It was a no-brainer to return for Ruedx: Cincinnati 2024 this year after 2023’s amazing weekender. So this week’s post we recap our experience at this year’s event, we hope you enjoy.
What was Included?
The both of us purchased full passes for $65 (Early Bird). The pass included:
- 12 hours of workshops (10 rueda, 2 other) with varied instructors over 2 days.
- 2 Catered lunches
- 3 hour social on Saturday
In addition there were other scheduled activities at no additional cost.
- Salsa on the Square (Cincinnati standing event throughout the summer)
- Streetcar Rueda
- Pool Party/BBQ
- Dinner and Dancing at a Brewery (Hosted by La Pequeña Fiesta Cubana)
- LPF 3rd Anniversary White Party (Hosted by La Pequeña Fiesta Cubana)
What classes did I take?
Alexa
- Dude Where’s my Dame? w/ Oscar
- The Best way to travel w/ Lili
- 2 scoops of remolino w/ Mike
- Equis: What was I doing again? w/ Ethan
- Something Sueltalicious This Way Comes w/ Andrea
- Beads, Beignets, Blues, and Dile Que Nole w/ Nicole and Lori
- Quimica in my Element w/ Chae
- Ruedas Just Want to Have Llanta w/ Maria
- Mixta: Warning…may cause addiction! w/ Paul
- Tarro de Edward w/ Ethan
Andrea
- Dude Where’s my Dame? w/ Oscar
- The Best way to travel w/ Lili
- Equis: What was I doing again? w/ Ethan
- Something Sueltalicious This Way Comes w/ Andrea
- A cup of elegant Son w/ Diana
- Beads, Beignets, Blues, and Dile Que Nole w/ Nicole and Lori
- Quimica in my Element w/ Chae
- Ruedas Just Want to Have LLanta w/ Maria
- Mixta: Warning…may cause addiction! w/ Paul
- Tarro de Edward w/ Ethan
My favorite part?
Andrea
The Saturday Social. Dancing was off the charts. The overall vibes and music was so enjoyable. I’m glad it ended later in the night.
Alexa
The Pool Party. DJ Maria blew the set out of the water. Honestly, vibes were really high and I had a blast dancing, talking, and snacking.
An Area of Improvement
Andrea
Street Car Rueda. To help participants who join later into the activity, a map and/or rough schedule of where the group could help things go smoother.
Alexa
Since the locations are not the closest for people without a car, some type of rideshare group chat to help connect people to rides could help in the future.
Overall Takeaways
Huge thanks to Casino Real for hosting year 2 of this event. The community came together thanks to you, and it was a weekend full of joy. Also, thanks so much for inviting Andrea to teach. This edition of Ruedx keeps in the tradition to the spirit of the exchange ideas from other Rueda groups, and staying affordable.
Festivities for us kicked off at the Streetcar Rueda with stops to dance at some popular Cincinnati locations. It was a nice low-key way to start mingling with people. The later pool party was a nice change of pace for an opening social where everything felt casual and relaxed with the pool, but dancing was still a blast. The Friday schedule is a glimpse into the Cincinnati dance scene’s closeness and fun.
Both Saturday and Sunday had a number of workshops. We really appreciate the line-up being different than last year. It offered structures and rueda de casino options, so it was very accessible to different skill levels. Additionally, they brought back some great instructors from last year, while bringing in some new ones (including local talent). It’s exciting to think about who they’ll bring next year. While the classes are a big focus of the exchange, lowering the number of classes in a day would really help people stay engaged toward the end of the day as they get tired.
The catered lunch at the event was such a great way to interact with others, and make sure everyone eats without traveling too far. This portion of the Ruedx should forever be kept. Also, the Tarro de Edward hour continued it’s legacy, so we look forward to seeing how the move lives on next year.
The Socials on Saturday and Sunday were beyond fun. We danced so much, and jammed to the music. Thanks to Timba Titan, Roberton, and Tony (congrats on retiring). Of course we wish there had been just a little more dancing Saturday night, but we were practically limping back to the hotel, so maybe it was for the best.
Ultimately it’s the people who make the festival worth every second, and we loved the opportunity to chat and dance.
Did you go to Ruedx: Cincinnati? What was your favorite part? If you didn’t make it this year, you should definitely consider going in 2025. Tell us in the comments below, and don’t forget to like and subscribe for future posts.
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