What’s On Havana, listings and reviews of cultural events in Havana, updated monthly, Havana events and schedules and timetables for nightlife and cultural events

Visual Arts

	Arte en La Rampa Pabellón Cuba, Havana	Throughout July and August
	As is customary every summer, the Art at La Rampa Crafts Fair opens its door with an attractive offer that includes the sale of serigraphs, engravings, handicrafts, household goods, furniture, footwear, clothing, ornaments… Fashion shows, concerts and activities for the kiddies will also take place during the Fair.

	Resistencia y Libertad Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Edificio de Arte Cubano Trocadero entre Monserrate y Zulueta, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 040 / 861 3858 / 863 9484	Through 26 July
	Considered one of the most significant exhibitions of the recent Havana Art Biennial, the show gathers works by three greats of Cuban art: Wifredo Lam with surrealism, Raúl Martínez with pop-art and José Bedia with conceptualism.

Obras de Juvenal Ravelo y Rogelio Polesello

	Obras de Juvenal Ravelo y Rogelio Polesello Casa de las Américas, Lobby Calle 3ra. y G, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 838 2706-09	Throughout July / 2009
	Works by Ravelo and Polesello within the actions of the Kinetic Year organized by Casa de las Américas on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

	El Tonto de la Colina Galería Villa Manuela Calle H entre 17 y 19, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 832 2391	Throughout July
	UNEAC’s Villa Manuela, one of the most interesting art galleries in town, exhibits for the first time the work of young artists who have recently completed their studies at Havana’s National Art Institute, including Jorge Luis del Valle, Adislen Reyes, Orestes Hernández, David Enríquez Fernández, Yunior (Jimmy) Acosta, Gecer López and Josuhe David Hernández. According to its curator, Sandra Sosa, “El Tonto de la Colina [The Fool on the Hill] seeks to open the horizon of convictions that surrounds the emerging artistic production…the discourses are intertwined, denied, questioned, superimposed in a maximization of the individual plane, may times obscured behind the veil of blandness. Reflex and refraction of personal microutopias, it is a simulation of representations where beauty is the only perceived element. Beauty survives as poetry, tragicomedy, game, fallacy, sarcasm, acid imprecation, a withdrawal of emotions where the subject revolves round rationality and irrationality.”

	La Cultura del Aceite en la Antigüedad Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Centro Asturiano (Colección Universal) San Rafael entre Zulueta y Monserrate, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 040 / 861 3858 / 863 9484	Through 21 July / 2009
	The significance of oil in ancient times for food, medicinal, religious and cosmetic purposes, as well as its use for fuel and lighting through the exhibition of 35 pieces from the Museum’s ancient art collection, the largest and most important in Latin America. Collateral activities include guided tours and educational activities for children.

	Identidad, Motivos y Razones Galería de Arte Malecón Calle D, entre 1ra, y 3ra., El Vedado	Throughout July / 2009
	In the words of the poet and narrator Omar Felipe Mauri, the young painter Freddy Villamil “immerses us in successive metaphors of time and the human condition. He composes atmospheres drawn from the dismay, anxiety or the turbulent drama caused by desperation. His work draws on the strength of the drawing, the fluency in the expression and the sobriety of colours, enough to express the most diverse human emotions...Edvard Munch, Paul Klee or Ernest Barlach, initiators of expressionism, are all present in his work but with a genuine personal mark.”

	Done Complejo-Galería La Casona Muralla 107 esquina a San Ignacio, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 861 8544	Throughout July / 2009
	In this exhibition, the photographer Ernesto Javier Fernández deals once more with the theme of flags, on this occasion, by way of installations.

	Cuando el Sol es Enorme Galería Servando Calle 23 esquina a 10, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 833 9599	Throughout July / 2009
	Exhibition by Alejandro Campins, one of the young painters that stand out in Cuba’s present-day artistic panorama, who, in the words of the critic Rufo Caballero, “at this stage, manages to give a unexpected twist to the much explored expressionism.”

	Memorias del Diseño Cubano 1959 - 1974 Centro Cultural Pablo de la Torriente Brau Muralla 63 entre Oficios e Inquisidor, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 861 5162	Third Thursaday of the month / 2009
	A series which covers the first 15 years of cultural design in the Revolution, when Cuba placed itself among the avant-garde of poster design in the world. The topics that the series will deal with are: - The beginnings of cultural design with the National Theatre, the National Council of Culture (CNC) and UNEAC. - OSPAAAL posters. - The beginnings of Cuban film posters at ICAIC. - Design at Casa de las Américas in its early years. - Creation of the Cuban Book INstitute - Cultural magazines of the 1960s: Lunes de Revolución. Design and photography in Cuba magazine during the 60s and early 70s. - Beginnings of the socio-political poster. Trends during this stage.

