The new Casino Rueda class has started at Waegook Cook near beautiful, downtown Gumi, S.Korea.
And you're invited!
Yes friends, we had our first class last Tuesday and everybody agreed that it was fun. As usual, it started out a bit 'rough' around the edges but by the time the evening was over we were actually doing some simple rueda.
We introduced the class to these casino rueda patterns:
1. Par el media
2. Llevela abajo
3. Exhibela
4. Caminando
5. Taro
6. Taro y No le segues (note: spelling was not covered :-)
Derrick and Sugi, the owners and active managers of Waegook Cook actually participated in the class too. Plus we had an enthusiastic crowd of about 18 other students.......slightly more girls than guys, but......hopefully that'll improve in the future. The class started about 9:30 pm and finished around 11:30 although the original intention was to finish at 11:00.
Next week we'll start about the same time. First we'll review what we did last week, then it's my intention to add 1-3 more new patterns. I want to include lots of short, quick things which we can learn very easily in this casino rueda style ....e.g. foto, el fly and (one I invented called....) 'Excuse me!'.
You're invited to the fun this coming Tuesday. For more details you can check the Waegook Cook Facebook ..or call me at 010 5822 2277.
As I'm sure everybody knows, this weekend is a Korean national holiday. Therefore there will be no Casino Rueda 101 class.
Class will resume the following Saturday.......October 10, 2009. Meanwhile, I hope everybody has a good time, enjoys their time off and perhaps I'll see you out dancing somewhere.
Matter of fact, last weekend I discussed meeting one of our casino rueda ladies, Belinda, at Bahia for Bachata Night this Friday. If you'd like to come along or meet us there, let me know (010 5822 2277).
I'll be going somewhere, maybe Gachi, Saturday night too. Or maybe Caliente if Neon is going to be there.
Ola ......Lads and lassies. Guess what's up tomorrow(Sept.26th)?
You got it!! Tomorrow, September 26, is class number two as we delve further into the excitment of casino rueda. Will you be there?
I hope so because last week we had a great time. We had a great crowd and I'm we'll have another enthusiastic crowd tomorrow.
We'll be going further beyond the basics that we covered last week and learning a few nice little casino patterns that'll give you something to 'show off' the first time we actually do a rueda in public.
Korea Latin and Salsa has a social coming up very soon, on a Friday, at American Latina. So, I'm thinking that'll be our first real performance. Can't wait.
Anyway, hope to see you in class tomorrow. If you wanted to make it but couldn't, well.......here's the deal: If you already know your salsa basics (i.e. crossbody lead, right hand turn, and basic step) then come on down to the class. If you're a total beginner then I'm going to ask you to wait til the next series of classes.
The reason for that is that these classes are progressive and I don't want to hold up or delay the people who were able to come last week by going over old stuff. They're red hot and ready to go and I want to teach them as much as possible in this next 3 weeks.
Ok?
But you can start over in 3 weeks if you want too. We'll probably have another bootcamp too.
P.S. We'll be going out dancing after the class tomorrow too so...plan on that, OK?
Here's a pattern we're going to learn next week at Casino Rueda 101 Wk4. It's all just enchufla or a variation. Also notice that it's 4 parts long. So it'll fit into the music perfectly. Later, we can add something else to it and make it real nice.
From now on, to the extent that I have anything to do with it, 'clockwise' in our ruedas will be referred to as 'downstream' and 'counterclockwise' will be referred to as 'upstream'.
I thought this would be a good idea because frequently I find myself trying to make notes on rueda patterns and I've discovered that I couldn't think of anything logical for 'counterclockwise'. Clockwise was logically 'cw' but 'counterclockwise', sounding more like it had three words in it.......I didn't want to use the abbreviation 'ccw' because it had 3 digits (i.e. vs the 2 digits of 'cw').
I realize now that I could use 'cw' and 'cc' but, somehow, the words downstream and upstream seem better to me. That makes the abbreviations somewhat more uniform....e.g. 'u.s.' and 'd.s.'
Yes friends and fun lovers in Seoul (and environs)......it's that time again. Time for another fun and frolicing evening with Candela Dance Studio, Korea Carruselescom and Korea Latin and Salsa.com.
Join us for our third class of Casino Rueda 101. Our classes are growing steadily, everybody's learning real fast and we're all having a great time in the process.
How 'bout you? What have you been doing on Saturday nights?
If you've been going salsa dancing but you haven't :-0 been doing any rueda......man! I don't know how you've been surviving. There's nothing more fun that dancing with your friends in a rueda.
Talk about 'renewable energy'!!! This is it, baby!
