What is the difference between Salsa and Mambo? The appear to be the same, for everything, figures, count, rhythm, ect.- Everything! Thanks!
ScottyBoysDoll

The salsa starts on the one beat which is easiest to hear. The mambo starts on the two. Most people are actually doing the salsa when they think they are doing the mambo. Start with a prep step to the side on the one and then do the basic salsa step starting on the two.

Ok, ScottyBoy & I do both, we have a social Salsa class, and then we do Mambo in our Ballroom. Do you have a music suggestion that has a really strong 2 beat. We have a Salsa Song to practice with, that actually say "One", on every one beat.(For Training) Do you know if there is a "Two" song? Thanks You!

I've never heard of a 'two' song, sorry. My husband is a musician and is never off beat. He has taken classes in the clave and son rhythms so he hears it every time. I struggled for a long time and would get off beat during an underarm turn or cross body lead. I'm much better now after lots of practice. Most of the time, I can stay on the two beat for the whole dance. Quite often, we are the only couple who are.

Meaning a song that was written with emphasis for breaking on the 2nd beat of the bar .

I have written numerous articles on this topic ( on Salsa Forums and Salsa/Jive )so I will just say this.

There are numerous " styles " in music AND dance in Salsa .

It depends largely on how the music is written .

ALL Mambo/ Salsa is based upon Clave and Son rhythms . Depending on which rhythm the music is composed in ( SON.. Guajira, Montuno, Guaganco etc. ) it will affect the interpretation of the dance .

Purists say that ALL Salsa is mambo but.... NOT all mambo is salsa .

It is a very complex dance with multi layers of interlaced rhythms to allow for just about all beats to be interpreted at some point .
Many teachers now teach breaking on "1"..but for the wrong reasons ( expediency )... if one knows the difference, then that in and of its self is not a bad thing .It takes many months of intensive partner work to establish the use of "2".. sometimes called dancing on Clave ( not literally )
If you insist on developing a more authentic approach, then the correct method to commence is to break backwards on "2"..(mans right foot )technically known as " call and response " . The dance is based on the African Yambu and Orisha forms, hence the start is important .

If you start into salsa, your options are generally NY, LA, Power2 , Cuban and Puerto Rican styles . Most dance LA on "1", PR on "1 and 3 " the rest are on "2" .
Be very careful of the videos on show.. many have very poor technique and mis information.

I have a vid. from a w/shop I recently did in London, its brief, but might help...http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PAzmP645a38

Now we know why the dancers in the professionally made videos wear remote mikes.

The "Related Videos" box shows that you've put a few videos out there.

Any explanation for the inclusion of the "Cute Chick Stripping" entry?



jj

I never been that lucky !!!!

By the way, this was not meant to be a Prof. set up.. just part of a w/shop I gave and someone asked if I would be OK with the filming ( I had no input on the edit ).. If I ever do a Pro vid., it will be with a Pro. teacher .

I have been watching the youtube clip-it. I have watched it 3 or 4 times. I am having a hard time hearing. I will have to wait until it is totally quiet to review it, and comprehend it! Thank You for all your help when I can watch it, I will re-message you if I have a question. Thanks, for your help!

Just to clarify... this was a w/shop requested by those attending , on the evolution of mambo to salsa ( I did this essentially for free ) .

If the whole tape was posted , it would have included more Bolero , Danzon, and a piece about dancing on Clave ( literally ) .

It also was not intended to be a run of the mill step exercise, but more about the more academic side of the genre .
They have now asked me to do a short clip on Cha cha evolution.. starting from Triple mambo thru the 3 types of the current forms, which are hybrids ( its only going to be basic and the rhythms applied to each ) . Will try to make sure the sound is better .