In the vast world of dance, Cuba is a nation where many cultural traditions from Africa, Europe, and the Americas have been woven together to create a unusually rich kaleidescope of popular music and dance shared by the country's 11 million inhabitants. Some of the more popular dance forms over the last century have included rumba, mambo, son, cha-cha-cha, danzon, and more recently reggaeton.

For nearly 50 years, Cubans have been dancing casino, a partner dance closely related to salsa and danced to the same rhythm as salsa. Many styles of salsa here in the United States, especially Miami-style, have been influenced by Cuban casino. People young and old in Cuba dance casino, and for years people have been dancing rueda de casino, a playful group dance involving turns, combinations, audibles, partner changes, and precious opportunities to play tricks on your partner. Today's rueda is fast, dynamic, beautiful to watch, and fun to dance.