When you think of casinos or the word casino, you often think of gambling, poker, roulette, blackjack and other often entertaining ways of spending money and perhaps even earning some. Today, the word casino often reminds people of online casinos, and for a good reason, because there are plenty of them and all of them offer some kind of promotional code, for example, this 21Nova coupon code. Yet, the word casino also means something else, and would you believe it, it is a name for a dance.

Casino – A Dance with Deep Roots

Casino is often considered what is now called Cuban Salsa or Salsa Cubana, to make it distinct from other forms of Salsa, which are all often named Salsa. The name Salsa was popularized during the 1970s when the dance spread internationally.

Casino as a dance form is named after casinos deportivos, which were the dance halls where these dances took place during the 1950s. The dance itself traces its origins to Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, Cuban Mambo, and even Jive. The dance itself is not characterized by complex mechanical movements but rather a deep understanding of the music and culture behind it, enabling the dancers to improvise at will. As with other dances, Casino also has different styles.

The Various Styles of Casino Dancing

Casino can be danced in many ways and one of the most popular ways of doing it is as a partner dance or Parejas. As it is a partner dance, it has a standard set of motions which is taught to beginners, called a swagger or guapea. It is danced in a circular motion, partners facing each other at various intervals. Compared to European and North American Salsa variations where partners dance in a line, it is a lot more complicated and requires a good understanding of rhythm and exposure to the accompanying music, overall. Casino dancing requires males to show off while dancing with their partners, often reflecting the long-standing cultural belief that males should attract and tease females. This is quite the opposite to North American Salsa practice.

Casino is also a solo dance. This originates from various stage performers and singers who had to adapt their dancing for the stage. This style of dancing is called suelta and males often perform opposite females. The movements in this style of Casino are very dramatic and lively, requiring more coordination and endurance.

Casino can mean many things. For some, it is a gateway to cultural knowledge and experience, a dance, a lifestyle, while others picture roulette tables and slot machines. The Cuban Casino dance is something to think of, especially if you are a practitioner of Salsa in Europe and North America.