Every morning during the week at Hotel Habana Libre a pianist plays during breakfast. The trouble is the piano is so out of tune and this lady plays the popular classics with such ferocity it is as though she has done the job for so long that she no longer hears the bad tuning. Admittedly, it does sound more bearable the further away from the piano you sit but I still gaze open-mouthed at the other guests who are able to enthusiastically applaud the daily rendition of Carmen.
I guess, however, a job is a job and throughout Cuba from the barely road-worthy cars to the dilapidated buildings, which look barely able to stand and yet may still house several families, there is a sense of inventiveness in working with what materials are at their disposal. You also see this in the amount of art that is made from recycled materials. This is the essence of the charm of Cuba. There is an air of positivity and making do and as one Cuban barman said with a shrug of shoulders, “well no-one has any money but the climate is nice.” and after all the old cars and buildings are part of what makes Cuba such a distinctive place.
I guess, however, a job is a job and throughout Cuba from the barely road-worthy cars to the dilapidated buildings, which look barely able to stand and yet may still house several families, there is a sense of inventiveness in working with what materials are at their disposal. You also see this in the amount of art that is made from recycled materials. This is the essence of the charm of Cuba. There is an air of positivity and making do and as one Cuban barman said with a shrug of shoulders, “well no-one has any money but the climate is nice.” and after all the old cars and buildings are part of what makes Cuba such a distinctive place.
It is in this environment that dance has flourished to become so distinctive of style and of such high quality that Ballet Nacional de Cuba and Danza Contemporanea de Cuba as well as many other smaller dance companies go on regular international tours and receive such respect around the world. The Cuban dance education has developed such a high standard of physicality in its dancers that Cuba is producing dancers who are able to find work in dance companies around the world. In Cuba entrance into ballet school is based on a test of the necessary physical qualities and potential ability and, if successful, is free.
On counting through a theatre listings brochure, I reached a total of 27 theatres in Havana. Castro clearly valued the arts and after the Revolution the grants that were given to develop theatre, dance and music have clearly paid off and given this country its vibrancy. It feels like every other Cuban person is a skilled musician, an intellectual, a dancer, a skilled linguist or a trained doctor even though they may work as a taxi driver, a mechanic or a barman.
The great thing about dance is it is not heavily reliant on equipment. The body is the instrument of dance and therefore the only tuning it needs is to be exercised and taught the techniques in which to develop the ability of what the body can do. Dance is all about hard work and dedication and the best studio in the world will not produce a great dancer if these qualities are lacking.
And they are not lacking here.
Photos by Monster Cats Pics
On counting through a theatre listings brochure, I reached a total of 27 theatres in Havana. Castro clearly valued the arts and after the Revolution the grants that were given to develop theatre, dance and music have clearly paid off and given this country its vibrancy. It feels like every other Cuban person is a skilled musician, an intellectual, a dancer, a skilled linguist or a trained doctor even though they may work as a taxi driver, a mechanic or a barman.
The great thing about dance is it is not heavily reliant on equipment. The body is the instrument of dance and therefore the only tuning it needs is to be exercised and taught the techniques in which to develop the ability of what the body can do. Dance is all about hard work and dedication and the best studio in the world will not produce a great dancer if these qualities are lacking.
And they are not lacking here.
Photos by Monster Cats Pics
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