W H A T I S R U E D A ?
Rueda – The hottest worldwide Latin dance sensation!
"Al Centro! .... Dile que No!.... Dame! ..... Enchufla! ... Dame Dos! ...." cries the caller, as the Rueda couples pulsate, change partners, weave in and out of the circle - with big smiles on their faces as they try to keep in synch with the rest of the group....
A couple of years ago the Sydney Latin dance scene underwent a revolutionary transformation. Rueda had arrived! Already popular in North and South America, Europe and the UK, this exciting form of the popular "street Latin" couple dance known as Salsa has captured the imagination of many dancers here in Sydney.
So what is Rueda? Pronounced (ROO-EH-DAH) this dance form originated in the streets of Cuba, where couples formed a circle and created various moves and patterns involving partner changes. Each move was given a name (in Spanish of course!) and one of the dancers (the caller) would call out the name of the move and the dancers would then dance the move. The word "Rueda" is Spanish for "wheel". In Cuba the dance is known as "Casino" or "Casino Rueda". In most of the world however it is simply known as Rueda. Rueda is normally danced to Cuban style salsa music, which is more dynamic and funky than traditional salsa.
Rueda started to become popular in Sydney during the second half of 1999. The Ruedisima Dance Company (formerly known as the Rueda Dance Group) held classes on Sunday evenings at a small studio in Ashfield. When the classes grew in size they moved to Cheek to Cheek Studios in Castlereagh St Sydney. 100s of people have gone through their Rueda courses. Classes are split into 9 levels of around 12-14 moves each giving a total of over 100 moves. Most of these moves are danced internationally and more moves are continually being added to the course. Many of the moves (such as Guaguanco, Abrazame, etc) were created by Ruedisima. Ruedisima also often perform exciting Rueda demonstrations at Latin nightclubs and festivals.
The group interaction in Rueda adds a whole new dimension to the Salsa experience. As a bonus many "Salseros" have discovered that Rueda is not only heaps of fun but that their Salsa dancing has greatly improved since most of the moves can be danced by just one couple.
Click here for our current Rueda Syllabus