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I like Carousel figures where the Leader and the Follower swing around a common axis in between them. Similar to Adiós but instead of closed position we have half-open position. There are many variations. 

Many Leaders have been using the Carousel over the years with or without a meaningful name. With this tutorial I have generalized many of the variations into an easy to replicate figure. Carousel is a logical descriptive name, the same in English and Spanish.

Carousel Variations

I divide the variations into four categories:

1. From DQN with Lead’s right arm around the Follow. 
2. From DQN con Coca-Cola, right-to-right handed. 
3. From Sombrero or Half-Sombrero.
4. From Caminala or Sombrero Inverso (right turning motion)

Two or Three Counts of Eight

I aim at doing the Carousel for three counts of Eight to get the look and feel of a Carousel. But depending on the music and om how well the figure progresses, one can shorten or prolong the figure.  Two counts of eight probably works best for most Leads most of the time.

The Leader steps back

I only have one rule: The Leader is the one who steps back, the Follow steps Forward. There are two reasons for why I never do the opposite. 

1. It is the hardest to step back for several counts of Eight, one can easily stumble over one’s own feet. For that reason it is the one that leads and decides step length and momentum, and for how long, that should step back. 
2. I don’t want the look and feel of Tango or Cuban Macho where the Follow is at the mercy of the Lead. In my Casino the Follow moves forward by default. I don’t want to give her excuses for taking back-steps. 

Social dancing

The Carousel figure is a good example of one of the differences between Rueda de Casino and social couple dancing. In Rueda we aim at making all the couples synchronized and look the same. We should all use exactly the same version of a figure. But we don’t want hard-wired brain-dead moves in couple dancing.

In social couple dancing, we do have many basic figures of one count of eight, always the same. But apart from that the rule is that we don’t do moves but variations. We play with the figures all the time in search of new entrances, exits and continuations.