Nirico and Emily
Nirico Mambo:
Being brought up in a musical family, it didn’t take long before Nirico was hooked on Latin Dance and the music. He has been in the dance scene for 10 years, and has performed at various events over the years. Nirico taught at the 1st Jambalaya Dance Festival in 2003. With the help of Nikal Kleinstreuer, Nirico formed the the 1st Bachata team in New Zealand in late 2007. Nirico taught at the New Zealand Pacific Salsa Congress in 2008, and that same year, their Bachata team given their 1st performance nationally. He was very fortunate to be one of the 1st International Instructors to teach at the 1st Sydney Bachata Festival in 2008. From there he also taught and perfromed at this event in consecutive years in 2009, and 2010. He describes their Bachata style- known as ‘Bachatafunk’, with a bit of Groove, n Kiwi flavour.
Emliy Glubb:
Emilys love for dance started at an early age when Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Cyndi Lauper were Superstars. She didn’t have any proper dance training until she was 8yrs old, and to much of her dismay, it wasn’t anything glamorous as she hoped- Highland Dancing. After a couple of years, she decided to excel in a sporting career, in swimming and surf life saving. Though her love for music and dancing never died, she wasn’t introduced to formal dance training until 2007, which first had learnt Salsa On1. She wasn’t convinced until her father sent her to the Sydney Salsa Congress, which was her graduation present, and her life changed from then on. She partnered Nirico in 2009 and became the lead female Instructor for Bachaotearoa. Together they taught and performed at the Sydney International Bachata Festival in 2009. That same year she performed with Nirico at the Brisbane Salsa & Zouk Congress and New Zealand Pacific Salsa Congress.