The foundation of Salsa and Cha Cha, the Mambo remains a popular Latin dance for those who love a challenge. This dance had its beginnings in the 1940s when American Jazz and Afro-cuban beats combined. The mambo is seen in famous films such as ‘Dirty Dancing’ and ‘West Side Story’.
The wild exciting music and rhythmical body movements make the earthy Mambo irresistible.
History:
In the 1940’s Americans became fascinated by Latin American rhythms. The original Mambo music, El Guardia Con El Tolete, had its beginning in 1944 as a Rumba with a riff improvisation. The Mambo combined American Jazz with the Afro-Cuban beat. Arthur Murray Studios became famous for turning out some of the best Mambo dancers of the era. As the parent of Cha Cha and Salsa, the Mambo is an exciting challenge for all dancers.
Music:
Mambo music is written in 4/4 time with each measure divided into four beats with the important musical accents occurring on the first and third beats. This dance can be done over a wide range of tempos.
Characteristics:
The components of Mambo are rock steps and side steps and foot styling includes points, kicks or flicks. The Latin hip movement in Mambo is an important aspect of the dance. The overall flavor of the dance is contained in the translation of the word Mambo which means “shake it” or “say it.”