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The Setenta y Cinco (75) family of moves is great for social dancing, and I often use one of them as a contrast to my improvised flows of basic figures. “Casinando” is probably my favourite because it has a very long counter clock-wise sequence before it goes clock-wise again. If the Follow passes the “test” of the long sequence of basic figures or if I know she is used to Paseo de Olas, I like to continue Casinando with Ola con Alardes.

Casinando consists of the following:

1. Setenta y Cinco (“75”)
2. Coca-Cola
3. Exhíbela
4. Rodeo
5. Vacilala on “1” or Habanero on “3”
6. Caída position
7. Enchufla por la Derecha (start of Ola con Alardes)
8. Ola con Alardes (X number of times)

Casinando is a relatively new move. I have learned it from a video by the Polish Agassi dance couple, Piotr and Agata, some of my favourite dancers, from Poznań, Poland, 2013. Their version of Casinando (just search YouTube for “Agassi and Casinando”) is the only one I know of, and they might have “invented” it.

Video #1 is from a Practrica Training Session with me and Mona, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2022. In the Agassi video they only use four Alardes, and that is good for a start. I often go for 12, but any number will do as long as it works. I like to continue certain figures over and over, as if time stands still, forever. I call it a tantric moment.

Ola con Alardes

The figure Ola con Alardes is a variation of Paseo de Olas, a circular Caída walk. Both are among my favourite special basic figures. Forget about doing Ola con Alardes with even a strong Follow that doesn’t know it. Only if she knows and is used to the basic Paseo de Olas, and only if the Lead really owns these figures does he have a chance.

Olas con Alardes uses normal handhold and can be started at any time from the start position of open position (Guapea). The easiest way to start it is with the Setenta Hammerlock because it makes the Enchufla exit two handed and the Lead is ready for the first Alarde.

When getting out of the Hammerlock with Enchufla, the Lead starts the first Alarde to himself on “5-6-7” as the Follow is pivoting into Caída position on “7-8”. Next the Follow is led into the Ola Walk by stepping an “S” shaped pattern similar to Enchufla por la Derecha. On “7-8” she pivots again into Caída position.

The Alardes alternate between Lead and Follow on “5-6-7” and “1-2-3”. It takes practice to time the Alardes to the music. Four Alardes can be good for a start, I like to do 12. Any number of Alardes is ok as long as it works. This is a true social figure.

The Lead must be ready to abort and exit the Ola figure if he senses it is about to fall apart.