JULIO MANGUERO THE ROYAL CONGO

Julio Geovanny Torriente González, alias "El Manguero el Congo Real" is a self-taught artist, great grandson of slave, there is his knowledge in the Afro-Cuban traditions since his great grandfather was a Yoruba temple house ruled by the Orisha Shango. Julio manguero is considered the best rumbero of his generation and thus he is recognized as such by the old rumberos in Cuba.

From a young age he started his career as a rumbero. His talent was recognized - and rewarded from very early, since at the age of 10 he won the first prize of the International Festival in the pioneers' camp " 26 July in Varadero Cuba" by dancing a show of columbia, one of the three manifestations that make up the Cuban rumba, with five bottles of soda in the form of a circle on the ground and two spoons in their hands, simulating two knives.

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Later, at the age of twenty, Julio Manguero founded the Watoko Ntango group in his hometown, the municipality of Colón in the province of Matanzas. Watoko Ntango the Bantu language queiere desir "The children of the sun". With Watoko Ntango he made numerous presentations in various stages throughout the country, standing out for his skill and talent, the group has been awarded multiple awards in different stages of the country, in recognition of their work to showcase and preserve the folk and folk traditions of their region.

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Julio Manguero as such is that genuine creator dancer born in the villages who only liked to dance for fun and party parties in the villages and in one of his crazy I think I create a quartet of street dances to amuse between friend, but without knowing that this creation would give it international visibility.

 First he revolutionized the choreographies of in the carnabalero environments "Fiestas populare" in his region, then at provincial level, later at national level when in the cuba pavilion of havana, were celebrating a cultural activity on the occasion of the Pan American Caribbean Sports Games subio to the ecenario with his friends make their choreografría and the prestigious actor Tony cortes, que estaba presidiendo la actividad con su popular cuerpo de baile "Grupo Tiempo" told him that if they can repeat the choreography and everything else is history, because from that day on they started to make saloons and activities with the group. ​

1994 
(Julio Manguero) decided to move to Havana, where he began a professional career with the folk group Wuazamba y su Sangre Africana. During his time with this group, he brought valuable traditional cultural knowledge from the Colombian plain and surrounding region in the province of Matanzas. Where also so only acquired a lot of artistic knowledge and person who led him to integrate professional theater group inhabited space in the house of comedy directed by the Lisenciada Xiomara Atiaga daughter of the Dr Aide actiga one of the great writers of books Children’s Tales in Cuba. In short, Sangre Africana for Julio Manguero means a family and a blessing.

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998
Wish to work only with the Folklorico Obba Wemilere Group, because in addition to being composed of his family, are from the Municipality of Jovellanos in the province of Matanzas and with them he could show typical traditions of his region that they dominated to perfection and wanted to dedicate himself to what he likes to transmit.

 

2004

He won the "Grand Prix de la Espectacularidad" during the National Rumba Festival in Havana. The same was carried out inside a documentary dedicated to the rumba cuana where he was one of the main characters. 

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2006
Julio Manguero is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and currently living in Geneva, where he has dedicated himself to sharing his vast experience and knowledge in dance, singing and percussion through his academy. In this space, Luis not only teaches artistic techniques, but also inspires his students to discover their own voice and expression in art. His pedagogical approach combines technical rigor with a deep passion for culture and performing arts, creating an enriching and motivating learning environment.

​In addition to his work at the academy, Luis is active in various festivals and theatres throughout Europe. His performances, characterized by a vibrant mix of rhythms and movements, have captivated audiences in multiple countries, consolidating him as a benchmark in his field. His ability to convey emotions through dance and music has been acclaimed by both critics and spectators, who recognize in him an exceptional talent and unwavering commitment to the spread of the arts.
Luis’s journey through Europe has not only enriched his career, but also allowed him to expand his influence, bringing the wealth of his knowledge and passion to an ever-wider audience. His dedication and talent continue to open doors and leave an indelible mark on the European cultural landscape.

​REAL CONGO ESSENCE, IN FAVOR OF THE CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF HUMANITY.