The Basic Concept
Casino Rueda is particularly exciting when moves are blended. This means calling the next move while another move is in progress. Depending on how it is called you either eliminate the basic between moves, or actually shorten one of both moves, blending them together.
Here is how it works: the second move is called anywhere from 2 to 8 beats before you do it (depending on many variables). After hearing the call for the second move, the leader must intuit where to leave the first move and at what point in the second move that one starts. Sometimes the point of entry into the second move is intuitively obvious and sometimes it is so non-intuitive that most people have to be taught how to make the transition.
Sometimes there seem to be more than one point of entry into the second move. When that is the case, you go to the earliest possible point in that move. That is "richer" since it creates the longest sequence of movement.
If you are new to blending moves, you can find at the bottom of this page, an Appendix with a list of easy to implement blends that you can try out!
Beginner/Intermediate Move Blends
Kentucky -- Exhibe - Setenta
(This sequence is like the beginning of Kentucky Complicado, but you don't finish that move. You basically move into the Exhibe 8 beats before the end of Kentucky. Sententa is called as the man rocks into the circle on his left foot.)
Dedo - Enchfula Doble -- Exhibe
In this sequence, you call Enchufla Doble after the first 16 beats (i.e. 12 steps) of Dedo. Note the leader also needs to change which hand he is using to lead, to do the Enchufla Doble. In order to do the Exhibe at the end, you have to think of the Enchufla Doble as a move with no partner exchange. You want to think in terms of ending it much the way you end Adios con La Hermana or Pa Ti Pa Mi. So leads pull their partner in towards themselves, rather than moving on to the next partner. And once the follower has been pulled in towards the leader, they are in position to execute the Exhibe.
By the way, to make the move a little more interesting, you can always do Exhibe con gancho instead of a plain Exhibe. (Exhibe con gancho is an exhibe with a hook and then guy and girl walk around doing 9 steps in 12 beats before they unhook and end with enchufla etc.)
Montana - Exhibe - Juana la Cubana - Abanico
For this chain, you do all but the last 8 beats of Montana and move into the Exhibe. At the end of the Exhibe you are in position to do Juana la Cubana. And as you go through that move there is an obvious point where you are positioned like you are in Abanico after you do the first 8 beats. So you move into Abanico at that point (when you turn the lady and then yourself).
Beso -- Exhibe - Juana la Cubana - Abanico
Note that this is the same as the previous sequence but you just start with Beso instead of Montana.
Beso - Exhibe -- Sombrero Doble - Exhibe - Dedo con guarapo y bota
This starts the same as the sequence above it, but you substitute Sombrero Doble for Juana la Cubana. Those two moves have the same position at the end of the initial Sombrero so you can see how they would be interchangeable at the front end. After the back to back turn in Sombrero Doble, you can eliminate putting the leader's hand behind the lady's shoulder so leads are in position to easily lead the Exhibe. (You are basically eliminating the last 8 beats of Sombrero Doble.) When leads step in toward the center of the circle for the Exhibe, Dedo con guarapo bota is called. They do only half of the Exhibe, then move into the end of the last step in the sequence. This is the point where leads circle around the ladies and then move on to the next partner.
Montana - Exhibe - Juana La Cubana - Sombrero Doble -Exhibe - Dedo con guarapo y bota
Note that the first 3 steps are from an earlier sequence. Then you move into Sombrero Doble, and near the end of that move, go into Exhibe. The last three moves in this sequence are also linked in the sequence above this one. You move into Dedo guarapo y bota near the end of that step (i.e. when leads and follows are turning around each other before switching partners).
Dedo - Uno y Dos -- Balsero -- Beso - Exhibe -- Juana la Cubana - Sombrero Doble - Exhibe - Dedo guarapo y bota
The chains can be longer and longer. In this sequence, you do the first 16 beats of Dedo and then start Uno right from the beginning. You do two of the side to side Uno rocks and then the guy comes in front as he does in the combination step Uno y Dos. Then, 8 beats before the end of Dos, move into Balsero. Balsero is truncated a bit the say way it is for the combination step, Balsero y Beso. Again, 8 beats before the end of the Beso, you go into the Exhibe. From that point on, this sequence is the same as the one above it!
Note that in terms of the calls on this sequence, Balsero is called just before the leader brings the lady to his left side for the sombrero part of Dos. Then 12 beats later, Beso is called.
General Comments
Note that when you look at the sequences above, you cannot necessarily move from one sequence into another one at the point of a move they have in common (though you often can). A good example of this is the Exhibes which cement a number of the moves together in these chains. One Exhibe may be done rather differently from the way another is done, based on how you enter it or which hand you are holding... As a result, if you want to blend a sequence, it might look fine "on paper" but you really have to try it out to see if it works smoothly.
