Casino is the original term given to the dance that we refer to today as Cuban Salsa. It’s a partner dance composed of a leader and a follower. The leader for the most part is in charge of instructing the follower to complete various figuras/patterns of steps and nudos/knots. It’s lots of fun, extremely energetic and requires you to connect with your partner and the music, and when in the Rueda, with the rest of the group!
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In the Rueda each dancer is named the leader or the follower and all those participating are positioned in a circular formation that will revolve like a wheel, hence the name La Rueda/The Wheel. The movement are performed to the music that we know today as Salsa.
When you hear "salsa" you may be thinking of Strictly Come Dancing but Rueda is not a choreography. The whole process is spontaneous and each figura/step is called by one person who is named el cantante/the singer, they are responsible for calling the steps that the dancers complete. The dancers will swap partners many times as they move around and keep the shape of the Rueda/Wheel. The names of the steps are usually in Spanish, so get ready to improve your linguistic skills.
It is important that everyone participating in the Rueda knows the names or the steps and movement required, as usually el cantante/the singer tries to trick the dancers and make them make mistakes. Don’t worry if you do it’s all part of the process and it’s always a lot of fun!
Check out this video filmed in Santiago de Cuba for an excellent example of Cuban Salsa/Casino and how it is performed in the Rueda aka The Wheel.
This video clip accompanies the song 'Cuba Baila Casino/Cuba dances Casino' by Elito Revé y Su Charangón, a world renowned Cuban orchestra. In this song they pay tribute to the cultural phenomena that is Cuban Casino and Rueda.