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 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:
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.
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 combo
- Rueda con dos mujeres
- Rueda contratiempo – Videos: demonstration
- Rueda de la calle
- Rueda en linea
- Rueda espejo
- Rueda por fuera
- Rueda switch/confusion
- Rueda torno – Videos: the basics, demonstration, the origin
- Rueda transvesti/sopresa
Even number of couples
Some rueda structures need a fixed number of couples. Usually an even number of couples, divided into two teams (primeros and segundos / 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 – Videos: the origin
- Rueda cruzada
- Rueda eco
- Rueda frente a frente
- Rueda llanta
- Rueda mixta
- Rueda mujeres contrario
- Rueda treból
- Rueda trio caliente
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
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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 cruisial. 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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