Encyclopedia

Mambo

54 performances · avg 24.05

Stats

Mambo

54
Performances
24.05
Avg total

Charts

Mambo performances per season
Frequency by season · SVG · CSV
Mambo average score trend
Score trend · SVG

Article

Mambo

Category: American Rhythm / Latin social
DWTS performances in dataset: 54
Average total score: 24.05
First appearance: Season 3, Week 2 — Willa & Maks (Get Busy)
Lift rule on DWTS: Allowed (non-core / specialty style on DWTS).

Origins and history

Mambo music and dance developed in Cuba and were popularized in New York mid-century. American Rhythm syllabi include mambo; it is distinct from International Latin’s five. Salsa later absorbed much of the social space mambo once held.

Sources

How it is danced

Aspect Detail
Time signature 4/4
Tempo (MPM) 47–51 (USABDA / American Rhythm charts)
Tempo (BPM, approx.) ~188 NDCA American Rhythm reference
Character Fast, break-on-2 energy in many NY traditions; flashy partner work.
Hold / frame Open Latin/rhythm holds.
Basic steps & figures Side basics, crossover breaks, fifth-position breaks, spins — timing style-dependent (often on 2).
What judges look for Speed, sharpness, timing; historically a DWTS early-seasons specialty.

Competition tempi cite WDSF Competition Rules E.3.2 and related DanceSport charts where applicable; theatrical styles are song-driven.

History on Dancing with the Stars

Statistics below are computed from the Data with the Stars SQLite performance and score tables (not invented).

  • Times danced: 54
  • Score range: 15.0 – 39.5 (total judges’ score as stored)
  • Perfect nights (every judging mark = 10): 3

Average score by era

Era Performances Average total
S1-10 52 23.77
S11-20 2 31.25

Best scores

  • 39.5 — S15 W4: Shawn & Derek — Para Los Rumberos (Santana)
  • 30.0 — S3 W10: Emmitt & Cheryl — Que Bueno Baila Usted (Oscar d'Leon)
  • 30.0 — S4 W10: Laila & Maks — Maracaibo Oriental (Benny Moré)
  • 30.0 — S5 W10: Mel & Maks — Mambo Jambo (Perez Prado)
  • 29.0 — S3 W7: Emmitt & Cheryl — Que Bueno Baila Usted (Oscar d'Leon)

Lowest scores

  • 15.0 — S6 W2: Monica & Jonathan — My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)
  • 16.0 — S6 W2: Steve & Anna — I Got a Girl
  • 16.0 — S7 W1: Cloris & Corky — Coconut Woman
  • 18.0 — S5 W2: Mark & Kym — Ride wit Me
  • 18.0 — S7 W1: Kim & Mark — Baby Got Back

First perfect nights (all marks 10)

  • S3 W10: Emmitt & Cheryl — Que Bueno Baila Usted (total 30.0, 3 judges)
  • S4 W10: Laila & Maks — Maracaibo Oriental (total 30.0, 3 judges)
  • S5 W10: Mel & Maks — Mambo Jambo (total 30.0, 3 judges)

Most-used songs

  • Que Bueno Baila Usted — Oscar d'Leon (2×)
  • Maracaibo Oriental — Benny Moré (2×)
  • My Way — Los Lonely Boys (2×)
  • Para Los Rumberos — Santana (2×)
  • Mambo Jambo — Perez Prado (2×)
  • Get Busy — Sean Paul (1×)
  • Bop to the Top — Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel (1×)
  • Jump — Kris Kross (1×)

Charts

Frequency

Score trend

Watch top performances

  • No linked YouTube clips in the dataset for this style yet.

Educational fan reference. Dance histories paraphrased from cited sources; DWTS stats from project data. Not affiliated with BBC Studios or Disney.

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