RuedaJax is a group for casino rueda dancers to get together and do their thing in a fun, friendly and laid back atmosphere. We are Jacksonville's original rueda meet-up group - often imitated, but NEVER duplicated!

RuedaJax is proud to have Dance Salsa Jax host these meet-ups. As the first true salsa school in the city, they have been inspiring students in the art of rueda dancing for years. Their philosophy is to find the joy in dance, so as they teach, they always make sure to keep things fun and enjoyable for everyone. And if you think they're good at rueda, you should check out their salsa classes! Visit Dance Salsa Jax and sign up for one of their one hour salsa workshops, held on Saturdays from 3-6pm before the meet-ups. That's right people! Salsa AND rueda all in one day!!! So if you didn't know that before, you do now!

We usually meet once a week on Saturdays at Avondale Dance Directions. If you have no clue where that is, e-mail us at ruedajax@gmail.com, and tell us where you're coming from. Someone will be able to give you directions.

Dress is casual. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. If it's your first time, try not to wear flip flops or strapless shoes. Don't get us wrong, we love our pretty strapless Jimmy Choos, but they're not so easy to dance in. Usually something with a strap or closed in the back works best. Often times, people like to make a night out of it and go out dancing after the meet-up, so you might see some people dressed to impress. Do what works for you!

You don't need a partner to participate in this dance. Even if you bring one, you won't be dancing together for very long because rueda is a dance of constant partner changes, so you will get to dance with a bunch of different people in a very short amount of time. It's a great icebreaker!

We do our best to keep things running on schedule, but sometimes we might need a few extra minutes to get things going. In the meantime, get out on the dance floor for some social dancing or socialize with a new friend and just enjoy the night as it unfolds. Trust us, once you get started, you'll be surprised at how quickly time will fly!

When the classes start rolling, they usually go for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. We have a level for everyone: Basic, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. If you've never danced a step of rueda, never fear! You'll hang out in the Basic class and learn steps with fun names like "Dile Que No." For the rock stars of rueda, tap step your way over to the advanced circle. Not quite basic anymore or not yet advanced? Then Beginner or Intermediate might be more your speed. Go ahead and challenge yourself, but always be respectful to your fellow dancers. Remember, if you're feeling overwhelmed or want more of a challenge, you can change levels up or down at anytime, so don't be shy!

Once the classes are over, we'll dim the lights and get crazy! We'll call circles of all levels and social dance until 10:30pm. Yes, all good things must come to an end. I know, I know, we didn't want it to either, but there's always next week. We'll see you then!