Cuban Casino Style Salsa
Cuban Salsa and Cumbia are both circular style latin dances, while the New York and LA styles are linear. Palladium is very similar to the LA style, although the dance breaks on the second and sixth beats. Rueda de Casino is a Salsa that is danced as a group with one caller giving all of the other dancers direction. Before the term Salsa began being used in New York City in the 1970s, this dance was called casino and rueda de casino, because it was danced at athletic recreation centers called “Casinos” in Havana, Cuba. Here is a video interview with the founders of rueda de casino. Rock Meets Son & Casino: 'Rueda de Casino' Dancing is Born.
Cuban Salsa is one of the most dynamic and important musical phenomena of the 1900s. In many Hispanic communities, it remains today the most popular style of dance music. Salsa represents a mix of Latin musical genres, but its primary component is Cuban dance music. The roots of salsa originated in Eastern Cuba (Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo) from the Cuban Son (about 1920) and Afro-Cuban dance (like Afro-Cuban rumba). There, Spanish and Afro-Cuban musical elements were combined, both in terms of rhythm and the instruments used. By mid-century, this music came to Havana. Cuban and Puerto-Rican musical communities in New York merged the aforementioned Cuban as well as Puerto-Rican musical styles with modern influences, particularly American jazz and popular music heard on the radio - and Salsa was born. It then spread back to the South and gained popularity in many Latin countries. On different locations, the musical style evolved differently. After the North-American influence, Cuban salsa was born in - you guessed it - Cuba.
The key instrument that provides the backbone of a salsa song is the clave. It is often played with two wooden sticks (called clave) that are hit together. For salsa, there are four types of clave rhythms, the 3-2 and 2-3 Son claves being the most important, and the 3-2 and 2-3 Rumba claves. Most salsa music is played with one of the Son claves, though a Rumba clave is occasionally used, especially during Rumba sections of some songs.
There are other aspects outside of the clave that help define Salsa rhythm: the cowbell, the Montuno rhythm and the Tumbao rhythm. The cowbell is played on the core beats of Salsa, 1, 3, 5 and 7. The basic Salsa rhythm is quick, quick, slow, quick, quick, slow, usually danced on beats 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7, which are very similar to the beats of the cowbell. Recognizing the rhythm of the cowbell, the conga drums or the piano can help one stay on Salsa rhythm.
Don’t worry if these terms sound like a foreign language to you! We’ve all been there. Sometimes it helps the beginner dancers to have a clear idea of the melodic and rhythmic structure in Cuban salsa so that they can synchronise their movement with the music. The more you dance, the less you need to focus on these technical details. At some point, you realise that your body just feels the music and instinctively does the movements that fit well with the rhythm and melody. It just takes some practice, like everything in life.
What is Salsa Rueda De Casino?
When you are at Cincinnati’s Salsa on the Square and you see more than two people all dancing salsa together, they are probably dancing “Salsa Rueda” or what is officially known as “Salsa Rueda de Casino.”
Salsa rueda is like American square dancing, but for salsa and in a circle not a square. In salsa rueda, two or more couples dance salsa patterns that are directed by one of the dancers, known as the caller. The caller will call out different Cuban salsa patterns that might involve switching partners, clapping, yelling, stomping, or just about any movement your creative mind can think of.
What does it look like?
Here is a video of people dancing rueda at Cincinnati’s Salsa On The Square:
Where did it all begin?
Cuba! In the late 1950s, but it was called “casino” and “rueda de casino”
Before the term Salsa began being used in New York City in the 1970s, this dance was called casino and rueda de casino, because it was danced at athletic recreation centers called “Casinos” in Havana, Cuba.
Here is a video interview with the founders of rueda de casino.
Since the 1980s, Casino & Rueda de Casino has been popular enough in Cuba to be broadcast consistently on a national television show called “Bailar Casino”. In Cuba, rueda is taken seriously. Different neighborhoods in Havana and other cities will compete against each other in competitions.
Here is a performance from a Cuban rueda de casino dance competition:
International Appeal
Casino & rueda de casino, has spread throughout the world. Dancers and events can be found in every nation. Lots of dancers creates the opportunity for flash mobs and mega ruedas!
Here is a Rueda Flash Mob in Venezuela!
Check out this video of the worlds largest rueda dance that was performed in Greece in 2014:
How much do I have to know?
Not as much as you think. And it depends on whether you are a leader or follower. Leaders have to know a bit more than the followers. Rueda combinations and calls are similar enough around the world that a dancer in one country can go to another country and participate in a rueda dance there. RuedaWiki has compiled an extensive directory of rueda moves.
You certainly don’t have to know them all, but you should know the patterns that involve switching partners at the very least. Some basic movements that involve switching partners include directo, enchufla, p’arriba, prima(adios), dame and dame dos. If you know these moves then you won’t disrupt the flow of the rueda circle.
For moves you don’t know that don’t require switching partners, you can keep dancing the basic step until you hear a pattern called that you. Some basic turn patterns that don’t require switching partners are vacila, sombrero, exibela, guapea, and dile que no.
Dancer creativity has resulted in amazing variations in rueda. Various formations include rueda p’affuera, rueda llanta, rueda trebol, rueda dinamica, and rueda cruzad, just to name a few. Usually you only see advanced dancers dancing these formations at large conventions. Rueda llanta for example is a variation that creates two different circles one small and one large. Dancers can switch partners within the smaller circle or within the larger circle.
Here is a depiction of rueda llanta courtesy of RuedaStandard:
Cuban Salsa Videos
Where can I go to learn salsa rueda?
Cuban Casino Style Salsa Picante
Any Cuban style salsa dance school teaches Rueda de Casino. There are also some really awesome festivals that focus on salsa rueda.
Cuban Casino Style Salsa Chips
Visit these links to join rueda facebook groups to learn more:
Cincinnati Salsa All Events
Midwest Salsa Cubana Rueda Timba
I hope that you become as big a fan as I of salsa rueda de casino.
Come dance rueda with us at Salsa On The Square!
Una Bulla!
Robert Rice & Rachel Hrnyak, Cuban dance instructors. CubanSalsaCincinnati.com