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MAMBO!
- Author:
- Dave Watson
- Date Published:
- August 2, 2004
Mambo, in it’s original, and competitive, and purest form always has, and always will, break on the 2 beat. However, Salsa dancers will break on the downbeat more often than not. What this means is that you can actually break on just about any beat you want (except 4), and still be OK. We will break on the 2 beat for this class.
COUNT:
Progressive Basic:
Man rocks forward left / back right – then steps back left
Lady rocks back right / forward left – then steps forward right 2, 3, 4
Man now dances a back rock (back right / forward left) – then steps forward right
Lady dances a forward rock (left / right) – then a back step left 2, 3, 4
Cross-Body Lead:
This figure is very useful, and should be used in place of a Progressive Basic fairly frequently.
Man dances forward rock (left / right) with right foot turned in slightly, beginning
To turn body to left -- then steps side (small step) with the left foot leading
Lady to dance forward across the plane of his body
Lady dances first three steps of Progressive Basic as described above 2, 3, 4
At this point, Man has opened away from Lady to create a Promenade Position. He will now lead the Lady to dance across the front of his body in Promenade, then close Lady at the end. Overall, couple will turn ½ turn to the left over the course of the entire figure.
Man continues to turn to the left (and continues to lead the Lady across in
Promenade) dancing a back rock (right / left). Man now finishes with a
Forward step right as he leads the Lady to close to him
Lady forward left (moving straight across the front of the Man), and begins to
turn to left. Now she steps side and slightly back with right foot having
turned almost ½ turn to left, step back left to complete the turn 2, 3, 4
Couple has now returned to a normal Closed Position, and has turned ½ turn to the left.
Open Break and Natural Underarm Turn:
Man dances a Cross-Body Lead as described above EXCEPT: on the last step,
Man will release the Lady, and step side with his right foot (instead of
forward) This will allow the Lady to Open up from the Man slightly
Lady dances her normal Cross-Body Lead as described above. 2, 3, 4 – 2, 3, 4
Note: at the completion of this Cross-Body Lead, couple has separated slightly and now has a normal one-hand hold (Man’s left hand holding Lady’s right).
Man now dances a BACK rock (left back / right forward) – and then steps
side left raising left arm slightly to lead Lady to dance under it
Lady dances her normal back rock (right back / forward left) then steps
Diagonally forward preparing to dance under the Man’s raised arm 2, 3, 4
This action (the rocking back away from each other) is called an OPEN BREAK. We will use this figure as an entry into many different patterns.
Man now dances a normal back break (right back / left forward) while
Leading Lady to dance an Underarm Turn. He then closes his right foot
To his left
Lady dances a spot turn under the Man’s raised arm by stepping forward
(having turned ¼ turn to right) under the Man’s arm – then she continues
her turn to the right by replacing her weight on to her left foot – she then
closes her left foot to her right having completed an entire turn to the right 2, 3, 4
At this point, couple has danced an underarm turn, and will now regain normal Closed dance position. Both partners have their feet together so that we can now dance to any new direction.
Cross-Over Breaks:
Both partners dance a normal Progressive Basic as described above EXCEPT:
on the last step, both partners will begin to release to a one-hand hold,
and step side to Man’s right (Lady’s left) 1, 3, 4 – 2, 3, 4
Both partners now dance a side by side forward rock (Lady’s right forward /
Left back – Man’s left forward / right back) 2, 3
Both partners now dance their free foot to side (Man’s left / Lady’s right)
and face one another 4
Repeat the above rock dancing to the other side with the other one-hand hold 2, 3, 4
Repeat the first Cross-Over Break (Towards the Man’s right side) 2, 3, 4
Both partners finish with a spot turn (Remember to always close feet at end of
All Spot Turns) 2, 3, 4
Although we have described this figure as beginning from a Progressive Basic, we will usually dance it after a Cross-Body Lead instead. Simply finish the Cross-Body Lead with a release and a side step just as you would if you were entering the Cross-Over Breaks from a Progressive Basic as described above.
Reverse (Inside) Underarm Turn: (Begin after three steps of the Cross-Body Lead as described above)
Man dances his last three steps of a Cross-Body Lead (right back / left forward /
Right forward) EXCEPT that he leads the Lady to turn to her left
Under his raised left arm
Lady turns to her left under the Man’s raised left arm dancing a pivot turn for
1 ½ turns to end up facing Man 2, 3, 4
NOTE: The key to this step is the Lady’s footwork and timing. She must continue to turn to her left – on her left foot -- on the count of 4 – to face the Man – but, she MUST NOT allow any of her weight to transfer to her right foot (held behind the left) as she HOLDs the count of 1. This is not easy, and requires a little practice. Ladies: make sure you keep your weight forward at all times; even during this pivot turn.
Inside Swivels (with Two-Hand Hold): Begin facing in normal Two-Hand Hold Position
Man dances the first three steps of a Progressive Basic as described above,
EXCEPT he leads Lady to begin the Inside Swivels as he takes the count of 4
Lady dances back rock (right / left), then steps forward right. HOWEVER,
this last step will be placed ACROSS her left foot (just slightly), and she will
now begin her Inside Swivels 2, 3, 4
Man backs up for 6 steps leading Lady to continue forward with her Inside Swivels
Lady dances Inside Swivels -- progressing forward – for 6 steps 2, 3, 4 – 2, 3, 4
Finish with the Reverse Underarm Turn as described above 2, 3, 4
Dancing Inside Swivels can be easier than they look. The trick is to have a good ‘bracing’ action of the ankle at the commencement of each step. (As in an exaggerated – very staccato – Cuban Motion technique.)
Cross-Over Breaks with Outside Swivels:
Both partners dance a Cross-Body Lead and the first Cross-Over Break
As described above EXCEPT, when the couple turns to face one
another again on the count of 4, Man will lead that turn a little more
sharply so that the Man’s left foot – Lady’s right foot – will turn out
(This prepares them to dance the Outside Swivels) 2, 3, 4 – 2, 3, 4 – 2, 3, 4
Retaining a normal Two-Hand Hold, both partners dance Outside Swivels in place.
Release the Ladies left hand from the Man’s right as you take count 4,
And begin to open into the Cross-Over Break position again 2, 3, 4
Repeat the Cross-Over Break and Outside Swivel Combination again 2, 3, 4 – 2, 3, 4
Repeat the Cross-Over Break one more time 2, 3, 4
Exit with the normal Spot Turn ending as described above 2, 3, 4