Guapea
Guapea is the default move in Rueda. If no move has been called, or you don’t know a move that has been called, or you’re too tired/dizzy … or maybe you just don’t want to do the move that was just called, do a Guapea! Don’t just stand there!
When you start a Guapea, the leader is on the right, the follower is on the left. You hold your inside hands (the leader’s left, the follower’s right). In Rueda you almost always do called moves with this partner, so Guapea establishes this relationship.
For the follower, Guapea is the default salsa step: backward-on-the-right, forward-on-the-left. For the leader, it’s the opposite of the default salsa step: backward-on-the-left, forward-on-the-right.
- Translation
- Looks Good!
- Sign
- None. The Cantante does not call Guapea - you just do it when there’s no clear move.
- Resembles
- A basic salsa step
Breakdown
| Count | Leader | Follower |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - Beat 1 | Step backward with left foot | Step backward with right foot |
| - Beat 2 | Replace right foot (bring it up and put it right back down) | Replace left foot |
| - Beat 3 | Step together with left foot | Step together with right foot |
| - Beat 4 | (Pause) | (Pause) |
| - Beat 5 | Step forward with right foot, turn a little | Step forward with left foot, turn a little |
| - Beat 6 | Replace left foot | Replace right foot |
| - Beat 7 | Step together with right foot, turn toward center | Step together with left foot, turn toward center |
| - Beat 8 | (Pause) | (Pause) |
Your inside arms will follow your feet a bit - when your feet go backward, your hands will go backward and when your feet go forward, your arms will go forward.
| Count | Leader | Follower |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - Beat 1 | Left arm down and back | Right arm down and back |
| - Beat 2 | (Pause) | (Pause) |
| - Beat 3 | Left arm back to center | Right arm back to center |
| - Beat 4 | (Pause) | (Pause) |
| - Beat 5 | Left arm forward and up, Right hand meet in center | Right arm forward and up, Left hand meet in center |
| - Beat 6 | (Pause) | (Pause) |
| - Beat 7 | Left arm back to center | Right arm back to center |
| - Beat 8 | (Pause) | (Pause) |
It’s a little like walking and chewing gum at the same time, but you’ll get the hang of it! When you practice, get the steps down first - that’s the important part. Then practice the handhold while doing the step.
- Notes
- There are about 10 billion variations on Guapea, and different groups do it very differently. One variation in Ithaca Rueda is to use the left hand to pull the follower around a bit on 5. Followers - if you feel that grip on your right hand, don’t panic! Just keep your frame and follow your hand around and you’ll be fine!