International rumba basic in closed position

[Sagitta]

Yesterday I went to a ballroom dance. I did what I thought was the international rumba basic and people were telling me I was doing a mambo step and not international rumba. The following youtube clip is similar to what I did: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBQJwvbJeic

Is this correct? Is there a better way of doing the basic? Are there alternative internal rumba basics in closed position?

 

[Josh]

Yesterday I went to a ballroom dance. I did what I thought was the international rumba basic and people were telling me I was doing a mambo step and not international rumba. The following youtube clip is similar to what I did: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBQJwvbJeic

Is this correct? Is there a better way of doing the basic? Are there alternative internal rumba basics in closed position?

The mambo's "diamond" shaped basic (as opposed to the straight fwd-back basic like is usual in salsa) is identical to the steps for the int'l rumba's basic step.

 

[UKDancer]

Yesterday I went to a ballroom dance. I did what I thought was the international rumba basic and people were telling me I was doing a mambo step and not international rumba.

Is this correct? Is there a better way of doing the basic? Are there alternative internal rumba basics in closed position?

The steps are correct (if you are dancing according to the clip), as is the timing.

 

[Sagitta]

Thanks. Good to have it confirmed. So, it wasn't a question of one or the other, but a question of both applying.

 

[Warren J. Dew]

The steps are correct (if you are dancing according to the clip), as is the timing.

The part of the clip where they're using the music, or the part where he's counting? When he's counting, it's correct; the part that's danced to music has suspect timing.

 

[Br0nze]

Some believe that what we now know as 'International Rumba' is actually Mambo under a different name. When the dance was brought over to England, not too many wanted to study the 'Mambo' because it was not exotic enough, while 'Rumba,' has always mystified and excited dancers. The basic steps of the two dances are similar, if not identical. I would argue that the difference is in the music and the action done -- kind of like the Box in American Style Waltz and Rumba.

 

[tangotime]

Some believe that what we now know as 'International Rumba' is actually Mambo under a different name.

Not really.. it was styalised on the concept of Bolero ( long before Mambo existed ) most of the basic variations in Bolero were converted to the Intern.style, and the timing changed to " 2" from "3" ( among other aspects )

 

[Br0nze]

Hence the "some believe."