PATTERNS AND ROUTINES FOR AMERICAN MAMBO

copyright Jonathan Tyrone Rowell, 2003

Timing: 48-51 mpm

Notes: 1) Cuban not Latin motion should be used in Rhythm, but especially in 
Mambo.  2) you can help yourself break on the 2 by not transferring weight on 
the slow step until beat 1.  3) Socially, Mambo and Salsa are interchangeable.
4) Another time keeper is flicking the break foot on 1.  5) for competitions, 
you need at least a 25-30 measure routine (repeated three times)

Bronze
1) Basic (Progressive) - With the Progressive Basic, you step back or fwd on the 
  Slow, rather than closing.
2) Side Basic - aka Mambo Basic.  The Slows are taken to the side like Int Rumba
3) Passing Breaks - ??
4) Fwd/Back Break Basic - The real "Basic" taught to beginners.  Close on the
  Slow.
5) Side Breaks - break action is to side. The Slow is a close. (Cucarachas)
6) Promenade Breaks - aka 5th Position Breaks.  Whisk behind on the breaks.
6b) Mambo Breaks - a special styling of Prom Breaks into RSP and LSP noted for 
  the arm swing.
7) Open Break - Man will rock back on LF (woman RF), separating to only L2R hold
8) Open Break with Underarm Turn R - Common combo.
9) Cross Over - aka New York(er).  Identical to other Rhythm/Latin dances.  
10) Outside Breaks Fwd - aka Parallel Breaks.  Man breaks outside of Lady
11) Outside Breaks Back - as above, but Woman breaks outside of Man
12) Forward Spot Turn - aka Reverse Top.  In Bronze Mambo, it must be entered 
  from a Cross Body Lead, which means you only do the second and third measures 
  of the Top (as opposed to say American Rumba which uses a Box Cross Body Lead 
  to enter into three full measures).  Typically followed by Open Break and a 1 
  measure Back Spot Turn.
13) Back Spot Turn - some syllabi say only one measure in Bronze, others allow 
  three.  Identical to the Back Spot Turn/Natural Top found throughout 
  Latin/rhythm.  Most frequently entered from Open Break.
14) Cross Body Lead - Similar to the Cross Body Lead of Cha Cha not American 
  Rumba.  Fwd break with LF and turn away from follower to take LF side (she 
  does RF fwd).  Various interpretations exist for the next part, the simplest 
  of which is guy rocks in place as woman passes and is pivoted (QQ&), then RF 
  fwd into follower.  Connection is maintained during the entire figure.
14b) Cross Body Lead with Turn - from closed position, perform the Cross Body 
  Lead, but turn lady CCW as she goes by, keeping only L2R.
14c) Cross Body Lead with Posted Turn - with L2L connection, do 1-3 of CBL, 
  firmly posting the left hand.  Woman uses this to push herself into a 1 1/2 L 
  free spin as she finishes the figure.  Guy normal 4-6.
14d) Cross Body Lead with Neck Turn - with R2R connection, comb the woman on the 
  break to get your hand on her neck/shoulder.  Lead the Cross Body Lead with 
  Turn, guiding her with the R hand (she will duck under during her spin).  
  Follower is in charge of safely returning her L arm back into closed position 
  (think "wax-on").
15) Underarm Turn R or L - woman spot turns in direction.
16) Cuddle - Sweetheart.  Open break, leading woman strongly fwd on slow, taking 
  her in double hold and turning her in wrap position.
17) Chase Half-Turn - Idea is that man and woman engage in a flirty follow-the-
  leader.  Step fwd (either foot) on 2, then spot turn 1/2 (3), and take the 
  break foot forward.
18) Chase Full Turn - as above, but only with LF as breaking foot (either 
  partner).  A full rotation is achieved, in part using the slow step to finish.
19) Chase Double Turn - as the Full Turn, but an addition full turn is achieved.
20) 2-way Underarm Turn - In and Out and Stop and Go
21) Parallel Breaks (shadow) - either same foot or opposite feet. Breaking can 
  take the form of 5th position breaks or "Towel" breaks
22) Reverse UAT from Open Break - UAT L on the slow of an open break.  Also 
  sometimes a name for Right Side Pass
23) Right Side Pass - like a swing loop turn in passby.
24) Switch Turn - aka spot turn.  as in other dances, either L or R.
25) Right UAT to Advanced Hip Twist - used to be Bronze, but may no longer be.  
  You use the UAT R as an entrace to the Hip Twist, taking RF slow fwd.  Open 
  out the woman and twist her back in (1/2R, 5/8L) as you hook step on LF Slow.  
  Finish with a Scallop Turn.
26) Shadow Breaks to Lady's Spiral - Spiral turn may be used as an ending to the 
  Shadow Breaks with different feet.
27) Figure Eight - ?? possibly a shine
28) UAT RLR - amalgamation.  Doesn't work quite as well in Mambo.
29) Left Side Pass - Cross Over to LSP, then J-hook the joined hands to induce a 
  cross body lead, taking the slow to side. Advanced form has a L spin for woman
30) 1/2 Moons - Left Side Pass done with R2R hand hold.  May also use a spin in 
  advanced forms.
31) "J-turns" - styling variation of the 1/2 moon with spin.  get into a double 
  handshake hold (e.g. two UAT R one to switch the other to get L2L).  When L2L 
  is on top, do a Half-moon with spin (which reverses hand order).  When R2R is 
  on top, to a NY L and UAT R (which reverses order).  Looks very flashy, 
  especially in Mambo where you have the additional increase of tempo.  Any 
  suggestions for a better name?  (I concocted this styling this spring)
32) Kick swivels -ISTD ??
33) Fallaway Swivels- may no longer be bronze
34) waistslide - as the swing move, done as part of the second half of a basic.
35) Tap-Tap-Cross - with either foot, tap across the other foot (no weight), tap 
  to the side (no weight), and step across.  Not really syllabus, but doesn't 
  seem to bother the judges.


