Mambo Moves

By Richard Humphries

It is entirely impossible of course. You are fifty-eight

damn years old. You are done with love. Enough. You
can dance it alone.

...

The Roles In Mambo

Mambo is a partner dance. Although you can master the

basic steps on your own, you’ll eventually need a partner to

master this form of dance. Mambo for men is all about being

confident and leading your partner. Mambo for women

requires the woman to follow the man’s steps and mirror his

footwork. Mambo can also include some acrobatic elements

that take strength and practice.

. . .

Does it happen this way? A simple meeting for a walk

and you sit on a bench and wish you could put your arm

around her but not yet, not yet, not yet.

And when you do she shivers although it is a warm day and

you fall in love—snap—like that? In a quiet still moment

together?

. . .

Mambo Beats

Mambo is danced on a 4/4 count of music, with the first and

the third count being a “break” in the action. You take steps

on count 2 and count 4. On the third count, you shift your

weight. On the first count, you are still.

. . .
You are afraid to make a move toward being with her.

She is kind and modest and wants you to kiss her. You hold

the back of her head, your hand full of her lustrous hair as

her open lips meet yours.

. . .

Mambo Instructions

To start, you’ll need to stand facing your partner with your

feet together. The man should place his right hand on his

partner’s waist, and the woman should place her left hand

on her partner’s shoulder. The other hands should be

extended away from the body and clasped with a loose grip.

. . .

She needs to know. So you have to tell the truth. When

she jumps, will you be there to catch her?

. . .

After waiting for the first count of the music, the man

steps back with the right foot on the second count. The
woman will step forward with her left foot, mirroring the

man. On the third beat, both partners shift their weight to

the opposite foot. On the fourth beat, the man steps forward

with his right foot, and the woman steps backward with her

left foot. Each partner also shifts his weight to the foot that

is moving during that step.

. . .

And you find out four months later if it is real. And six

months later love her more. And then?

. . .

On the next measure the pattern is repeated with the

opposite feet. The man shifts weight to his left foot and

steps forward. The woman steps backward. Then the man

steps backward with his left foot. The woman steps forward

with her right foot to meet the man.

. . .
And you stay happy together, as impossible as it seems.

She is lovely to listen to and watch move through her life

and you cannot keep yourself from loving her in the center

of your heart.

. . .

These are the basic steps that are repeated over again

with variations to help make the dance more active and

vibrant. By mastering these simple steps, you’ll be able to

learn more advanced techniques.