Career
His nickname, "Cuban Pete," was conferred upon him in 1949 in the famous Palladium dance hall in New York City, in reference to the classic mambo song "Cuban Pete" by Desi Arnaz, and it was endorsed by Arnaz himself. He is a recipient of many prestigious awards for his work. Pete is the only Latin dancer recognized in the Latin Jazz exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution.
He continued to dance professionally, coach teams for competition, and was a judge for various Latin dance events.
He, together with Barbara Craddock are inducted in the International Latin Music Hall of Fame. On November 14, 2007 it was announced they were the recipients of the Latin Jazz United States of America Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2007/08 Mississippi
Latina International Pageant, with the presentation scheduled to happen on December 22, 2007 at the Manuel Artime Theater, Miami, Florida. He died January 13, 2009 from heart failure at Sinai Plaza Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Miami, Florida.