Cuba - January 2008

A (brief) report by Florencia Rodriguez

Hi everyone!

Well, we are thrilled to be back home and running our classes again after a busy 6 weeks on the go in Cuba, Argentina and Brazil!

In Havana, we saw many of the finest Salsa/Timba bands and danced to them in the top night spots including Casa De La Musica, Salon Rojo, Cafe Cantante, and Delirio Habanero. We also immersed ourselves in the island's strong African roots, manifested through lively Rumba and Afro-Cuban dance and music, colourful costumes and infectious drumming. We visited many of Havana's important cultural and historical sights, such as colonial Habana Vieja (Old Havana), Museo de la Revolucion (Museum of the Revolution), and El Malecon (Havana's 8km seawall).

The second half of our stay took us on a road trip from Havana across to the eastern side of the island, stopping at the historical, colonial cities of Santa Clara, Camagüey and Baracoa, before arriving in the culturally rich Santiago de Cuba, the second largest city of the island, and the 'Cradle of the Revolution'. This is where many Cuban musical genres were born, including Son (an ancestor to Salsa), and where a strong Afro-Carribean culture still lives.

We were fortunate to have many opportunities to dance with, exchange ideas and learn from various teachers and performers, and to see a broad range of performances and events.

We had many memorable experiences in Cuba and are excited to be bringing back lots of new moves and some great dance music for our classes and events!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Florencia

Click here to look at some photos from Cuba!