SwingDJs

What do you listen for when you're selecting songs for swing rueda?

I'd probably avoid vocals, and would want something at a tempo that the dancer with the least rueda experience could handle. Also, I'd want something with a well-defined beat.

Any other qualities you'd suggest? Thanks.

Matthew wrote:What do you listen for when you're selecting songs for swing rueda?

I'd probably avoid vocals, and would want something at a tempo that the dancer with the least rueda experience could handle. Also, I'd want something with a well-defined beat.

Any other qualities you'd suggest? Thanks.

I disagree with that. The last few songs that were done here in SoFla for a rueda were vocals. They were:

Natural Man - Ron Sunshine
My Baby Just Cares For Me - Indigo Swing

By the way, the dancers did not ask me to "play a rueda", they just did it. Which I think looks better and is more fun. I personally hate it when folks try to orchestrate those things.

My $.02.

Tina

The last few times a Swing Rueda has been requested (these have all been at camps/workshops where the dance has been spotlighted), I have played "Kansas City Riffs" by Buster Smith, and it's worked out great. The qualities about this song that seem to work well for Swing Rueda: moderate tempo, consistently strong beat, really swinging, great energy, simple structure, no vocals or other major distractions (complex or changing melodies, lots of breaks, busy solos, etc...) which could possibly distract dancers from the person who is calling out the moves.

Jesse

If I owned it, I'd put on Steven's Jitterbug Stroll song..

??? rueda??? mah zeh?

The first time I ever saw the Dallas folk (Jeff, Elaine, Jerry, Don, etc..) do a swing rueda, they did it to Mr. Scruff's Get A Move On. A result, that song always makes me think of swing rueda.

It is kind of long and non-traditional. But, it worked really well for their demo.

Nathan

Nate Dogg wrote:The first time I ever saw the Dallas folk (Jeff, Elaine, Jerry, Don, etc..) do a swing rueda, they did it to Mr. Scruff's Get A Move On. A result, that song always makes me think of swing rueda.

It is kind of long and non-traditional. But, it worked really well for their demo.

Nathan

Yeah, now I just want to buy a Lincoln.

That's the song we heard when the Tampa folks exposed Rueda to us. Unfortunately, Jeff and Elaine didn't really give us any kind ideas of what songs would work with rueda.

Which I guess isn't such a bad thing. Forces people to think about it.

Tina

I would suggest whatever song feels good to you. When we were 'developing' alot of the basic moves. we used a lot of Lou Rawls (Drink Muddy Water, CC Rider, etc) But there is no defined type of song.
We developed moves to fit all types of dance styles, Hollywood, Savoy, Carolina Shag, WCS. Whatever fit the music we were playing.

We used "Get a Move On" originally to highlight the uniqueness of what we were doing. However, for those who where at OSDF, we used Basie - One O'clock Jump from "Count Basie in London". So my suggestion is not to pidgeon hole it. Just grab another couple and start doing it to any song, others will join in if they want. In small, 3-4 couple Ruedas the ability to hear the caller is not so much an issue.

On the otherhand, if you want SONH, 100 couple Ruedas, the suggestions of Mr Miner are good to follow. Oh and a wireless mic.