Other partner dancing styles include "Trios" or "Quattros" in which a male lead will dance with two or more female partners in each arm in in intricate patterns. There are also a "Trios" version in which two male leaders share a female partner.
Casa de La Musica, a great opportunity to dance Rueda de Casino and Salsa with Cubans and your tour companions to live music of Cuban best salsa bands such as Los Van Van, Paulito FG, La Charanga Habanera, Adalberto Alvarez, and many others.
Rumba performance and dancing at Callejon de Hamel. An alleyway street caught in Centro Habana neighborhood where an effort of cultural rescue and expansion led by fine artist Salvador González has been underway since 1990. Salvador’s murals and sculptures have taken over entire buildings’ facades, shrines to Afrocuban deities.
Santeria Religious Dance are characterized by the richness of body movements, its expression, its rhythm and the variety of steps and variants devoted to each of the Orichas or saints that make up the pantheon of this religion. These dances have considerably influenced other Cuban dancing expressions such as Casino itself, mainly with the inclusion of steps and gestures in the performances and in some of the figures of the Casino Ring.
Famous for its colorful shows, the Cabaret Parisien has always been a favorite among visitors from all over the world. Located at the Hotel Nacional, this venerable cabaret show is a vibrant and extravagant spectacle.
Cuban Salsa Solo Dancing (Suelta) is dancing salsa without having a partner. It originates from stage singers and dancers who setup routines during orchestra and live performance. Dance singularly or in a group (usually male facing females on the dance floor) the movements are based on a-tiempo or contra-tiempo with intricate footwork and lively body movements.
Las Terrazas is a community of little more than 1000 inhabitants in the centre of an environmentally rich area known as Sierra del Rosario mountain range, a massif in the Cuban west which was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
Day 1. Saturday 5 October 2024.
Hello Cuba
Arrival at "Jose Marti" International Airport in Havana.
Group welcomed by your Cuban guide and bus driver for the entire tour.
Private transfer to your
Luxury Casa Particular located at the cultural center of Havana City.
Private group check-in.
Breakfast is complimentary from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Day 2. Sunday 6 October 2024.
Havana
Morning: introduction to your Cuban teacher and assistants.
Cuban Dance Workshop on Casino Dance Body Movements for 2 hrs. Your Cuban teachers and their assistants, who serve as your dance partner, tailor instruction to the individual student: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.
This workshop is organized in classes for men and women separetely because of the different and specific body movements in Casino dance for each sex. Steps, figures and movements particular of each sex will be included so as to allow the dancers to enrich their creativity for improvisation when dancing.
Welcome Lunch: a new wave of paladares (privately-owned restaurants) has recently swept the Cuban dining scene offering excellent food and charming ambient. Today we’ll enjoy a welcome lunch at the stylish
Paladar San Cristobal, one of Havana's top ten private restaurants.
Afternoon: guided walking tour of
UNESCO World Heritage Site,
Old Havana.
Visit to the
Cathedral Square, named after the masterpiece of Cuban baroque architecture:
the
Cathedral of Havana built by the Jesuit order.
Visit to
Square of Arms, ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers and surrounded by impressive
buildings such as:
Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, the former official residence of the governors (Captains General) of Havana,
Cuba. It is home to the Museum of the City of Havana. It houses exhibitions of art and historical artefacts and many of the
rooms are preserved with their original Colonial decoration.
Palacio del Segundo Cabo. The seat of the second authority of the island. Today it houses important publishing
concerns.
Castillo de la Real Fuerza. The second oldest fortress built by the Spaniards in the West Indies. The castle was recently renovated
and reopened in June 2008 to hold the impressive maritime museum. Well laid out exhibits chart Spain and Cuba's naval history.
Visit to
Plaza Vieja, the only civic square of colonial times. Notice it doesn't have a church or government building around.
Here we will visit important institutions for visual arts.
Continue walking tour onto
San Francisco Square, named after the
Convent of San Francisco,
this square was conceived in 1628, with the objective of supplying water to the ships trading with the metropolis. For many years it also served to stockpile
the goods arriving from the harbor.
Free time in the famous
handicraft market of Old Havana where you can purchase all sorts of crafts and souvenirs by local artisans.
Return to your private rental accomodation.
Evening venue: visit to
Casa de La Musica de Miramar. A great opportunity to Rueda de Casino and Salsa dancing with Cubans and your tour companions to live music of Cuban best salsa bands such as Los Van Van, Paulito FG, La Charanga Habanera, Adalberto Alvarez, and many others (entrance fee not included).
Day 3. Monday 7 October 2024.
Havana
Morning:
Cuban Dance Workshop on Casino Dancing for 2 hrs. Your Cuban teachers and their assistants, who serve as your dance partner, tailor instruction to the individual student: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.
This workshop will focus on the teaching and practicing the different rhythmic ways of Casino dancing Casino in Cuba today. Men and women will be able to participate together. The workshop will teach you to recognize the different tempos in which Casino is danced nowadays.
Afterwards visit to
Callejon de Hamel. An alleyway street caught in Centro Habana neighborhood where an effort of cultural rescue and expansion led by
fine artist Salvador González has been underway since 1990.
Salvador’s murals and sculptures have taken over entire buildings’ facades– shrines to Afrocuban deities. Meet with Salvador Gonzales to discuss their work and its effects on the neighborhood.
We are now "leaving" Havana and entering
Fusterlandia, the studio, residence and wild kingdom of
José Rodriguez Fuster, one of the most important Cuban ceramists and painters today. Lunch hosted by Jose Fuster.
