& concepts | conceptos

For many rueda dancers, regular rueda de casino is the “only” way of dancing rueda. Regular in the meaning that you form a circle/wheel consisting of couples. For others this is the beginning. After some years of dancing rueda, you try out other structures or concepts, and start experimenting with various combinations.

Most rueda structures are relatively new devellopements, created after 2010. Rueda structures are used and taught to such an extent today that it is useful to have descriptions and video demonstrations of them.

This is the list of rueda structures taught at the SalsaNor Rueda Congress over the years, since 2002. And a few more.

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Regular rueda First of all, the basic structure:
Rueda de casino *	Videos: 170+ figures and combinations and counting ..
Without couples There is actually at least one concept related to rueda de casino where you do not dance with a partner in a couple. This makes it doable when social distance is needed, or if the balance between men/leaders and ladies/followers is too uneven.
Ábaco *	Videos: 60 figures and combinations and counting ..
Single couples  When the rueda is based on single couples (or triples), a new couple may join the rueda in the middle of a song without messing up the structure. However, if the new couple doesn’t realize which concept is being danced, you should expect major complication no later than the first partner change ..
Rueda caminando * Rueda combo Rueda con dos mujeres Rueda contratiempo *  Rueda de la calle *  Rueda en linea Rueda espejo Rueda por fuera Rueda switch/confusion Rueda torno *  Rueda transvesti/sopresa	Videos: 15 figures and combinations . . Videos: demonstration Videos: 30 figures and combinations . . . . Videos: the basics, demonstration, the origin, workshop demo  .
Even number of couples Some rueda structures need an even number of couples (or triples). Usually minimum 6 or 8 couples, divided into two teams, primeros and segundos (or cantantes and oyentes). These structures need a more controlled social setting, to avoid a single couple joining and messing up the structure.
Rueda avenida Rueda contrario *  Rueda cruzada  Rueda eco Rueda frente a frente Rueda llanta Rueda mixta  Rueda mujeres contrario Rueda treból Rueda trio caliente	. Videos: the origin . . . . . . . .
New rueda structures Some more recent rueda structures that are still work-in-progress. Some of these are quite complex.
Rueda celeidoscopio Rueda equis Rueda fractal Rueda treból infinita	.  . Not yet .. .

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A view from ABOVE

SalsaNor has started recording some of the rueda structures with a new perspective, a view from ABOVE:

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Social rueda structures

The focus of rueda.casino is social rueda dancing.
In a social setting, it is not uncommon that dancers may enter the rueda in the middle of the song. This is a killer for the rueda structures that require an even number of couples, like rueda cruzada and rueda llanta.

All rueda dancers should respect an ongoing rueda, and watch the rueda a bit before approaching it, aiming at entering. Before entering, a new couple should always seek eye contact with the caller, and await some signal of accept. The various rueda strucutres makes this even more crusial. If you enter a rueda, and then discover that this was not a rueda de casino after all, but a rueda espejo or rueda travesti, then you will probably be killing this rueda. Not fun for you, and even less fun for the people already having a nice rueda running. 

(Consider a lesson from Elvis Presley: Stop, look and listen, baby ..)

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More about structures

For more details of the devellopement of the different rueda structures see the rueda.casino history page.

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