Figure Name, Roundalab Phase Level, & Timing q=quick, 1 beat
s=slow, 2 beats
&=1/2 beat; a=1/4 beat | Steps and Actions That Make Up the Figure Each description focuses on the man, with the woman's footwork in parenthesis. If a woman's step is not given, it is the natural opposite or follow of the man's. Help: basic dance positions and steps, actions, directions, and abbreviations. Non-standard punctuation: a comma separates two beats of music, a semi-colon marks the end of a measure, and a slash (/) indicates a split beat, two things occurring in a single beat. | Here are some sequences to help you visualize the figure in context. |
| Basic phase III qqs; qqs; | In closed or butterfly position, step forward L (woman back R), recover, side, -; back, recover, side, -; One might be asked to do a half basic or Forward Basic, the first measure of this figure; or a Back Basic, the second measure. | In the Kincaids' Let's Mambo Tonight, the dance begins with a cucaracha left & right;; full basic;; new yorker to reverse and kick to line; knee swivels; new yorker to reverse and kick to line; side walk to reverse; to a scallop;; |
| Closed Basic qqs; qqs; | In closed or butterfly position, step forward, recover, close, -; back, recover, close, -; | In Sing A Long Mambo by the Worlocks, part B begins with side walk 3 to open position facing LOD; chase turn away to face RLOD; fwd 3; patti-cake tap; back basic to butterfly; thru to serpiente with flick & knee lift;; thru side close; closed basic;; open up to a cucaracha cross check; rec sd thru to butterfly; |
| Progressive Basic phase IV qqs; qqs; | In closed, butterfly, or left open facing position, rock forward L (woman back R), recover R, back small step on L, -; rock back R, recover L, and small forward R, -; |
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| Mambo Walks qqs; | Step fwd, fwd, fwd, -; |
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| Cucaracha qqs; qqs; | Step sd, rec, cl, -; sd, rec, cl, -; These side steps are pressing steps; full weight is not taken. So in the first measure, you step to the side with your lead foot, press with the ball of the foot, but don't lower the heel and don't raise the heel of the trail foot. A little rotation of the ball of the lead foot would be appropriate, but in mambo we don't have time for much of this sort of flourish. Then recover full weight to the trail foot, and close the lead foot to the trail foot. | In Mambo Loco by Pilachowski & DeLauter, there is an alemana;; shoulder to shoulder twice;; cucaracha left & right;; basic;; |
| Turning Cucarachas qqs; qqs; qqs; qqs; | The cucaracha is not standard for mambo, and the turning cucaracha is even less standardized. Of course, the footwork is some number of cucarachas, but we turn either LF or RF, usually 1/4 or 1/2, on either the first or second step of each cucaracha. So, we might begin facing partner and wall with lead feet free. Step sd L (W sd R), rec R turning 1/4 RF (W rec L turning 1/4 LF) to LOP facing RLOD, close L, -; sd R, rec L turning 1/2 LF (W 1/2 RF), cl R to OP facing LOD, -; sd L (W sd R), rec R turning 1/2 RF (W rec L turning 1/2 LF) to LOP facing RLOD, close L, -; sd R, rec L turning 1/2 LF (W 1/2 RF), cl R to OP facing LOD, -; | In Bamboozle by the Teagues, there is a diamond turn to CP wall;;;; turning cucarachas to OP LOD;;;; back break; swivel walk 6 to face;; hip rock; In Bye Bye Mambo by the Rumbles, there is a scallop to CP wall;; two turning side breaks (which are essentially turning cucarachas), one turning 1/4 to LOP RLOD and the second turning 1/2 to OP LOD;; to a side break to rolling off the arm to face LOD;; |
| New Yorker phase III qqs; | In a facing position, both step through with lead foot to left open reverse, rec to face, sd, -; May be done with the trail foot turning to line and in other orientations. | In Ding Dong Mambo by the Collipis, we start with a basic;; new yorker twice;; spot turn twice;; mambo box;; |
| Spot Turns phase III qqs; qqs; | Both cross in front with lead feet and turn away, recover and continue turning to face, sd, -; cross in front with trail feet and turn away opposite direction, recover continue turning to face, sd, -; | In Ding Dong Mambo by the Collipis, part A starts with a basic;; new yorker twice;; spot turn twice;; mambo box;; |
| Break phase III qqs; | To break is to step back and maybe cross behind. Then you recover and step to some indicated position. The cue might be break back to open, in which case, you would cross behind with the lead foot turning LF (woman RF) to open position, recover on the trail foot, and step forward on the lead still in open position, -; Or you might be asked to break back to face, in which case, you would cross behind turning to open, recover turning back to face partner, and then step side to a facing position, -; The break can begin with either foot. | In the Worlocks' Jack Is Back, you are facing wall and partner in handshake for a break and pull pass. This is simply one measure in which you break apart L (woman apart R), pull right hands passing right shoulders, and step forward (man to wall; woman toward center). The dance continues with a chase turn to left handshake; break & pull pass; chase turn to join lead hands; break & wrap to face reverse; and wheel to face line; In Mambo With Papa by the Aurienes, there is a forward and back break;; left and right break;; side walks to line;; cross body face center;; repeat to face wall;;;;;;;; |
