Central Brooklyn Casineros is a youth dance program that fuses Cuban rueda de casino with other dance forms that represent the local Caribbean American community. Through the program, young people, ages 12-17, will learn about a wide variety of Caribbean music and dance forms, with an emphasis on the performance of rueda de casino. Rueda de casino—or simply, rueda—is a style of dance that developed in the casinos (or clubs) in Cuba during the mid-20th century. Casino became the name for a style of partnered dance that is sometimes referred to as Cuban salsa. In rueda de casino (rueda is Spanish for “wheel”), several pairs of dancers come together forming a circle or “wheel” while simultaneously performing steps based on the instructions of a leader who calls out each move. Dancers rotate so everyone has an opportunity to dance with each other. Our young participants will develop their social, music, and dance skills while being physically active; and they will learn about the history and culture of the Caribbean through music and dance.