It's kinda lika being a member of a street gang that dances. Except it's not on the street. We're more civilized than that. We do it in clubs. And we do it with............EVERYBODY!!
Even if you've missed the first two classes, as long as you know your salsa basics it's probably not too late to get in and move along with us.
Candela Studio is easy to find. Just get to the Yangjae subway station in Seoul. Take Exit #6 and Candela Dance Studio is a short 3 minute walk from that. You'll see direction on the video elsewhere on this site. Or you can call me, Art, at 010 5822 2277 or call Pillhwan at 011-9046-6103
Here's the video I did for this coming Saturday's Casino Rueda 101 class. You'll see our group picture after the class also some pictures from the KoreaLatinandSalsa group social we went to at Macondo later that night
We had a great first class. A few people who I was looking forward to seeing didn't turn up but they had circumstances that prevented them from doing so and I eagerly anticipate seeing at least 2 or 3 of them this Saturday. It should be another stellar class.
Regardless, we still had enough people to have a good class. As you can see from this video, we had enough people for 4 couples plus one extra. That's not unusual....i.e. to have some empty slots in the 'circle'.
I especially thought Pat and Natalie did very well and they certainly looked like they were having fun.
So.......... HEY! GUYS!
This is your big chance. Lots of you joined KoreaLatinandSalsa because (you said) you wanted to learn to dance. Soooooooooo.........let's get on the stick. You won't find a more fun way to learn to salsa. Don't let life 'get in the way' like most people do.
Attend the class this Saturday and get in on the ground floor of this thing we're doing. Then, when we start our next class, I can probably get Pillhwan to let you attend this class again for half price and you'll get to be the 'big dog' with all the new casineras!
Plus, of course, you'll move along with our FirstTeam to bigger and better things.
This is probably the last Saturday we'll let new people come into the class. Remember that I said I wanted to build a small, hard-core group up to a reasonable level of proficiency so that we could have a demo group as quickly as possible. It's going to happen. Only question is......are you 'in' or will you miss it?
Remember, lots of people say they'd like to 'perform' but never have the chance. With casino rueda you've got the best of two worlds. You're a performer but you don't have to go through all the regimentation they do. Plus, in my humble opinion, the performances are more fun both to do and to watch.
Every time you do a rueda, it's a 'performance'. Anybody who's seen a group doing rueda remembers it. If you'll take advantage of these classes, you can be one of those people they remember.
We're on our way to getting our FirstTeam off the ground and flying. If you get in by this coming Saturday, you can still be a part of it. We especially need guys so.....girls, if you want to come, please try to bring a guy. Otherwise, expect to either have to dance lead or just have to wait your turn in the circle as we practice.
We still plan on going out dancing somewhere later Saturday evening. If you want somewhere to go and somebody to go out with Saturday night, come out with us.
By the way, there will be a test at the end of this class. Those who pass the test can move on to Casino Rueda 201. Those who do not will have to repeat the 101 class. I expect everybody will pass though.
Sometime in the near future we'll be starting a class designed for total dance beginners....i.e. people who've never done any salsa dancing before. Keep that in mind........not for yourself but for any friends you have who you think would enjoy learning this very social kind of salsa. I'm looking forward to that class because I've got some very specific ideas on what's beneficial for beginners.
So that's it. I hope everybody is well and enjoying sassy, sizzling, Seoul.
The first ever class of it's type in Korea, Casino Rueda 101, starts tomorrow, Saturday, August 8, 6pm. at Candela Dance Studio in Yangjae, Seoul, S.Korea. Many of the best dancers from www.korealatinandsalsa.com and Candela Dance Studio will be in attendance......fired up and highly motivated to learn more about the casino rueda.
Casino rueda is, without a doubt, the most entertaining way to learn salsa. It can be done by one couple or with 100 couples. It's definately the most social form of salsa dancing because everybody gets to dance and everybody dances with everybody else.
This class is the first of a series of classes called Casino Rueda 101. Students who complete this series of classes will know the basic format of casino rueda and over 60 of the basic and the best casino rueda patterns. And those students who want to will also be given a chance to learn to be a 'caller'....i.e. the person who leads the rueda.
From this class will emerge a core group of casino rueda afficianados who will be able to do ruedas in the many excellent salsa clubs in Seoul. And hopefully bring lots and lots of new students into the joy of learning salsa through rueda.
It's not too late to get into this class. It's only 10,000 KW, payable to the studio, and it includes admittence to our socials plus all the excellent facilities at Candela.
Sign up at the KorealatinandSalsa Facebook page.....here. Or just call me, Art Williams, at 010 5822 2277 and let me know you want to come.
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