Below are descriptions of steps that can be done in Rueda de Casino dancing, in the Ábaco structure.
Prima Prima is like the step Adios. This is analogous to the move Adios as done by many traditional Rueda groups. In the Abaco structure, Prima starts with 8 beats of hip circles done in place. Hips move in a clockwise circle every 4 beats, going in front from left to right and then around and in back from right to left. While doing hip circles, the right foot steps on beats 1 and 5, and the left foot remains planted. Dancers can do faster hip circles if they prefer—circling fully every 2 beats instead of every 4. The arms can also come up overhead during the hip circles for styling. This step ends with a Dame.
Prima con la Hermana Same as Prima but between the hip circles and the Dame, there is an Enchufla. Note that the analogous move in traditional Rueda is Adios con la Hermana which does not have a partner exchange at the end. But the Abaco move Prima con la Hermana does end with a partner exchange.
Familia Same as Prima con la Hermana but more hip circles are added. These are inserted between the Enchufla and Dame, and a full hip circle is done every two beats. Four such circles are made in 8 beats during which time everyone turns around 360 degrees without changing their location on the floor. As with the slower hip circle, the dancer's left leg stays planted while the right foot helps push the dancer around the circle. The step ends with Dame.
Festival de Prima New York This is similar to Festival de Adios NY in traditional Rueda. First, the Abaco dancers do Prima (while the outer circle does Adios). Then the Abaco dancers do Prima con la Hermana (while the outer circle does Adios con la Hermana). Then Abaco dancers do Familia while the Rueda does the Rueda version of Familia. Note the call for the Rueda is Festival de Adios New York. Dancers inside the circle will need to know that Festival de Prima New York means essentially the same thing.
Tumba Francesa youtu.be/POp3bylRSrs Watch from 22:59 to 25:46. This video starts with an explanation of Son timing, which is used in Tumba Francesa and another Abaco step. Then the move Tumba Francesa is explained. It begins with 8 beats of Enchufla. On that 8th beat, dancers begin the switch to Son timing and footwork—which is done for the next 16 beats. To get from Salsa to Son timing, dancers step on beat 8 at the end of the initial Enchufla. They hold through beat 1 then back rock on beats 2 3 4 and also on 6 7 8. On the next 8 beats, once again, they back rock on 2 3 4. After that, they go back to Salsa timing, by back rocking on 6 and 7, but tapping on beat 8. Then they immediately step on the same foot they tapped on, one beat later which is beat 1. From there they resume Salsa rhythm, stepping 1 2 3, 5 6 7. They do Enchufla and then Dile Que No to finish the move.
Amistad youtu.be/POp3bylRSrs Watch from 25:47 to 30:53. The footwork for this step starts the same as followers’ footwork in an L. A. style Cross Body Lead. There is a turn to the left on beats 5 and 6, and dancers step back on beat 7 just as in the Cross Body Lead move. But then dancers also take an extra step back on beat 8.
Then on beat 1, they sweep the left foot in front of the right. The left foot passes from in front of the right foot to behind the right foot and sweeps up off the ground. Then the dancers step left, right, left on beats 2 3 and 4. Note that at this point, dancers have moved into Son timing. (See Tumba Francesa above for more detail on Son timing.) On beat 4 they are stepping back on the left.
Then they do a similar sweep on beat 5 with the right foot. Then there’s a step on 6 and 7 with the right then left foot respectively. They step back on the right foot on beat 8, and sweep again with the left foot in front of the right on 1. And then dancers step on their left foot, then right foot on beats 2 and 3 respectively. On beat 4 there is a tap on the left which prepares the dancers to resume Salsa timing.
Then dancers step on the left foot on beat 5, and continue stepping on beats 6 and 7 on the right and then left foot while turning left 180 degrees. When you step on 7, that brings you back to the original position at the start of the move. Then on the next beat 1, start doing Dame to end the move.
This is a gorgeous move. I like to add a ripple to the CBL as I come forward on beats 2 3 and 4, similar to the ripples that are added to an Exhibe on beats 2 through 4 in standard Rueda. That ripple styling is shown and explained here: youtu.be/POp3bylRSrs from 29:10 to 30:53.
