This entry was posted on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 2:48 pm and is filed under Ballroom Dancing, Latin Dance Shoes, Men & Women, Shoes, Types. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Before the Cuban Revolution of 1959, that island nation was a bustling tribute to the pleasures and excesses of capitalism. Havana was a haven for gambling, entertainment and late-night carousing in general. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Cuban musical genre known as mambo originated there in the ’30s. As is the case with most rhythmic forms of music, a dance craze followed hot on its heels.
Mambo fused swing with traditional Cuban steps, and what emerged became a hit in America almost right away. Late-night clubs in New York City and Miami held demonstrations of slightly homogenized versions of the dance. The furious motions of the professionals’ Latin dance shoes transfixed audiences. The dance is best saved for experienced movers and shakers, as it is generally agreed to be among the most difficult ballroom styles.
