Greetings Bloggy Friends. I'll be writing a post every day, beginning with the letters of my name .....MANZI, from Stephanie's Blog Challenge, What's so Random..
When I danced, Manzi was my stage name so my posts will be connected to dancing.
(Hey, It's all I know :)
My first letter is M for Mambo.
Exciting and wild, Mambo offers beautiful hip shaking. The high-energy dance originated in Cuba, a mixture of Afro-Caribbean and Latin American cultures, possibly getting it's name after Voodoo priests.
The dance offers distinctive hip movements, side steps, rock steps, points, kicks and flicks. The count is a 4/4 beat but in dance terms it's Quick, Quick, Slow. A slow is really 2 beats. The slow is what gives the undulating pause.
Some people say the Mambo and Salsa are the same but if you listen to some of the early Mambo greats, Beny More, Tito Rodriguez or Tito Puente you can find a big distinction.
I can remember the Mambo craze from the 50's when it was introduced in the U.S. by some of our popular musicians, Stan Getz, Jelly Roll Morton, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong.
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Below is a BBC video showing some sizzling Mambo dancers
I think I liked the slow version at the very end better than the fast version. It must have taken quite a lot of control to dance in the narrow hallway with the low railing.
ReplyDeleteohhhh Manzi,
ReplyDeleteI think I am going to like the Mambo as well as I like the flamenco.
You are leading me into a world I have never known. Thanks for all the great posts
i was getting dizzy just watching them...
ReplyDeleteWith plenty of encouragement from reading your blogs, I'm doing lots more dancing now. I've bought a Dancing Programme for our Wii, one of those interactive ones where you get points for doing it right. It's the first thing that's made me get out of breath in ages!
ReplyDeleteI beg to differ. You know so much. But what you love is dancing.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Karen...I would have loved to see you dance! Do you have any videos of YOU?
ReplyDeleteI am doing this challenge, too! My "Letter C" is about to be posted!
xoxoxo, clare
I love dancing! You were a dancer? That's so cool. I bet you can still strut your stuff no problem! I can't wait to read "A" tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteAw, I was hoping you were going to feature the Merengue. That I can kind of do, Mamgo, not so much but I love to watch it.
ReplyDeleteNot flamenco, but still fun to watch--& do! Why don't you have an "f" in your name so we could get more flamenco? As CLARE DUNN asked, are you going to someday show a video of YOU dancing? I, for one, would LOVE to see it!
ReplyDeleteI love to twirl and spin as we move around the floor. Mambo, another dance, that the husband and I sometimes accidently do. LOL! I enjoyed your post a lot. Thanks Manzi!
ReplyDeleteI wish I wasn't born with 2 left feet ;-)
ReplyDeleteOK, I would love to see a video of you dancing as well. I remember the mambo too. I told you I can't dance, but if I keep reading here, I for sure would want to try something. Finally, I admire your stamina to take on yet another challenge. You are an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sexy sizzling dance!! Yay for m for mambo!! Loved this clip!!!! I'm always amazed by how the mambo women dance with HEELS!! WOW!!! Take care
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Hi there! I've always wanted to learn ballroom dance, including but not limited the gorgeous Mamba. The video is fantastic!!
ReplyDelete*Mambo, that is. Wow, it's been a long day. =P
ReplyDeleteAt least with the Mambo I have a shot. I have no shot with Flamenco.
ReplyDeleteMybabyjohn :You said it! All ballroom dance takes control but Latin especially because of the variations of speed. I remember one great teacher I had who kept emphasizing the pauses. He said it was like posing for a picture after the Quick, Quick.
ReplyDeleteTerry : I'll probably entice you and husband into taking dance lessons.
Texwisgirl : You forgot to spot :)
Karen : I could still dance with a good partner but I know I couldn't cut it like I did when I was young. Tee Hee
Rosalind : I'm sooo happy if my dancing posts played a small part in your dancing. It's such a happy form of exercise. Even though I don't try to perform anymore, I love to go out in my studio by myself and just free style to Ballroom, flamenco, Latin even some tap and jazz.
I'm not familiar with the program you mention but I'd love to hear more about it.
Robin : Thank you for putting it so nicely.
Clare : This is fun although it's very small and I'm happy you're doing it. Good experience for us. It's a unique idea and hope it catches on.
I've just got old VHS tapes of my dancing. I don't have a dance partner now and I'd rather make teaching tapes anyway. But thank you for being so kind.
Climb2nowhere : Well, not really do I strut my stuff. I think my stuff's all been strutted. I only teach now. Perhaps you didn't know but I'm 81.
Patti : I was actually thinking of Merengue at first but I chose Mambo because it has a little more pizazz. I'm happy you can do merengue. It's got a fun even count. It's a real good dance to begin learning Latin motion. Do you have some good dance partners now?
Fran : I''m afraid if I did more Flamenco every comment would be Boo, Boo, Boo.... you might be the only one not to. LOL As I told Clare, I just have some old VHS tapes and now my tapes are teaching tapes. I really love teaching now. But thanks for asking.
Just look at all these new dance students you have! Thanks for teaching us. (In my head, I'm a swell dancer ...)
ReplyDeleteSu-sieee : I really love to get your comments about how you and husband dance and do free style in the kitchen. I'm so happy for you and you two are having such healthy fun and exercise.
ReplyDeleteJeff : Does that mean you have to buy 2 pair of shoes? LOL
Inger : This challenge is only 5 days for me.... it would be for you too. I always feel like I have to push myself a little.
As I told a few people, I only have old VHS tapes. We never took many pictures back then. Now my tapes are teaching tapes and I love to teach. I don't have a dance partner either. I did have one until a couple years ago and I know he'd dance with me again but I seem to get it out of my system with teaching and dancing free style by myself in the studio. It's strange but after a while, you feel like you don't have to prove anything anymore. :)
Kitty : Really a sexy dance but such control. Those are your Brits. The shoes of course are ballroom shoes. They have the felt on the bottom for non sliding and the Latin shoes are very flexible for the ankle flexibility. I have three huge, tall baskets of dance shoes as they differ for the dances. But, get this, I have practically no street shoes!!! Can't afford them. LOL
Alyssia : Times a wasting. Start your dance lessons. :)
JJ : Hey a man after my own heart. A mambo dancer. You and the Misses go out and have a dance for me.
Thank you, bloggy friends for staying with me throughout yet another (but small) session of dance. Geez, I wish I knew something else. Love you all. Manzanita
Susan : Thanks for your neat comments. It would make me feel really good if I could encourage some people to dance. It's so rewarding to the soul. I've done every kind of dancing there is, in my lifetime except country western dance. Now I'm living in Montana and that is all the people do here. My granddaughter and bf want to learn. I ordered some teaching tapes and have a good handle on it now. I could follow a good dancer but it's another thing to be able to teach the man to lead it.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm ready to teach it and have a small class lined up. I never charge but teach for the joy of introducing people to dance and turning out some good dancers.
Love from Manzi
Great dance. I definitely can see a difference between it & salsa... cause I eat that on my chips... LOL... joking... LOL
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