Every year, we at the New York Salsa Congress honor a person or persons that contributed in his or her own way to the dance community.  From now on, we are acknowledging this honor as the David Melendez award.  This year, at the 7th Annual New York Salsa Congress, it gives us great pleasure in presenting the award to its first recipient, to its namesake, Mr. David Melendez. 

For two decades, Mr. David Melendez has contributed so much to this dance community from teaching kids in the Bronx to dance, to taking the New York Salsa Congress under his guidance and keeping it alive all the way to running and MC’ing several events around the world.

David is considered by most an icon in the mambo community. He had been in the scene for over 30 years and wore many hats as a dancer, performer, choreographer, director and promoter.

David started dancing back when he was just 16 years old. He saw a friend of his dancing and was just amazed as to what he was seeing. From that point on he said “I am going to learn how to dance”. David learned by mimicking his friend and later by going to clubs, he watched others dance and picked up what they were doing. He joined a few dance contests, he won some and he lost some. However, while doing so, he began making a name for himself, and people began to know who he was.

It was not until 1987 that David began performing professionally and although David loved dancing, it was his realization that he possessed the gift of teaching that brought him overwhelming joy.

In 1992, David opened the doors of his dance school, the Starlite Dance Studio. He decided to dedicate himself to passing on his love of dance to our future generations by teaching children how to dance Salsa. Many people told David that he would never succeed in teaching kids how to dance Salsa. Today, David is credited for teaching thousands of kids at his school and having four different dance studios that are spin-offs of his dance school.

Today some 15 years later, The Starlite Dance studio is as popular as ever. Currently there are 5 dance teams that represent the school by going to events and performing. The teams are The Heartbreak Boyz, The Sweethearts, The Jr. Heartbreak Boyz, The Baby Sweethearts and Fuerza Gigante. In addition, David organized one of the first Salsa Cruises, created the magazine “Salsa y Mas”, h e created the Children’s Teen Salsa Congress in Florida, hosted several socials annually and lastly, David created and co-hosted congresses domestic and internationally.

David didn’t just preach unity within the mambo world, he truly believed in it. Through his genuine character, David was one of the few credible, honest and humble leaders in the mambo community. He led by example. What you saw is what you got with David, no hidden agendas, no promotional schemes or exploitations of any kind.

And although David was terminally ill, he never let the illness get the better of him. He was active till his last days. David was not only an inspiration, but also a role model. And for that reason as well as many others, the legacy of David Melendez will live on in the mambo community forever as well as in the David Melendez award.