Rueda de Casino
Encyclopedia
Rueda de Casino is a particular type of round dancing
of Salsa
. It was developed in Havana
, Cuba
in the late 1950s and early 1960s by the group Guaracheros de Regla
and one of its main choreographers and creators was Jorge Alfaro from San Miguel del Padrón
, a soloist of a comparsa
.
Pairs of dancers form a circle, with dance moves called out by one person, a caller (or "líder" or "cantante" in Spanish
). Many moves have hand signs to complement the calls; these are useful in noisy venues, where spoken calls might not be easily heard. Many moves involve the swapping of partners.
The names of the moves are mostly in Spanish, some in English (or Spanglish
; e.g., "un fly"). Some names are known in slightly different versions, easily recognizable by Spanish-speaking dancers, but may be confusing to the rest.
Although the names of most calls are presently the same across the board, the different towns in Cuba use their own calls. This is because the pioneers of Rueda de Casino wanted to keep others from participating in their Rueda. Many local variations of the calls can now be found. They can change from town-to-town or even from teacher-to-teacher.
Casino Rueda scenes may be seen in the movie Dance with Me
and in the music video clip No me dejes de querer by Gloria Estefan
.
There are many different variations of moves in Rueda de Casino. The circle will either start from "al Medio" (normal closed hold with all the couples stepping in and out of the circle) or from Guapea (stepping forward on the inside foot and backward on the outside foot, tangent to the circle). Most forms have a caller who signals to the rest of the group what move will be next. Some of the most common moves in Rueda include: Dame, Enchufle, Vacila, and Sombrero. There are different hand motions that the caller can signal in case one's voice cannot be heard over the loud music. For example, the hand signal for Sombrero is the caller tapping the top of his or her head. This move is signaled when everyone in the circle is stepping backward.
Major Rueda de Casino groups known throughout the world are:
Round dance
There are two distinct dance categories called round dance. The specific dances belonging to the first of these categories are often considered to be ethnic, folk or country dances...
of Salsa
Salsa (dance)
Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
. It was developed in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
in the late 1950s and early 1960s by the group Guaracheros de Regla
Guaracheros de Regla
Guaracheros de Regla was the name of a carnival comparsa of Havana, Cuba. Created by Humberto Medina, known as the Guarachero Mayor. The group started in 1959 in Regla and in 1960 were invited to the Havana carnivals. One of the top dance groups during the 1960s...
and one of its main choreographers and creators was Jorge Alfaro from San Miguel del Padrón
San Miguel del Padrón
San Miguel del Padrón is a municipality in Havana city, Cuba. It is one of the 15 municipalities into which the city is divided. It is on Havana's south-eastern outskirts, stretching from Ciudad Mar to Diezmero and from Reparto Mañana to Caballo Blanco....
, a soloist of a comparsa
Comparsa
A comparsa is the band which plays a conga during a Latin American Carnival celebration. It consists of a large group of dancers dancing and traveling on the streets, followed by a Carrosa where the musicians play...
.
Pairs of dancers form a circle, with dance moves called out by one person, a caller (or "líder" or "cantante" in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
). Many moves have hand signs to complement the calls; these are useful in noisy venues, where spoken calls might not be easily heard. Many moves involve the swapping of partners.
The names of the moves are mostly in Spanish, some in English (or Spanglish
Spanglish
.Spanglish refers to the blend of Spanish and English, in the speech of people who speak parts of two languages, or whose normal language is different from that of the country where they live. The Hispanic population of the United States and the British population in Argentina use varieties of...
; e.g., "un fly"). Some names are known in slightly different versions, easily recognizable by Spanish-speaking dancers, but may be confusing to the rest.
Although the names of most calls are presently the same across the board, the different towns in Cuba use their own calls. This is because the pioneers of Rueda de Casino wanted to keep others from participating in their Rueda. Many local variations of the calls can now be found. They can change from town-to-town or even from teacher-to-teacher.
Casino Rueda scenes may be seen in the movie Dance with Me
Dance with Me (film)
Dance with Me is a 1998 drama film on love and dance directed by Randa Haines and starring Vanessa L. Williams and Puerto Rican singer Chayanne.-Plot:...
and in the music video clip No me dejes de querer by Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
.
There are many different variations of moves in Rueda de Casino. The circle will either start from "al Medio" (normal closed hold with all the couples stepping in and out of the circle) or from Guapea (stepping forward on the inside foot and backward on the outside foot, tangent to the circle). Most forms have a caller who signals to the rest of the group what move will be next. Some of the most common moves in Rueda include: Dame, Enchufle, Vacila, and Sombrero. There are different hand motions that the caller can signal in case one's voice cannot be heard over the loud music. For example, the hand signal for Sombrero is the caller tapping the top of his or her head. This move is signaled when everyone in the circle is stepping backward.
Major Rueda de Casino groups known throughout the world are:
| Rueda de Casino Team | Location | Description and Information |
|---|---|---|
| Salsa Racing | Florida, USA | Principal Choregrapher Henry Herrera, codified the Miami-Style Rueda. Dance on1 / A-Tiempo |
| Casino.com | Santiago de Cuba, Cuba | Principal world-renowned champion and choreographer Yanek Revilla. Two times in a row champion of Bailar Casino National Television program by state-owned television station, Cubavision. Dance On1 / A-Tiempo |
| Luceros Del Son | Pinar Del Rio, Cuba | Famous Hat Rueda team, innovations in cross switching. Dance On3 / A-Tiempo |
| Rumbanana | Corvallis, Oregon, USA | Famous Rueda team, achieving prominence in major championships in USA and Europe. Choreographer Mike Eskeldson and Simona Boucek. Dance On1 / A-Tiempo. http://www.rumbanana.org |
| Minneami Salsa | Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA | The first "public option" Rueda team. Winners of the 2010 and 2011 Twin Cities Open Ballroom Championship. Minneami Salseros have performed throughout the world, including China, Dominican Republic, and throughout the United States. Principal choreographers: Jim Schuman, Carol Tonkin, Julio Cabrera, and Karla Juarez. Dance On1 / A-Tiempo |
| Salseros Indonesia | Jakarta, Indonesia | Winner of 2010 Asian Rueda Championships. Principal choreographer Albert James Loing. Dance On1 / A-Tiempo |
See also
- Casino (salsa dance)Casino (salsa dance)Cuban-style salsa, also known as Casino, is a form of salsa dance that originated in Cuba. Dancing Casino is an expression of popular social culture; Latin Americans consider casino as part of social and cultural activities centering around their popular music...
- the 1-on-1 partner version of Rueda de Casino - Salsa (dance)Salsa (dance)Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...