Festival de Amistad This is three Amistad steps in a row, each ending with the Dame, and there are no basic steps in between them.
A lo Cortico This is similar to Dame con las Manos in a Rueda. Do successive Dames (turning left). At around beat 2 or 3 of every 8-beat phrase, bring arms up to shoulder level with palms facing out (as though you are making hand-to-hand contact with people on either side). Then arms go back down around each beat 6 or 7. This ends 8 beats after the caller calls Dile Que No on some beat 1.
Y al reves This is A Lo Cortico but turning in the opposite direction (turning right instead of left) for the rotation. Generally, this call would follow A Lo Cortico. But if you want to call this by itself, the call would be “A Lo Cortico al Reves.”
Paseala youtu.be/POp3bylRSrs Watch 19:33 to 20:42. This is two crossovers (right foot over left on beat 3 and left foot over right on beat 7) and then Dile Que No. Note that in the Salsa Nor videos, on beat 7, sometimes dancers crossed over, and sometimes they brought the left foot next to the right foot without crossing over. So it can be done either way, but I think the crossover looks particularly nice. Sometimes, a variation on this move is called. That is “Dame Paseala,” meaning that a Dame is done first, before going into Paseala. (There’s no basic in between the Dame and the Paseala.)
Festival de Dame Paseala Three Dame Pasealas in a row, with no basic in between.
Camina Camina is called on 1. On the next beat 1, dancers step slightly forward on beats 1 3 5 6& 7 on R, L, R, L, R. The beat “6&” (that’s not a typo!) means the second half of beat 6. On the next 8 beats dancers step on the same beats: 1 3 5 6& 7. But this time they are going slightly backward on L, R, L, R, L. The move ends after Dame is called on beat 1.
You can only cleanly call Dame on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, etc beat ones, which are the times when dancers start moving back. That way they are on the correct foot to begin Dame. However, if Dame happens to be called when dancers start moving forward, then they just take an extra step on beat 8 to get on the correct foot to start the Dame. Many experienced dancers will do this automatically, barely aware that they are making a step correction.
The Salsa Nor videos show this called both ways—as dancers start moving forward as well as when they start moving backward. But it’s easier for the dancers if Dames are routinely called as they start moving backward so they don’t have to take an extra step on 8 before the Dame!
During the Camina step, dancers also move their arms in a Cuban Folkloric movement pattern. On 1, 3, and 5, the hands are clasped together at chest level in front of the dancer and they do a circular roll going forward. Shoulders roll the same way, in the same timing. Then on 7 the arms extend out to the side and come back in immediately for the next roll with hands clasped.
Uno Do ordinary back rocks for 8 beats. On the next set of 8 beats, you turn around as though “flirting” (catching the eye of someone behind you) while doing the back rocks for 8 beats. On the third set of 8 beats, you undulate while leaning side to side. Dile Que No then ends the move.
Balsero Start with Sombrero (8 beats). Then grapevine in the 1 2 3 5 6 7 rhythm, starting on the right foot and moving left. Then Dile Que No ends the move. This step can move dancers to the left. So it’s helpful to adjust the size of the steps to stay as close as possible to where the step began.
Uno y Dos Do 3 back rocks in 12 beats on 1 2 3, 5 6 7, and 1 2 3. Turn left 180 degrees on the next 5 6 7. Then do front rocks for the next 12 beats on 1 2 3, 5 6 7, and 1 2 3. Turn left 180 degrees on the next 5 6 7. End with an Abaco Sombrero and then Dile Que No.
Vacila Shine Do Vacila but also step on the right foot on the first beat 8, which is at the end of the Vacila turn. Starting on the left foot on the second beat 1, do any shine you like. To get back on the correct foot after finishing the shine, tap on the last beat 7 of the shine so you are ready to step on the right foot on the next beat 1. That puts dancers back on the correct foot. Then end the move with Dile Que No.
Vacila Shine Complicado This is the same as Vacila Shine but includes a longer or more complicated shine. To see a longer shine, watch youtu.be/5rUSBMg_6e0 from 2:29 to 3:02.
Vacila Entrada Shine: This move is the same as Vacila Entrada, but a shine pattern is added before the Dile Que No to end the move.