Mambo?

[David Bailey]

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between Mambo and salsa?

From what I can tell, it's a bit similar to "Salsa on 2", yes?

Also, does anyone dance mambo anymore?

[Miguel]

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between Mambo and salsa?

From what I can tell, it's a bit similar to "Salsa on 2", yes?

Also, does anyone dance mambo anymore?

http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/salsa-free-lessons.htm#character
Salsa Explained
http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/videos/salsa.wmv
Video download

http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/mambo-free-lessons.htm
Mambo Explained
http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/videos/mambo.wmv
Video download

[David Bailey]

http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/salsa-free-lessons.htm#character
Salsa Explained
http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/videos/salsa.wmv
Video download

http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/mambo-free-lessons.htm
Mambo Explained
http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/videos/mambo.wmv
Video download

Excellent, thanks - that's very useful.

Especially the timing:

In salsa on one, the break step occurs on count one, the first beat of the measure. The replace step occurs on count 2 and the slow step occurs on counts 3 and 4. In Ballroom Mambo, the break step occurs on count 2, the second beat of the measure. The replace step occurs on count 3 and the slow step occurs on counts 4 and 1. In New York Club-Style Mambo on 2, the break step occurs on count 2, the second beat of the measure. The replace step is also the slow step and this step consumes beats 3 and 4.
OK, after a few minutes of practice, I think I can just about handle Ballroom Mambo timing, I'll leave "New York Club-Style Mambo on 2" for another decade.

Now all I have to do is fly to New Zealand to throttle the fool who decided we're teaching Mambo on Friday instead of salsa.

Ahh, the creative process at work, it's a wonderful thing isn't it?

[TheTramp]

Now all I have to do is fly to New Zealand to throttle the fool who decided we're teaching Mambo on Friday instead of salsa.

If you offer me enough, I'll do it for you when I'm over there next! Save you the trouble....

[David Bailey]

If you offer me enough, I'll do it for you when I'm over there next! Save you the trouble....
I've got 5p in my pocket...?

[TheTramp]

I've got 5p in my pocket...?

Yeah. That should just about be enough! :devil:

[David Bailey]

Yeah. That should just about be enough! :devil:
OK, what can I get for 10p?

Anyway, back to the dancing stuff.

I think we'll probably do a few forward-and-backs (they're called "mambos" in Ceroc which is weirdly appropriate) then a West Manhattan-y thing.

However, I'm not sure what else in mambo can translate into Ceroc - that's part of the remit, BTW, "Mambo into Ceroc". Normally I'd do something with a cross-body lead but I don't know if that works with Mambo. Any suggestions for Ceroc-able Mambo steps?

[Lory]

Any suggestions for Ceroc-able Mambo steps?

I haven't really got a clue but I'm thinking 'spot turn' maybe?

[David Bailey]

I haven't really got a clue but I'm thinking 'spot turn' maybe?

Good one - could do that in the forward-and-back thing, no worries.

Mind you, does one do spot turns in Ceroc as such? :confused:

I'm tempted to say "Ah, nuts to this planning lark, we'll just do what everone else does and make it up as we go..."

[Zebra Woman]

Mind you, does one do spot turns in Ceroc as such?


Not many people do them, but we do don't we? :grin:



Normally I'd do something with a cross-body lead but I don't know if that works with Mambo. Any suggestions for Ceroc-able Mambo steps?

In this Video the man leads cross body moves...



http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/videos/mambo.wmv
Video download


Not sure if I like mambo - call me old fashioned but it looks like 'off beat' salsa to me :sick: .

I am curious though....

perhaps even curious enough to come to Cheshunt on Friday...

ZW

[David Bailey]

Not sure if I like mambo - call me old fashioned but it looks like 'off beat' salsa to me :sick: .
On the other hand, I always wanted to learn to dance on 2 like the Cool Dancers do. Maybe then I'll feel worthy enough to untuck my T-shirt.


I am curious though....

perhaps even curious enough to come to Cheshunt on Friday...

You're such a tease.

[David Bailey]

OK, an update on this, based on the class on Friday.

Firstly, an apology - I foolishly dissed the whole concept of "ceroc into mambo", but it made quite a lot of sense when doing it. And I learnt stuff, which is Good.

To start with, we did a manspin, followed by a return and a trademark DJ shoulder-loop (of course), separated then came together. This gave us our Ceroc-based intro section.

Next, for the Mambo bit, we paused (the "on 1" beat), and went straight into a couple of mambo forward-and-back steps, then into a couple of New Yorker (a West Manhattan in MJ terms) steps, then a couple of travelling open-out steps, finishing with a spot-turn.

Finally, to get back into Ceroc, we did a return, going straight into the manspin again.

A simple enough routine, but quite difficult to teach, because you had to swap between Ceroc Mode and Mambo Mode, in terms of the beat and timing - certainly, more difficult than teaching either form together.

However, it did demonstrate - very well - that it is perfectly possible to mix the two dance forms, to almost any MJ-tempo music. And that a pause in MJ is a good way to mark the "1 beat" of a mambo-based sequence.

So, I have knowledge :)

[spindr]

Next, for the Mambo bit, we paused (the "on 1" beat)
Why are you pausing on the one? There should be a tap step on the "and" before the one in Mambo -- then step on the two. Surely you didn't only teach 75% of the basic :)

SpinDr

[David Bailey]

Why are you pausing on the one? There should be a tap step on the "and" before the one in Mambo -- then step on the two. Surely you didn't only teach 75% of the basic :)
Should there? Hell, OK, I'll just pop into my time machine and go back to last Friday then.

If it's like salsa, tapping is optional. Bit like the hand bounce in MJ really.

Proper dancers don't tap :)

[Tessalicious]

Why are you pausing on the one? There should be a tap step on the "and" before the one in Mambo -- then step on the two. Surely you didn't only teach 75% of the basic :)If the tap step is on the "and" before the 1, and you step on the 2, then surely it's quite correct to pause on the 1. What do *you* think he should have been doing?
a couple of New Yorker (a West Manhattan in MJ terms) stepsWow that's confusing, any ideas why the Mambo New Yorker is a completely different step to the Cha-cha and Rumba New Yorker?

[David Bailey]

Wow that's confusing, any ideas why the Mambo New Yorker is a completely different step to the Cha-cha and Rumba New Yorker?
Who knows - possibly I got the names wrong... :blush:

"Move names are stupid" - my new sig :)

[Anna]

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between Mambo and salsa?

From what I can tell, it's a bit similar to "Salsa on 2", yes?

Also, does anyone dance mambo anymore?

In effect, Mambo IS Salsa.

Salsa was a name invented to describe the style of Music that Mambo is danced to - Salsa meaning Sauce, as it is music with a big mix of different elements such as Jazz, Rumba, Mozambique, Cha Cha, etc..

Mambo is the name of the dance. There is Mambo on1 (LA or Cuban), Mambo on2 (New York - which has a different foot pattern and timing) or "Mambostyle" which is the Mambo on1 pattern 'breaking' on beats 2 and 6, aka Ballroom Mambo.

Mambo is marketed under the term Salsa.

The closest thing we have now to the original Mambo is NY on2, which originated from Cha Cha in New York by the Puerto Ricans. Original "Mambo" music sounds a bit like Ran Kan Kan by Tito Puente...

:nice:

I <3 MAMBO

To be honest, NY on2 is my favourite. Once you go on2... you never go back. On2 = the thinking person's salsa.