Marcus Nieves / Owner / Instructor
Marcus Nieves started dancing in 1998 while out clubbing in one of New Jersey’s hot spots at the time, “Foxes”. He was intrigued by the various turn patterns and energy that the local dancers displayed on the dance floor. That sparked his interest in Salsa and he began taking dance lessons with Kenny Lopez. In 1999 Marcus was approached by Luis Zegarra to take part in his dance company “Fuerza Latina.”
There he gained most of his experience as a salsero, performing in many events around the tri-state area, which provided him the exposure he needed to be recognized in the dance scene. In 2000, Marcus began dancing under Nelson Flores and his dance team “Descarga Latina,” which opened the opportunity for him to take part in the off-Broadway show “Latin Madness”. In late 2002 Marcus worked as one of the “Copa Boys” for the world famous “Copacabana” and in 2003 he fulfilled his dancing goal of becoming a member of the “Eddie Torres Dance Company” for which he dance and toured around the world.
He then joined several of his old dance partners from the ET dancers in a collaboration team called “Latin Soul Dancers” which he performed with all of 2007. Today he is also the dance instructor at his own MDN Latin Dance Studio in New Jersey.
1998-1999- Began classes On2 with Estilo Latino- Kenny Lopez
* Foxes Night Club- 1998
1999- 10/00- Fuerza Latina Dance Company- Luis Zegarra
* Sidestreet (NY) for the Mambo showdown 1999-2000
* Channel 47 TV show – Danced “Son De Los Cueros”- 1999
* Performance Showcase- Legendary CopaCabana Night Club, NY- 1999
* Performance Showcase- Bernard Martinez social, On Ballroom on the 5th -1999
* New Years Party Entertainment Show/Workshops- Kutshers Hotel, Catskills, NY- 1999
* Performance- Drama Night Club, Fairview, NJ- 1999-2000
* Performance/Workshops, Local club- La Classique Night club- Toronto Canada- 2000
* Puerto Rican Day Parade NY- Bustelo Coffee-2000
* Dominican Day Parade NJ-Foxes Night Club Float- 2000
* Performance Showcase- Fuerza Latina Dance Studio- 2000
* Dancer for Victor Manuel – Elizabeth, NJ- 2000
* Bacardi Salsa Congress LA- 2000 (www.Justsalsa.com)
* Bacardi Salsa Congress, Manhattan Center, NY-2000
* Performance- Co-Op City, Bronx, NY- 2000
* Duo performance- Marcus Nieves and Luis Zegarra- Jimmy Anton’s Social, NY-2001
11/01- 6/03 – Descarga Latina Dance- Nelson Flores
* Latin Madness Showcase, Herksher Theatre, NYC- 2001-2002 (www.Latin-Madness.com)
* Performance-Luis Zegarra’s Mambo Night, Sidestreet, NY –2001
* Performance Showcase- Co-Op City, Bronx, NY- 2001
* Performance Showcase – AT&T Building, NY- 2001
* Danced for 103rd St Puerto Rican Festival, NY-2001
* Bud Light Dancer- PA, NY- Summer 2001
* Fania All-Stars Concert, Madison Square Garden- 2001
* Hustle USA Dance Championships- Performance “Cuban Fantasy”- 2002
* Performance Showcase, Bryant Park, NY- Promotion for Latin Madness-2002
* Performance Showcase, Los Angeles, California for West Coast Salsa Congress
* Latin Madness Dance Musical-2003, Los Angeles, California for West Coast Salsa Congress
12-2001- Marcus-N-Lily (Liliana Vasquez) Couple Debut
* Debut Performance- Luis Zegarra’s Mambo Night Christmas Party-2001
* Performance-Bernard Martinez Social, Ballroom on the 5th –2002 (www.Mambon2.com)
* Performance- Salsa Fever with Mario B., NJ – 1/27/02 (www.Mambon2.com)
* Previewed in (www.Justsalsa.com) as Marcus-N-Lily 2002
6/03-10/06 – Eddie Torres Dance Company
* Official Debut performance East Coast Salsa Congress (Palante)-8/03
* Dance Showcase for Bronx Community, Marcus and Melissa Rosado (Couple)
* Performance for Ralph Mercado’s Birthday at Le Q’s -9/03
* Larry Harlow Concert, featured as an Eddie Torres dancer-solo-10/03
* Ole Cuba Performance, Eddie Torres Dancers, Manhattan Center, New York, NY- 11/22 (www.mambon2.com)
* Dance Showcase-Private Party, Long Island, NY 11/03
- MDN LATIN DANCE STUDIO Established – December 2003
* London Salsa Congress-Dance Showcase & Workshops,” Firework”, London, England- 4/04
* Puerto Rico Salsa Congress-2004, San Juan, Puerto Rico
* West Coast Salsa Congress-2004, Los Angeles, CA
* London Congress-Dance Showcase & Workshops,” Salseros Unidos” “Sambia”, London, England- 4/06
* Zurich Salsa Congress -2006
* Orlando Salsa Congress- Dance Showcase, “Sambia” “ Just Like Magic”- 7/06
* Lehman College- Dance Showcase- “ Sambia” “Salseros Unidos”- 5/06
* Caliente Tonight Salsa Experience, “ Palante” Newark Symphony Hall, Newark, NJ- 11/06
10/06-10-07 Latin Soul Dancers – Adolfo Indacochea
* NY Salsa Congress 2007 – Marcus Nieves & Kimberly Rivera
* Havana Mambo Performance – MDN & Kimberly Rivera
* Houston Salsa Congress – MDN & K. Rivera
* Awarded Certification as the FIRST/ONLY New Jersey CERTIFIED EDDIE TORRES INSTRUCTOR – Signed by Eddie Torres – 12/13/2008
09/2009 Latin Soul Dancers – Adolfo Indacochea
