Salsa
Rodeo
Walk her around you. A promenade where the follow circles the lead — either a relaxed stroll or a swinging, cowboy-armed flourish.
This move builds: Frame & Lead-Follow Clarity …on the always-on five — Connection, Frame, Comfort, Posture, Consent.
A video walkthrough for this move is on the way.
- Entry
- open, L-to-R, facing
- Exit
- open, L-to-R, facing
- Tempo
- medium
- Musical use
- travelling/accent
- Connector
- Yes — connects open, L-to-R, facing → open, L-to-R, facing vocabulary
- Level
- Intermediate
- Cluster
- Cuban-Core
- Style
- Cuban
What This Move Is
Rodeo is a walk-around: the lead raises an arm and the follow promenades a circle around him underneath it. It comes in two flavours — a relaxed promenade where she simply walks the circle, or a "cowboy" version with a swinging arm and more momentum, like roping. It's a setup move as much as a figure: it positions the follow beautifully for a Vacilala out the other side.
Key Points
- Lead: Offer a high, stable arm — a clear loop for her to travel under — and turn slightly to stay facing her as she rounds you. Don't drop the arm or rush her around.
- Follow: Walk a real circle around him, travelling on every step, head level — you're promenading, not turning in place. Keep your path round and even.
- Timing: Travels over a full 8-count (or two); the walk-around fills the phrase and sets up the resolution.
- Common mistake: Follow turning on the spot instead of walking the circle, or lead dropping the arm mid-loop and snagging her. Keep it high and let her travel.
Style Notes
A classic into-vacilala setup — Rodeo into Vacilala (or Vacilala Doble) is one of casino's smoothest pairings. The cowboy/swinging version adds flair; the promenade version stays elegant. Pick the energy to match the music.
Chains into
After this, you can flow into…