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Mambo and salsa music share the similarities of an upbeat tempo, complex use of percussive & brass instrumentation, and general lively feel.  The mambo, however, should have a heavy accent on counts 2 & 4, which encourages the dancer to use the proper mambo timing of starting the patterns on count 2, and resting on the count 1. By contrast, salsa patterns start on the count 1 and rest on count 4. Historically, mambo's roots come from Cuba with African influence, which was melded with American jazz, as it came to the U.S. in the 1940's, when it began a dance sensation.

With it's strong rhythms, the dance is hallmark for male dancers in the American style, like the Paso Doble is for International Latin dancers. The complexities of different rhythms within one song allow mambo dancers to be creative with how they use their bodies and isolated body parts to interpret musicality.