Read the text below.
Cuba is known for its Latin dance styles including mambo, rumba, and salsa. But as new dance trends become more popular on the island, the traditional dances are disappearing.
The famous Tropicana cabaret is one of the last remnants of pre-revolution Havana. With feathers, sequins, and beautiful dancers, Tropicana set the standard for similar shows promoting Latin music and aesthetics.
But as tourists made it a popular destination, this type of dance and rhythm has progressively been forgotten by the younger Cuban generation.
It’s a heritage that needs preserving, says Juan Armando Perez, artistic director of Tropicana: “Tropicana has become universal because it represents the music and the popular dances of Cuba, the Cuban identity. Every night, we fight tooth and nail to defend and safeguard our culture.”
Founded three years ago, “Proyecto Espejo” (“Mirror Project” in English) teaches kids how to perform Cuban dances on stage from the age of four.
Three times a week, classes take place in the outskirts of Havana, far from the established dance school in the heart of the capital, teaching them to dance flamenco, for technique, alongside traditional Cuban dance styles.
The municipality is supporting the project by providing the rehearsal space.
Parents bring their children to encourage them to learn about Cuban culture. They pay tuition of 700 Cuban pesos ($29 at the official exchange rate) per month, which doesn’t include training gear and costumes, a significant amount for poorer families.
In the current economic crisis, as many Cubans barely earn enough to eat, parents still believe that the money spent on dance classes is worth it as it’s part of their national identity to sing and dance.
The dance teachers know that many of their disciples will not become professional dancers. Still, they are sure that the hours invested in their training contribute to the preservation of Cuba’s cultural heritage.
“We can’t cry or lie down in the house, so we must take the rhythm of life, put on music and dance, which is what makes us happy and characterizes us Cubans,” says Yuliet Loyola, mother of one of the dance students.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.