What is Salsa - Is it Mambo in Disguise?  
By Armando

My introduction to Mambo was in 1979. That's when I signed up for ballroom lessons in American Rhythm. I learned cha cha, rumba, samba and mambo. One of the dances I competed in was mambo. I never heard Salsa till ten year had gone by. I liked the music but it was slower than mambo music. Just because you slow or speed up the music does not change the type of music it is. You have slow and fast Cha Cha's. Whichever, when you hear the music, you can still recognize it as Cha Cha because of the rhythm (the way the music is arranged).The same holds true for Mambo. You can speed it up or slow it down, but it is still Mambo. So what is this music people are calling Salsa? You don't hear about mambo music anymore.

For years now Salsa has been played at Ballroom Dance Competitions when they dance Mambo. They don't call it Mambo music. But when you look at the program, it does not say so and so dancing Salsa. The top professionals in the country dance to Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba and Mambo. Mambo!!! All those people at the Salsa club aren't dancing that stuff. I haven't met a Puerto Rican who dances that stuff. But it is Salsa music that is being played when they dance Mambo.

I have actually danced Salsa at a Ballroom Dance Competition and received applause from an audience who are only knew of Mambo. I could tell from the look in their faces, that they were fascinated. This stuff was new to them. Remember, I use to be one of them! This was not the Dance they were being taught in their Mambo classes. OK, so maybe there is a difference. Maybe there is such a thing as a Salsa dance. Maybe a distinction can be made between Salsa and Mambo. Can't there be two distinct dances having separate styles, steps and patterns. Maybe we can do the same for the music. So when people say, Oh that music is to slow to dance Salsa. What they are really saying is that the music is to slow to dance Mambo.

You can get lots of excellent dance instructional videos on Mambo, These videos cover the basics to the most advance steps with variations that will amaze you. There are step lists and patterns and routines. But as far as dance instructional videos for Salsa, you can count them on one hand. And there is no standard!!! As far as Salsa is concerned anything goes in Salsa Dance Contest held at Salsa clubs from east coast to west coast.

What it comes down to is: Are we who have a passion for Salsa ready to organize ourselves and establish a standard? Will Salsa finally be given its deserving place among the other established dances recognized by the worldwide dance community? Only if those of us who love the dance are willing to join together can Salsa be given it recognition among the dance world. Otherwise, the word Salsa will only be thought of as Hot Sauce by most of the world. The dance community will only recognize Mambo as a dance and Salsa as the music they dance to.