Closed position is usually used in the beginning of a song, before the music heats up.
Beginner level | Improver level | ||
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Beginner level
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1. vamos arriba, vamos abajo
= let’s go upward, let’s go downward
There are a few different ways to call the same figure:
- vamos arriba (let’s go upward)
- para arriba (upward)
- p’arriba (upward)
- arriba (up)
Going abajo (backwards) is similar, but note that some Rueda dancers will dance ‘adentry y afuera’ / ‘paseala p’abajo’ to the command ‘vamos abajo’, bacause they are not used to dance straight when moving backwards. Common variations of the command are:
- vamos abajo (let’s go downward)
- abajo (down)
- para abajo, p’abajo (downward)
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2. tarro
= horn, affair
There are different meanings of the word tarro. Dictionaries usually focus on tarro meaning a jar.
Cubans translate it with the horns of a bull. The meaning in Rueda however, is to have an affair. Metaphorically you gore one person with the horns when you are with another one. This also resembles the Rueda figure – you simply change partner.
Notice that the figure is danced differently when called when leaders are moving forward “vamos arriba” and when leaders are moving backwards “abajo”. Whoever is walking forward (leader or follower) is the one moving to the next partner, while the one moving backwards are stepping in place until a new partner arrives.
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3. exhíbela
= show her off
This command is similar to sacala, used in open position.
The main differences are that exhíbela is lead by the man’s left hand, and the man turn slightly out of the center of the circle.
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4. dile que no
= tell her no
This is probably the most important cuban salsa move. If you don’t get this right, you will always struggle with rueda, and most likely with Cuban salsa. Pretty much every partner change in rueda will include a dile que no, even though it is not called explicitly, for instance enchufla and dame una.
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Improver level
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5. adentro y afuera / paseala / aguajea
= in and out / take her for a walk / (‘aguajea’ is a street expression for an attitude)
This figure is one of the rueda figures with most names. So if you want to be flexible and able to dance rueda in different places in Cuba and outside, it is recomended to learn at least the most common names: adentro y afuera, paseala, aguajea. Be aware of also other names used for this figure.
A video showing this figure, and the most common names, will be out during the spring of 2020 on the rueda.casino video channel.
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