Afternoon: guided tour of the
Museum of Fine Arts' Cuban Collection where we see the evolution of Cuba's visual arts over the last 300 years. The collection accounts for the richness of our Spanish, French, Chinese, African cultural roots.
Followed by guided panoramic motor coach tour of
Modern Havana.
We will visit places like Square of Revolution, University of Havana, Seawall, Vedado neighbourhood, 1830 Restaurant, Miramar
neighbourhood,
Nacional Hotel, Cemetery Colon, and others.
Return to your private rental accomodation.
Evening venue: visit to
Casa de La Musica de Centro Habana. A great opportunity to practice Rueda de Casino and Sala dancing with Cubans and your tour companions to live music of Cuban best salsa bands such as Los Van Van, Paulito FG y su Elite, La Charanga Habanera, Adalberto Alvarez y su Son, NG La Banda, and many others (optional/ entrance fee not included).
Day 4. Tuesday 8 October 2024.
Havana
Morning:
Cuban Dance Workshop on Casino Dancing for 2 hrs. Your Cuban teachers and their assistants, who serve as your dance partner, tailor instruction to the individual student: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.
This workshop will focus on the teaching and practicing the different rhythmic ways of Casino dancing Casino in Cuba today. Men and women will be able to participate together. The workshop will teach you to recognize the different tempos in which Casino is danced nowadays.
Lunch on your own (not included) at the
Eastern Beaches of Havana City.
Afternoon: free to enjoy the nice beaches of Havana.
Return to Hotel
Evening venue: visit to
Cabaret El Turquino at your hotel. A great opportunity to practice Rueda de Casino and Sala dancing with Cubans and your tour companions to live music of Cuban best salsa bands such as Los Van Van, Paulito FG y su Elite, La Charanga Habanera, Adalberto Alvarez y su Son, NG La Banda, and many others (optional/ entrance fee not included).
Day 5. Wednesday 9 October 2024.
Havana
Morning:
Cuban Dance Workshop on Santeria or Regla de Ocha Religious Dancing for 2 hrs. Your Cuban teachers and their assistants, who serve as your dance partner, tailor instruction to the individual student: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.
Santeria Religious Dance are characterized by the richness of body movements, its expression, its rhythm and the variety of steps and variants devoted to each of the Orichas or saints that make up the pantheon of this religion. These dances have considerably influenced other Cuban dancing expressions such as Casino itself, mainly with the inclusion of steps and gestures in the performances and in some of the figures of the Casino Ring.
Lunch on your own (not included).
Afternoon: ferry boat ride across Havana harbour to the
town of Regla. This Afrocuban community has a long, rich and still active tradition of African-inspired religions.
We'll visit
Regla's church dedicated to the black "Virgen de Regla" Yemayá, the African goddess of the sea in the Yoruba religion and the patron saint of sailors.
Tour of
Regla's municipal museum to learn the origins of this unique community and its Afrocuban cultures.
Enjoy private
Afrocuban religious dance presentation by Regla Folkloric Group.
Evening venue: visit to
Habana Cafe. A great opportunity to practice Rueda de Casino and Sala dancing with Cubans and your tour companions to live music of Cuban best salsa bands such as Los Van Van, Paulito FG y su Elite, La Charanga Habanera, Adalberto Alvarez y su Son, NG La Banda, and many others (optional/ entrance fee not included)
Day 6. Thursday 10 October 2024.
Havana- Las Terrazas
Morning departure to
Las Terrazas, located in
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Sierra del Rosario
where we start the morning tour of the rural town at Rancho Curujey for explanation of the area.
Enjoy the view of the village that lies above the shores of
San Juan Lake and beneath the mountains.
We also visit the home/studios of
local artists and
artisans.
Visit to the ruins of a
French Coffee Plantation built in 1801.
Continue to
La Moka, an ecological hotel with trees growing up through the balconies and ceiling.
Later we can take a swim at
San Juan River cascades and pools.
We have lunch in local traditional restaurant.
Retrun to Havana City.
Evening venue: visit to
Salon Rojo. A great opportunity to practice Rueda de Casino and Sala dancing with Cubans and your tour companions to live music of Cuban best salsa bands such as Los Van Van, Paulito FG y su Elite, La Charanga Habanera, Adalberto Alvarez y su Son, NG La Banda, and many others (optional/ entrance fee not included).
Day 7. Friday 11 October 2024.
Havana
Morning:
Cuban Dance Workshop on Casino Dancing for 2 hrs. Your Cuban teachers and their assistants, who serve as your dance partner, tailor instruction to the individual student: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.
This workshop will focus on the teaching and practicing the different rhythmic ways of Casino dancing Casino in Cuba today. Men and women will be able to participate together. The workshop will teach you to recognize the different tempos in which Casino is danced nowadays.
Students receive an official Baila en Cuba
Certificate of Completion.
Free day in Havana.
Farewell dinner and show at world famous
Cabaret Parisien of the National Hotel of Cuba (included).
Day 8. Saturday 12 October 2024.
Departure
Early morning departure to Havana City International Airport for departure.
Hola! My name is Yane Marquez and I was born and raised in Cuba. After graduating from the University of Havana and the Tourism School of Cuba, I worked for over 10 years as a tour guide, translator and event organizer for Cuba's travel companies and organizations. I guided many groups attending Cuba's main international festivals, fairs and events. A few years ago, I moved to Canada where I have continued promoting Cuba’s tourism industry. I would be more than happy to answer any question you have about festival Cuba travel. Do not miss out!
Authentic Cuba Travel®'s cultural tours are hosted by Cuba’s key Culture ministries, organizing committees and Cuban culture personalities. Travel with the peace of mind of knowing you are in the best hands!
