Printable list

Ruedastandard is a collection of classic figures in Cuban rueda de casino. Figures that you commonly need to know to join a social rueda. Click on the figure name to see explanation and video of the figure, or on the headlines to see lists of figures by category. The Ruedastandard figures are split in BEGINNER level, and IMPROVER level.

Beginner level

Video playlist: beginner.rueda.casino

Closed position

• vamos arriba, vamos abajo
• tarro
• exhibela
• dile que no

In closed position the couples dance quite close, like in traditional couples dance. It is quite common to start a rueda in closed position.

Open position

Side by side

• dame / dame una / dame otra
• dame dos
• dame una arriba
• sacala
• paseala

Guapea

• enchufla
• enchufla doble
• enchufla y quedate
• enchufla con mambo
• dame directo
• pelota una, dos, tres
• festival de pelota
• vacilala
• sombrero
• sombrero con mambo
• la prima
• prima con la hermana
• la familia
• patin

In open position there is some distance between the two in the couple. They still hold one hand together (leaders left hand and followers right hand).

Guapea is the name of the basic step in open position. Most of the rueda figures start from this position.

A few of the figures start when the partners are side by side, which happens for example when you change partner with the figure “dame una”.

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Improver level

Video playlist: improver.rueda.casino

When you know the beginner level figures, you might find it useful to also understand more about the rueda culture and directions (abajo / arriba). 

Closed position

• adentro y afuera / paseala / aguajea
• paseala p’abajo /
  adentro y afuera p’abajo /
  aguajea p’abajo

In closed position the couples dance with a closed frame, commonly used in the beginning of a song in rueda.

Open position

Guapea

• adios
• cero
• dile que si
• festival de pelota con vuelta
• patineta

Side by side

• Coca-Cola
• dame una con una
• dos con dos
• paseala por arriba

In open position there is some distance between the two in the couple. They still hold one hand together (leaders left hand and followers right hand).

Guapea is the name of the basic step in open position. Most of the rueda figures start from this position.

A few of the figures start when the partners are side by side, which happens for example when you change partner with the figure “dame una”.

Rueda al medio

• cubanito, cubanita
  • derecha, izquierda
• enchufla y al medio
  • derecha, izquierda
  • mujeres, hombres
  • hombres derecha y mujeres izquierda

In the al medio position everyone is facing the center. In this position, direction may be given by derecha (= right) or izquierda (= left), in stead of arriba / abajo.

Rueda caminando

• a lo cortico
• cadena
  • mujeres, hombres
  • cadena complicate
• camina

Caminando means walking. These are figures that keep the rueda walking / rotating continously. To speed up the rotation you may call camina (= walk), anda (= walk), vamos (= let’s go) or a similar spanish word/phrase.

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Street Rueda

• doble play
• Echeverria
• enchufla con rumba
• fly, linea, rolin
• ni pa’ti ni pa’mi
• panque
• yogur
• foto
• repite
• mentira!

Street rueda (Rueda de la calle) refers to the easy figures that you may pick up on the street or in a social rueda, as opposed to learning it at a dance school. These are short and fun figures to be used in typically a social Rueda, on the street, at a party, and where the dancers might not know the figures already.