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| Kandykane dancing |
I assume every one knows what is Latin Dance (if you still have doubt about please read the article here first), in order to dance Latin Dance, we need to dance the Latin Beat. Since all the nowadays Latin Dances somewhat relate to the Mambo, it seems not quite possible to dance Latin dance without knowing the Mambo rhythm.
We all know that there are three kinds of Mambo rhythms:
- Single Mambo, which is the 234hold, each count take 1 beat, same as the International Styled Rumba.
- Double Mambo, which is the 2 3& 4& hold, valued 1, half-half, half-half, one.
- Triple Mambo, needless to say, it is the Cha Cha Cha, counting 234&1, and that is exactly why Cha Cha Cha was called Triple Mambo when it first appeared in the 1950s.
From these three basic rhythms, we have developed some variations by syncopating between the regular beats using the '&' beat or the 'a' beat.
The '&' beat is used between full beats, for example, the regular single is 234 hold valued one-one-one-one, then we change it to 2&3&4&hold, valued half-half half-half half-half hold. Or we can double the Triple Mambo by putting the '&' beat in between the full beats, making the 234&1 to 2&3 4&1.
The 'a' beat is used between half beats, or used to replace the half to indicate a delayed action, or used to indicate a quick action. We then have the 1&a 2&a 3&a 4, valued half-quarter-quarter, half-quarter-quarter, half-quarter-quarter, one; or the 1a 2a 3a 4, three-quarter-quarter, three-quarter-quarter, three-quarter-quarter, one.
Wow, that seems so complicated! However, it is needed if you want to really dance the Latin dance- no matter which Latin dance it is- because a true Latin dancer is one who dances Cuban motion to any of the basic and/or the variation of the Mambo rhythms. So let's practise with the Latin beats and enjoy dancing!
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