Mambo

[cornutt]

For sheer fun, this is one of the best dances.  Once you get past the on-2 thing...

[LucyDiamond]

So true! I'm beginning to actually love the Mambo!

[dancingfool]

I danced salsa (on 1) for nearly a decade before starting mambo.

I actually prefer the mambo, but still have a lot of trouble with dancing on the 2.  I am getting there.  Been struggling for at least a year. Recently it has been going better.

If there are any salseros/as out there who have changed to mambo or dance both well - I am all ears for your tips and advice.

HELP

[cornutt]

I actually prefer the mambo, but still have a lot of trouble with dancing on the 2. 

I actually tend to avoid on-1 salsa because it messes up my mambo.  I know people who can do both well, but I'm not sure how they do it.

[dancingfool]

that makes 2 of us 

[ZPomeroy]

i try to avoid mambo as much as humanly possible, the opposition hip infuriates me!

Zac

[TangoDancer]

I danced salsa (on 1) for nearly a decade before starting mambo.

I actually prefer the mambo, but still have a lot of trouble with dancing on the 2.  I am getting there.  Been struggling for at least a year. Recently it has been going better.

If there are any salseros/as out there who have changed to mambo or dance both well - I am all ears for your tips and advice.

HELP

I dance them both, and have always wondered why it is difficult for dancers to find the 2. I have been teaching for 20+ yrs, and haven't found a magic way of gettign persons to do this, other than training them to hear it by repetition. One thing that might help (of course, I do not know how you dance)...care to not step too large in mambo. Most dancers' first steps fwd/back are way too large. The leg action of mambo mandates a short step. Further, the step is a triplet, which we know is always short-short-long.

Help a little?   

[dancingfool]

I'll try out your tips.  I think ultimately it comes down to 'hearing' the music properly.

[TangoDancer]

Yes; which is difficult in latin rhythms b/c of the seperation of riffs. Most BR dancers dance on the 3 and think it's the 2. Care for this when listening. The best way is to identify the primary riff (da, tic-a-da, dada). An easier way, though not the best, is to identify the clave (clah-vay....ba, ba, ba...baba).