Seattle Rueda

Miami:

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Hello Everyone!
Last week was a blast practicing “son” in a couple of our ruedas. That was the first time I called a “son” rueda and that it was so nice to dance on the 4.  Let’s do that again.  Maiency would be proud of us.

Last week we practiced noventa, kentoqui a lo Cubano, dos con una in tiempo Espana position and tumba Francesa. Let’s keep practicing these and I will review tumba francesa at practica. The new move I want to show people is an old one called “setenta moderna.” So expect me to teach this one. It’s a nice move and can be done smoothly when dancing casino one-on-one.

See you at practica!
Maritza

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Hello friends of Charanga Danzón,

We hope you can join us for our next concert on Friday, December 11 at 8 pm at Catherine Person Gallery in Pioneer Square, Seattle. All ages are welcome to sit and enjoy, or get up and dance!

Due to limited gallery space, we encourage you to get tickets ahead of time at

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/86496

See you there!

www.charangadanzon.com

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Ashe plays Shark Club in Kirkland this Saturday night.

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Picoso packs the house with their home-grown Latin music at Nectar Lounge.   And Kore Ionz will open up for them.    nectarlounge.com     picoso.net

DJ-T spins dance music in between the sets.  9pm, $8

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So after you read Cuba and its Music by Ned Sublette, you want more. (It is at times an intense, long read–but so worth it. I challenge you to read it.)

At least I wanted more. So since Sublette hadn’t at the time, and still hasn’t, published part II, I read:

Last Dance in Havana by Eugene Robinson (2004)

A very easy read including the history of Timba, Cuban Hip-Hop, and the Special Period written by a journalist/editor. Pick up a copy, just 250 pages, and it will give you insight on many of the Cuban timba songs you dance to at rueda practice.

Robinson says, “Music is the mother’s milk of Cuban culture…The music of Cuba is the real news. Those who make the music are the real journalists, analysts, social commentators. To understand what’s happening in Cuba, you have to meet the musicans and listen to their fabulous music.”

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Hi All, Just to follow up on the post by Thomas with more information. I will be the DJ at the Parlor in Bellevue this Thursday night the 12th. Along with me spinnig the music my friend Mariana Oliva from Havana Cuba will be teaching a complementary dance lesson at 9PM to start the night off. Mariana and Carlitos are both from Cuba and are teaching rueda de casino  in Kirkland on Thursday nights. They will be bringing some of their students and showing how it’s done in La Habana.  Please join us.

ALSO…. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO KEEP IN THE KNOW. HERE IS MY SCHEDUAL FOR EVENTS COMING UP

Wed 11/11 – DJ Baracoa @ Babalus with Cambalache – no cover

Thursday 11/12  Dj Baracoa @ The Parlor in Bellevue – no cover

Saturday 11/21 Dj Baracoa @ Meza Tapas Bar Capital Hill – no cover

Friday 12/4 Dj Baracoa @ Havana Nights – Fiesta Cubana

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Take a Afro-Brazilian dance class with master dancer Dandha da Hora this Thursday, 11/12 from 6-7pm at Belltown Dance Studios (2521 4th Ave), $15.  The dances are similar to other Afro-Caribbean dances such as those from Cuba.  You’ll definitely add to your bag of dance tricks and expand your dance skills.

Then dance and see her sing with SambaDá that same night at Nectar Lounge at 9pm for only $8.  Tudo Beleza will also heat the night with a dance performance and DJ Thomas spinning in between the sets.    www.nectarlounge.com       sambada.com/band.php       tudobeleza.com

Born and raised in Salvador, Bahia, Dandha has been a member of Ile Aiye, one of Brazil’s most important musical and cultural institutions, since she was 6 years old. She brings the incredible spirit of Salvaldor and of Ile Aiye to SambaDá and we are lucky to have her! A master dancer as well as vocalist and percussionist, Dandha honors the incredible gifts of her culture everytime she performs. As a lead dancer with Ile Aiye, Dandha has shared the stage with Brazilian stars such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Daniela Mercury. As well as performing with Ile Aiye and SambaDá, Dandha teaches Afro Brazilian dance all over the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Hi Everyone!
Orlando and I are back from California. Rueda in the Park (RITP) in Los Angeles is definitely the place to be if you are going to be in the LA area and want to get your rueda fix for the week. Tania the founding casinera of RITP was very welcoming. They have rueda at the Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade – an outdoor open air venue with a DJ on wheels!! Anyhow, we got lost getting to the practice location in Griffith Park but found them in their last half hour of their intermediate rueda hour. I learned a lot about how they keep everyone inclusive with some rules they uphold so everyone can dance. I’ll share with you all when I see you at practica today.

Suki (originator of RuedaSeattle) had told me that this was where she got the model for our Seattle rueda practica. Their calls are similar to ours. And YES they call “dame Loco!” AND “Tumba Francesa.”  Their “Tumba Francesa” is a little different in that they go three people instead of two(like we do). It’s so cool to see how rueda calls vary from place to place. They also call “Patin,” very similar to our “Patin con la familia,” the difference is after the leads go in the middle, they go to a dame to the next partner.

If this is OK with people, I’d like to revive and teach Tumba Francesa today in the beginners circle, new moves would be “Patin” and “Setenta Moderna.” We haven’t called that one out in a long time. It’s a great move.  I hope everyone has been practicing noventa, Kentoqui a lo Cubano, barco valero and dos con una in tiempo Espana position. See you at practica!
Maritza

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Santiago de Cuba:

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