Routines

Master of Bronze Syllabus

(60m) Basic, Cross Body Lead, Open Break, UAT R turning to side break in Tandem 
(opposite feet) and hand change, turn to UAT R to double shake, J-turns x2, 
Cross Body Lead with Neck Turn, Basic, Cross Body Lead to Fwd Spot Turn, Open 
Break, Back Spot Turn (1), 5th Breaks RLR, UAT R, Cross Over LRL, Switch LRL, 
Stop and Go, Cuddle, Right Side Pass, Half Chase, full chase, Double Chase, Open 
Break to UAT R and Shadow Breaks, Outside Breaks LRL, UAT to Advanced Hip Twist


1. (2m) Basic
2. (4m) Basic, Open Break, UAT R
3. (6m) Basic, Cross Body Lead, Open Break, UAT R
4. (8m) Basic, Open Break, UAT R, 5th RLR, UAT R
5. (10m) Basic, Open Break, Back spot Turn (3), 5th RLR, UAT R
6. (8m) Basic, Open Break, UAT R, NY LRLR, UAT R
7. (12m) Basic, Open Break, UAT R, Left Side Pass x3, NY L, UAT R
8. (14m) Cross Body Lead, Open Break, UAT R w/ hand change, Half-moon x3, NY L, 
  UAT R w/ hand change, NY L, UAT R
9. (6m) Cross Body Lead w/ turn, Switch R L, Open Break, UAT R
10. (20m) Basic, Open Break, UAT w/ hand change, NY L, UAT R taking double 
  shake, J-turns x3, cross Body Lead with Neck Turn
11. (10m) Basic, Cross Body to Fwd and Back Spot Turns, 5th UAT R
12. (10m) Cross Body Lead to OP, half chase x3 taking L2L, Cross Body Lead with 
  Post Turn
13. (10m) Cross Body Lead to OP, Full chase, Double Chase tkae R2R, 1/2 Moon w/ 
  spin and hand change, NY L, UAT R
14. (6m) Cross Body Lead, Open Break, UAT R to Advanced Hip Twist
15. (10m) Basic, Right Side pass, Peek-a-boo x2, Open Break, UAT R
16. (8m) Cross Body Lead, Cuddle, NY LRL, UAT R
17. (22m) Basic, Cross Body Lead with turn, Switch L (lady 1-3 basic), 
  back-side-together (lady tap-tap-cross), both tap-tap-cross, R side Break, 
  Basic x2, 1-3 basic going fwd with Reverse UAT, double UAT R, Cross Body Lead, 
  Open Break, UAT R turning L, side break and hand switch, UAT R to double 
  shake, Cross Body Lead with Neck Turn
18. (46m) Cross Body Lead w/ double hold, Open break, UAT R, Cross Body Lead, 
  5th Break RLR, UAT R, Cross Body to Fwd and Back Spots, Cross Body, side 
  breaks, Arrow split to Cross Body with Neck Turn (team practice sequence), 
  open Break, UAT R, half-moon x2, NY, UAT R, Open Break, Back Spot Turn, Cross 
  Body Lead to OP, Full Chase Turn

Silver

1) Closed and Open Box Step - ??
2) Cross-Over and Swivel - skating swivel
3) Swing Mambo - ?
4) Promenade Swivels - as bolero
5) Surprise Break - ??
6) Double Spin - ??
7) Kick Tap - ??
8) Whip Turns - as in swing, whip part on RF back rock
9) Swivels to Pull Back - ??
10) Half Time - ??
11) Fwd Spot Turn - the full Reverse Top from 5th position break.
12) Back Spot with UAT R/L - advanced development of Natural Top
13) Side by Side- ??
14) Open Hip Twist- - as in International Rumba
15) Spin Whip- - aka whip with hand change
16) Advanced Hip Twist- this move used to be bronze.  It probably should be 
considered silver or even gold.
17) Spins- ??
18) Time Steps-  as International cha cha
19) Chase Turn to Cross Turn-ISTD ??
20) Double Underarm Turn - might be able to use in Bronze, but you will probably 
be ready for silver (as follower) when you attempt this one.
21) Spot Turn Combination - ??
22) Crossover Points - ??
23) Scallop - this turn used to be the ending to the American style Advanced Hip 
Twist.  See team manual
24) Three turns - ?? possibly a variant of Int. Rumba's three threes
25) Cuddle Flick - ??
26) Crossover with Pullback - ??

"Gold"
1) Chasse Breaks - ??
2) Check Spin - ??
3) Skater's Scoot - ??
4) Overhead Twist - ??
5) Same Foot Boogies - ??
6) Lariat - ?? possibly the two-step figure from high horseshoe position (R2R, 
L2L, R arm draped over her shoulder).  Woman is spun out, walked behind man, 
brought in front and then back into horseshoe.
7) Flick ripple - ??
8) Lady Swivels - ?? possibly a continuous hip twist
9) The Slide - ?
10) Sweetheart Spot Turns - Pinwheel walks in wrap position.