Description:

Salsa Rueda de Casino

Rueda simply means "wheel". Casino refers to a place offering and live music and a place to dance.

Salsa Dancing. Salsa is a style of music and dance that breaths rhythm and movement into one. Its origin expands from Afro Cuban/ Caribbean/ Latin American beat and culture.

What makes Rueda unique is that the dancing is done in the "wheel", as a group, with a “caller” who determines the moves to been done at any giving time. Each move, or "call", has a name. After entering the circle (ideally with a partner, but not 100% necessary,) the leaders advance to the next follower in the wheel after a move or two is performed. This rapid changing of partners makes for a fun and friendly exchange all within the time of one song.

Many of the moves also have hand signals as well as names, in order to be able to dance in a loud club setting. The Rueda can be as small as two couples, or as large as a space can hold — as many as a hundred couples. When the circle to too large for the space, concentric circles may be formed.

When dancing Rueda, there is a new group dynamic that happens. What is not obvious when watching Rueda, is the new level of awareness required to have a group dance flow smoothly, and look sharp AND keep it fun! Dancers learn to open their sphere of awareness, their peripheral vision, beyond the normal restricted "bubble" of solo or partner dancing. In this way, dancers coordinate and adjust their individual feel and timing and style so as to make the Rueda "click". When this happens, it is very exciting indeed!

Guest teacher - Doug Dirt of the French Maid Brigade