matinee (2pm) and evening (8pm) "Machito and the Afrocubans" debuted at the Palladium ballroom for the very first time. They were contracted by Thomas Morton. They played throughout the Summer and ended their residency in September of 1947. They then returned in November of '47. Inspired by the "Club Tico-Tico" dances taking place on Sundays at the Manhattan Center ballroom, Mr. Morton brought on several Puerto Rican dance promoters, one of whom was Arsenio Pagani, aka "El Gran Federico," to form a consortium and rival the Manhattan Center dances. The latter of which would feature 2 to 3 bands each time out. On Wednesday December 3rd, 1947, the very first "Blen Blen Club" dance took place. Featuring 4 bands. Including the orchestras led by Machito, Tito Rodriguez, Bartolo Hernandez, and one swing band led by "Buster" Long. The rest is *PARTIAL* history...