What is 'Casino' and 'Rueda De Casino'? (sometimes called "Cuban Style Salsa")
"Rueda" means "Wheel" and is a Cuban style of Salsa danced in groups of 4-20+ people in a continuous wheel of dynamic motion with exciting synchronized & coordinated moves, clapping, stylish rhythmic punctuations, vocalizations, seamless changing of partners, changing formations and an exhilirating flow.
"Cuban style Salsa" does resemble other styles of Latin American Salsa, and/or Salsa you would typically encounter in classes here, just slightly, but not much. What I teach is actually called "Rueda de Casino" (people often refer to the genre as Cuban style "Salsa" just to give people a point of reference), which originated in clubs (called "Casinos") in Cuba in the '50s, and was danced in a circle (wheel, "rueda") with seamless changing of partners, trading places and constant turning of the wheel. Because of the movement of the circle, the form necessitated more "traveling", more of an oppositional and directional dynamic, more walking around each other and in circles, than the more staid popular couple dances of the time (son, cha cha cha, mambo and more). This style with a lot of traveling and a circular form, carried over to partner Casino dancing (not in a circle) as well. In addition, the form in general, is funkier, earthier, more "street", than "ballroom" style for example. It retains more of its African roots, engages shoulders and upper body a lot more, and is based on an asymmetrical rhythm pattern (rumba or son clave) which can be reflected in the moves and the steps. It is flavored by historical dances of Cuba from the 50s (Son, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha), the 30s (Danzon), the late 1800s (Guaguanco) and really all the way back to Africa. And it is danced to an entirely different genre of music called "Timba" (pronounced "teembah") which is not Salsa music perse, but shares parentage with Salsa music. Both the dance and music are the result of many generations of fusion. Cubans were listening to a lot of funk & rock 'n roll from the states (strictly underground - don't tell Castro!) at the time timba was emerging, and more recently hip-hop & rap, and as a result, timba has a lot of rock 'n roll and hip hop folded into the polyrhythmic call 'n response sounds of Afro-cuban music. Timba has been evolving and growing for the last 40 years and keeps getting better and better and re-invigorated by new generations of youth. That it is danced in a circle (or wheel, "Rueda" in Spanish), is only part of the distinction. It is also (more often) danced in pairs.
However the circle is a really fun way to learn it and to orient to the directional dynamics of the dance. I should also say, that the definition of Cuban style, to some extent, lies in the eyes of the beholder (or particular dancer / teacher), because there are so many regional variations in Cuba, which are all constantly changing and evolving, and also because our exposure comes from different sources. Miami is a hotbet of Casino innovation, and Miami style is recognized as a genre in it's own right, distinguishable from Cuban style. Casino style was first introduced to San Francisco via Miami trained dancers in the 1990s, who lent their polished Miami flair. Cuban teachers (from Cuba) came to the Bay Area shortly after that, with thier inimitable style. In addition, there is a lot of innovation going on here too, which adds to the mix and is what makes the form so exciting, dynamic, malleable and on the cutting edge.
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