Another matter of interest, is that the closer to the time of transitioning between steps that you call the next one, the more challenging it is. The dancers have less time to think. You never call more than 8 beats ahead of moving into the new step, but it can be closer than that if you want to ratchet up the challenge level.
If you are new to this blending, and want to try a few simple sequences to get started with it, here are some that I can recommend:
Kentucky - Exhibe - Setenta
(You may be used to this if you do Kentucky Complicado so it will be familiar.)
Montana - Exhibe -- Juana La Cubana - Abanico
(Note that Exhibe is called about 16 to 20 beats into the Montana. The later the call is made, the more challenging the transition is. But even when called 20 beats into Montana, you have enough time to make the transition.)
Dedo -- Uno y Dos - Balsero - Beso
Advanced Blends
As might be expected, the advanced moves tend to be less standardized than basic moves. I have seen only one way to do Enchufla or Enchufla Doble for example, but many ways to do Sombrero Doble or Setenta. And the longer the move, the more variability you can encounter.
Don't let this bother you. There is not necessarily one right way to do these moves. However, the sequences for blending moves really depend on how each move is done. So if you are reading this and don't see how the blending can be done, don't assume you are wrong. You might do the move differently---making the blend impossible.
Here are some very advanced blended sequences:
Carnival Complicado - Presa
Carnival Unisex - Azuquita -- El Sueter
Carnival Unisex - Azuquita - Derecha y al revers - Sueter - Lipton
Sabrosura - Rubenada Complicado - La Jenny (or an embellished version of this called La Jenny Especial)
Carnival Complicado -- Presa -- Pasea y Complicate - Straight Jacket - Sombrero de regnier - Rubenada Complicado
Sordo - La Cuadra - Rumbera
Classico - Dedo por abajo - Ponle Sabor - Thalia
APPENDIX: EASY TO USE STEP BLENDS
MOVES TO KNOW THAT ARE USED IN SEQUENCES BELOW:
Enchufla y quedete, Enchufla Doble, Adios, Adios con la Hermana, Pa’ti Pa’mi, Uno, Candado, Kentucky, Coca cola turn, Uno y Dos, Pasea, Balsero, Balsero Nuevo, Beso, Pasea al reves, Exhibe, Exhibe Doble, Dedo, Dedo con de Rumbe, Montana, Sombrero, Sombrero de Manny, Sombrero Doble, Setenta
MOVES NOT USED IN THE SEQUENCES BELOW:
(Don’t use these moves as they aren’t steps for one on one and/or not leadable)
Pelota con dos/quatro, Suena, Bulla, High 5/10, Fly, Enchufla con mambo, Vacila/vacilense los dos, Dame/dos/arriba, group moves like Dame con las manos or Enchufla al medio con dos, Puente
1. Sequences with moves you do in full before moving to next move:
a. Enchufla Doble—Kentucky—Setenta
b. Adios con la Hermana—Sombrero de Manny—Enchufla y Quedete—Dedo—Sombrero
c. Pa’ti Pa’mi—Uno—Sombrero Doble—Setenta—Candado—Balsero
2. Sequences with moves you cut off to go into next move
a. Kentucky - Exhibe - Setenta (like beginning of Kentucky Complicado)
b. Montana - Exhibe — Sombrero de Manny (Note that Exhibe is called about 16 to 20 beats into the Montana. The later the call is made, the more challenging the transition is. But even when called 20 beats into Montana, you have enough time to make the transition.)
c. Balsero y Beso (first 8 beats of Balseros and then the entire Beso move)
d. Dedo con de Rumbe -- Uno y Dos - Balsero - Beso
e. Balsero Extended: Balsero— Sombrero Doble—Dedo—Pasea al reves (shine optional)
f. Dedo - Enchfula Doble -- Exhibe
In the above sequence, you call Enchufla Doble after the first 16 beats (i.e. 12 steps) of Dedo. Note the leader also needs to change which hand he is using to lead, to do the Enchufla Doble. In order to do the Exhibe at the end, you have to think of the Enchufla Doble as a move with no partner exchange. You want to think in terms of ending it much the way you end Adios con La Hermana or Pa Ti Pa Mi. So leads pull their partner in towards themselves, rather than moving on to the next partner. And once the follower has been pulled in towards the leader, they are in position to execute the Exhibe.
g. Enchufla Doble — Kentucky — Coca cola turn— Pasea
h. Balsero Nuevo — Pasea al reves — Exhibe Doble