Casino Rueda: Salsa danced in a Circle. This is a dance that originated in Cuba and has migrated around the world. The dance is like Latin square dancing but much faster. Its popularity has exploded in every major city in the world. Our studio is Oregon's home of Casino Rueda. Our popular Friday night class and the dance party following has been featured in Willamette Week's “Best of Portland” and the Portland Tribune, just to name two.

History of Casino Rueda

By Sharon Spence

During the 1950’s, Cuba was still the playground of the rich and famous. Before Castro’s revolution most Cubans, especially in Havana, had a very good life. Dancing was and still is a beloved and treasured part of the culture. Even the working class Cubans had jobs, money, and food; but the wealthier Cubans, of course, had a great life. Although many did not believe in Batista’s regime, the dictator at the time, they believed less in Castro’s revolution.

    

Satin & Latin Casino Rueda Regulars

Sports of all types were promoted and backed by the elite social clubs that most of the wealthier families belonged to. Sports events were promoted between clubs, with clubs having a team for squash, swimming, baseball, martial arts and dance. The more prestigious clubs produced shows, and promoted sports events that kept the rich young people entertained and out of trouble — or out the association of some of the less desirable influences of their society. This of course gave some very good opportunities for betting between the club members, which was a national pastime for the older generation. Not only did they play cards and lotteries, they also bet profusely on sports events between clubs and sometimes even between squash players on the same team. The entire family was involved in these events. Of course the competition between clubs was furious, with your status in society being determined by the number and prestige of the clubs your family were members of.

Casino Rueda at Satin & Latin is a Great Group Activity

The attraction of Casino Rueda for the young people was so enticing that many parents of teenagers and young people began to worry about the associations that were being built with the Rueda dancers that the adults considered to be undesirables. The parents decided to dance Casino Rueda in the social clubs so they could monitor the young people.

They hired choreographers from many nightclubs like the Tropicana, that had extravagant floorshows, to put together a system to teach Casino Rueda within the confines of the social clubs where they felt the young people would be safer and in better company. Of course, this just made the street Rueda dancers more enticing for the young people since rebelling against authority was part of the excitement. At any rate, most of the basic steps of Rueda were used with some flourishes from the professional choreographers and the system of Rueda began to develop.

Satin & Latin's Second Casino Rueda Dance Troupe

1960 brought the mass exodus of many of the more educated and wealthier old guard Cubans to Europe and then on to the United States, and with them they brought Casino Rueda, their love of music, dancing, food and fun.

A Great Way to Spend a Friday Night

In many areas of the USA, throughout Europe and the Orient, Casino Rueda has spread and enticed salsa dancers with a camaraderie and what, in the dance world, is known as the best mixer every invented. Cultural and social barriers disappear within minutes of the music beginning to play a hot Salsa. Nightclubs where Casino Rueda is danced become hubs of fun and places to meet new friends where there is no “ initial contact pressure. ” Dancing in a Rueda circle eliminates all of the introduction fears and soon you become friends with everyone in the circle…once you have danced with everyone in the circle the ice has been miraculously broken.

Satin & Latin's First Casino Rueda Dance Troupe

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