* NY Salsa Congress 2009 – Marcus Nieves & Diana Osorio
03/26/10 – 03/27/10
*Marcus Nieves & Diana Osorio Debut, “Cojepalacola”- MDN Salsa Social
* Performance Showcase – Santo Rico Salsa Social
04/22/10 -06/22/10
* First New Jersey International Salsa Congress 2010 – Performance Showcase
* New Jersey International Salsa Congress Post-Event Party- Mambo Tuesday 46 Lounge – Performance Showcase
* Fiesta Caliente State Fair Independence Day Out Door Music Festival -7/4/10
8/26/10- 8/29/10 – Performances
*Club Cache
*NY Salsa Congress Launch Party- Mambo Fateegz
*Mambo Showdown Pre-NY Congress Party- Stepping Out Studios
09/2010- 10/15/10 – Performances
* Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration / Awarded by U.S. Attorney’s Office – Newark, NJ
* Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration- City Hall, Newark NJ
* Performance at The Montecarlo Room- Vittico La Magia – 9/23/10
* Despedida Del Verano- Performed for “El Conjunto Classico”- Newark, NJ – 9/26/2010
* Performance at Karisma Salsa Social- Victor Karisma – 12/4/10
* Performance Nueva Vida Salsa Social-Vera Rowe- North Chelmsford, MA – 1/5/2011
* Club Ole- Victor Manuelle Concert- Performed for “En Clave” – 2/12/2011
* Launch of New 2011 www.MarcusNieves.com Website – 2/22/2011
* Marcus Nieves & Diana Osorio Performance @ Sekou MicMillers ” The Red Carpet Affair” NYC – 2/25/2011
* Marcus Nieves & Diana Osorio Performance @ Salsa Meets Fashion – 2/26/2011
Marcus Nieves & Diana Osorio
* 1st Place Qualification Round for World Latin Dance Cup in Club Cache- 11/11/10
* Competed in the New York Salsa Congress On2 Division – Sept 2010
* 1st Couple from NJ to qualify for the World Latin Dance Cup On2 Semi Finals 12/17/10
* 3rd Place winner of New York International Salsa Congress On2 Division- Sept 2011
* 4th Place in the World Latin Dance Cup 2011 On2 Division – Dec 2011
Diana Osorio / Instructor
Diana started her life on stage at the young age of 9, as a saxophonist and vocalist, performing at local events. A graduate of the first performing art school in the nation, Arts High School in New Jersey, Diana is known for her versatility in the Arts.
At the age of 13 she began competing in the Emmy Award winning show, NJN Hispanic Youth Showcase, as a vocalist. Not long after her crave for competition began, a family member introduced Diana to MDN Latin Dance Studio in 2005 at the age of 15. She began to learn Salsa on2 for the first time, and made dance one of her new talents, and strengthns. After 4 years of competing, in 2009, she finally gained victory in the Teen Dance category as a soloist in her last year eligible to compete.
In 2005, her vocals were put to the test, she sang with living legend, and prodigy, Paquito D’ Rivera.
February of 2007, Diana was given the opportunity to show her ability to be on camera and interviewed Grammy award winner Victor Manuelle, Don Omar, Eddie Palmieri, and a TV News host from Telemundo, at Victor’s first concert at Madison Square Garden, El Concierto de Amor. She was only 15 years old.
At the age of 16, she was asked to be the lead roll in an NJN (New Jersey Network) documentary special, THE GOLDEN AGE OF DANCE, playing the roll of the late Mambo Queen, Mille Donay. Through this documentary she was able to give tribute to those of the past, and find her style as one of the classy and elegant ladies of today.
In 2007 Diana became an advocate for against Teen Drinking and Driving, and one of the opening acts for El Gran Combo at the Puerto Rican Day Parade.
In 2008 through 2009, Diana worked for the Newark Boys and Girls Club of America, instructing their First Salsa Dance Class for the kids, making the front page of the Star Ledger with her students.
In the summer of 2009, she Performed at the New York international salsa Congress, dancing on stage for the first as Marcus Nieves’s partner with the New York/ Italy dance team, Latin soul Dancers (LSD) directed by World Renowned Instructor and Former Eddie Torres Dancer, Adolfo Indacochea. In March of 2010, Marcus Nieves and Diana continued their journey together as partners at the first New Jersey International Salsa Congress. In the summer of 2010, Marcus and Diana returned to the NYISC only to compete. With an unfortunate loss, they worked harder and won first place in November of 2010 in NYC’s Club Cache during the qualification round for the World Latin Dance Cup ON2 division.
Winner of the NJN Hispanic Youth Showcase Teen Dance Category- May 2009
1st Place Qualification Round for World Latin Dance Cup in Club Cache- 11/11/10
Competed in the New York Salsa Congress On2 Division – Sept 2010
1st Couple from NJ to qualify for the World Latin Dance Cup On2 Semi Finals- 12/17/10
3rd Place winner of New York International Salsa Congress On2 Division- Sept 2011
4th Place in the World Latin Dance Cup 2011 On2 Division – Dec 2011