Mambo

Latin Style
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Mambo

A sibling to Salsa, Mambo can be danced to the same music and has similar step patterns.

Traditional Mambo was popular in the 1940’s and 50’s and remains popular today as part of Ballroom dance syllabus worldwide. It’s main difference from Salsa is that the break step begins on the 2nd beat of the phrase and there is no weight change on the first and fifth beat of the phrase.

A newer style of Mambo, also called NY-Style Mambo, or Salsa on 2, also breaks on the 2nd beat of the phrase but patterns and weight changes happen on beats 1 and 5, where beats 4 and 8 do not have weight changes. This gives the newer style of mambo a more laid-back and deliberate look.

The Five Latin Dances

The five Latin dances are the Samba, Cha-Cha-Cha, Rumba, Paso Doble and Jive. With their heritage in Latin American (Samba, Cha-Cha-Cha, Rumba), Hispanic (Paso Doble) and American (Jive) cultures, they each have their distinguishing traits but coincide in expressiveness, intensity and energy.

Mambo

Song Selections

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Mambo Italiano

by Rosemary Clooney

Papa Loves Mambo

by Perry Como

They Were Doin’ The Mambo

by Vaughn Monroe

Mambo #5

by Lou Bega

I Got A Girl

by Lou Bega

I Saw Mommy Do The Mambo

by Jim Boyd