Weekly Videos (Full Playlist)

Weeks 1 & 2 (Video Link)

Getting Started in Casino / Rueda de Casino
We begin by understanding the basic timing of the Latin music we dance to. The most applicable sub-genre for our style is Timba, but "salsa" music works as well!

While the music is typically counted in fours (1, 2, 3, 4) per bar or measure, dancers find it more convenient to count in two-bar phrases, consisting of eight beats (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). This helps us quickly determine which side of the beat our body is on.

Basic Footwork & Counting
When dancing salsa (and many other styles), we typically step (or shift weight) on three out of four beats per bar. Here’s how it works:

• If starting with the left foot, step: left, right, left on beats 1, 2, 3, then pause on 4.
• On the next beat (beat 5 of the phrase), step with the right foot, then continue left, right on beats 6 and 7, pausing on 8.

A Key Rule to Remember
If in doubt, just shift your weight. If your last step was on the right foot, your next step should be on the left, and vice versa.

Introducing P’al Medio
One of the first variations we introduce is P’al Medio, a simple tap and step pattern that helps dancers find the beat and begin a dance with their partner.

• Tap with the inside foot on 1, then step with that same foot on 3 (moving toward the inside of the rueda/couple).
• Tap with the outside foot on 5, then step with that same foot on 7 (moving toward the outside of the rueda/couple).

Transitioning to Paso de Son
P’al Medio serves as a smooth transition into Paso de Son, our basic stepping pattern. The key difference is that instead of tapping, you step fully on each beat, filling in the spaces where the taps previously were. This allows for a more fluid movement. (See video for demonstration.)

Moves Covered So Far (See Video for Example/Description):

• Camina & Caminamos Pa’atrás
• [Dame un] Tarro & [Dame un] Tarro Sin Soltar ("Dame un" is sometimes omitted when calling the move)
• Vuelta al Mundo
• Gírala