| Open Break phase III qqs; | In a facing position holding lead hands, both rock apart on lead foot trail hands up palms out, recover, and step side, -; | Do an open break; whip; chase;;;; open break; whip back to wall; |
| Side Breaks ss; ss; | In a facing position, step side L (woman sd R), -, sd R, -; close L (woman cl R), -, cl R, -; This style of break is more commonly associated with jive or swing. | In Hey Mambo! by the Cibulas, the dance starts (partners 10 ft. apart) with side breaks with arms up and down;; 4 cross walks together;; and quick cucarachas left and right;; |
| Natural Top qqs; | In closed position, reverse line of dance, cross right behind left and turn in a tight circle RF, step side turning to face wall, close; | Half basic to a natural top. (In such a sequence, turn the half basic 1/4 RF to prepare for the top.) |
| Chase phase III qqs; qqs; qqs; qqs; | Facing partner, step fwd L (woman back R) and turn RF 1/2, recover, fwd, -; This puts you in tandem both facing center. Step forward and both turn (man LF and woman RF), recover, fwd, -; At the end of the second measure, you are in tandem, both facing wall. Step forward she trn 1/2 LF, rec, bk, -; bk, rec, fwd, -; You end in facing position as at the start. |
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| Cross Body phase IV qqs; qqs; | Facing partner & wall, step forward L (woman back R), rec, sd turning LF (woman steps fwd to "L position"), -; step back continuing to turn LF (woman fwd turning LF), step fwd (woman fwd turning 1/2 LF), and side to butterfly center, -; | In Easterday's Jambo Mambo, there is a half basic to a cross body twice;;;; and then a vine 8;; |
| Aida phase IV qqs; | Facing partner & wall trail feet free XIF stepping through to line beginning to turn in (man RF woman LF), fwd continuing turn, bk to V back-to-back position man facing rev & cntr woman facing rev & wall, -; (may begin to reverse with lead feet) | half basic; aida; roll to reverse and face; cucaracha to semi; scallop;; |
| Roll qqs; | In aida position step fwd turn in 1/2, bk continue turn, fwd turn to face partner and wall, -; | In the Easterdays' Who's Got the Mambo?, there is a forward basic facing line of dance (woman reverse); both roll RF to reverse; natural top to face wall;; and cucaracha twice;; |
| Scallop phase IV qqs; qqs; | In a loose closed position, cross lead foot behind trail foot, recover, and step side, -; step thru, sd, cl, -; Keep your shoulders parallel and even hold eye-contact. Swivel at the hips but don't open your top-lines. End in butterfly or closed position. As you take each side step, trace a curve on the floor — the Scallop is named for these "scalloped" arcs. | Again from Jambo Mambo: open break; natural top; scallop;; repeat;;;; Or, scallop;; scallop;; scallop;; side walk 3 to bfly; fence line; |
| Patty Cake Tap phase IV ss; | In left open position facing reverse, lift trail knee swivel in to face partner pat trail hands and point trail feet thru toward line no wt, -, lift trail knee again and swivel back out again to left open and step back, -; (one weight change total) | Try a cross body to left open position facing LOD;; back basic; patty cake tap; back basic; patty cake tap; back basic; kiki walk 3; new yorker to face; whip back to wall; |
| Diamond Turn With Hops qqs; qqs; qqs; qqs; | This is a waltz or fox-trot figure, but if you add the hops, it becomes latin‽ In closed position wall or line, step fwd L turning LF to bjo, sd turning, bk, lift right knee and hop back a little still on left (three weight changes and a quarter turn left in each measure); bk R, sd, fwd, hop fwd; fwd, sd, bk, hop; bk, sd, fwd, hop; (end in starting position) | In the Schmidts' Mambo Tequila, the dance begins with two cucarachas;; diamond turn with hops;;;; to a full basic;; new yorker; and underarm turn; |
| Vine qqqq; | In loose closed, step side, behind, side, in front; (really, a two step figure) | Repeat for a vine 8 |
| Arm Check phase V qqs; qqs; | In left open facing position, rock apart L (woman apart R), recover R, and step side and forward L toward woman's left side (woman forward R toward man's right side) release joined lead hands and take woman's left wrist in man's right hand, -; In second measure, he steps forward R turning 1/2 LF and leading woman to spin 1 & 1/2 RF in 3 steps with a little push to her L wrist, forward L, close R, -; |
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| Tummy Check qqs; | Unlike the arm check above, this one doesn't turn. Facing partner, check forward R toward partner's R side (W fwd L) catching partner with R arm at waist, recover, back & sd R (W bk & sd L) to face partner again, -; | In Moola Lah by the Finches, there is a basic;; open break; tummy check; open break; underarm turn; |
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