	Fantasmas de Asia Casa de Asia Mercaderes 111 entre Obrapía y Obispo, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 863 9740	Throughout July / 2009
	For this exhibition, the painter Duchy Man Valderá has chosen works which have been inspired by important figures who have become legends. The exhibit is also a journey through the culture and history of several Asian countries.

	El Gran Hipnotizador Pinacoteca del Museo de la Ciudad Tacón 1 entre Obispo y O’Reilly, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 861 5001	Throughout July / 2009
	The art gallery of the City Museum exhibits woks by the painter Zayda del Río, one of the greats of contemporary Cuban art. The exhibition is presided by a constant motif in her work: the peacock, expression of an exuberant and symbolic personal universe, intimately combined with female figures.

	De Tres y Más Mundos Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wifredo Lam Empedrado esquina a San Ignacio, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 863 9781 / 861 3419	Throughout July / 2009
	The Wifredo Lam art gallery presents a panorama of 25 years of Biennials, the most important art event in Cuba. Works by African, Asian, Latin American and Caribbean artists, with special emphasis on Cuban artists, prize-winning pieces from the first three Biennials and a section dedicated to African toys comprise this look into the purposes and achievements of Havana’s Art Biennial throughout the years.

	Jugar con Arte Museo Biblioteca Servando Cabrera Moreno Calle Paseo 304 esquina a 13, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 835 2027 / 836 0010	Throughout July / 2009
	Composed of one of the sections of the collection of popular art assembled by the Cuban painter Servando Cabrera Moreno, almost 200 toys from the American and European continents are being exhibited at the museum-library.

	Bolsillo Flaco MN Plaza Vieja, La Habana Vieja	21 July / 2009
	In the words of its promoter and creator, the renowned Cuban artist Nelson Domínguez, the Bolsillo Flaco M.N. cultural project aims at “getting people, who lack the economic possibility of purchasing a work of art in a gallery, to admire and enjoy art and even buy one at a very reasonable price.” Silk-screen works and paintings printed on fabrics were the project’s offer on its first public action. The project’s forthcoming action has been set for 20th June, on occasion of Father’s Day.

	Cuba Mía Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Centro Asturiano (Colección Universal) San Rafael entre Zulueta y Monserrate, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 040 / 861 3858 / 863 9484	Through 26 July / 2009
	Dedicated to the Mexican photographer Rodrigo Moya, the exhibition is a collection of pictures taken during July and August 1964 for a photo coverage of Cuba.

Joseph de Páez: Pintura Barroca Mexicana

	Joseph de Páez: Pintura Barroca Mexicana Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Centro Asturiano (Colección Universal) San Rafael entre Zulueta y Monserrate, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 040 / 861 3858 / 863 9484	1st November / 2009
	The National Fine Arts Museum has organized an exhibition from its collection of paintings with a religious theme by one of the most important figures of 18th-century Latin American art: Joseph de Páez.

	Diseños de Eduardo Arrocha Galería Raúl Oliva. Centro Cultural Bertolt Brecht Calle13 esquina a I, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 832 9359	Through 2 August / 2009
	A, exhibition of a wide range of masks, wardrobe and stage set items, sketches and scale models, all created by the much-awarded designer Eduardo Arrocha, who for 50 years has worked in the design of approx 400 pieces of the most important theatre and ballet companies in Cuba. Productions such as Giselle (Ballet Nacional de Cuba), Suite yoruba (Danza Contemporánea de Cuba) and El alma buena de Se Chuan (Teatro Estudio), all bear this master’s mark, who in 2007 received the National Theatre Award.

	Catálogo de La Acacia Galería La Acacia San José 114 entre Industria y Consulado, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 863 9364 y 861 3533	Throughout July / 2009
	One of the busiest commercial galleries in Havana today, which has combined its commitment to the production of the new generations of artists with the validity and permanence of established artists, exhibits part of its rich collection, which includes painting, photography and mixed technique.

	Habana Ingenua Galería Diago Muralla 107 esquina a San Ignacio, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 2633	hroughout June / 2009
	Collective exhibition of naif art.

	Arte Puro Miramar Trade Center	Throughout July / 2009
	The artist Ernesto Milanés exhibits a curious collection of humidors for storing cigars, with unexpected shapes: clocks, radios, cash registers, and other).

	La Vasija Convento de San Francisco de Asís Oficios y Churruca, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 9683	Throughout July / 2009
	Organized by the National Cuban Contemporary Ceramics Museum, the event focuses on the different manifestations and uses of ceramic vessels, whether utilitarian or ornamental, or both. In addition to the competition, an exhibition of recent works by Jorge Jacas, last edition’s prize-winner, will be organized.

Guillermo Kahlo: fotógrafo del centenario

	Guillermo Kahlo: fotógrafo del centenario Casa del Benemérito de las Américas Benito Juárez Obrapía 116, entre Mercaderes y Oficios, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 861 8166	Throughout July / 2009
	The exhibition is an approach to Guillermo Kahlo, a German photographer who settled in Mexico and who was somewhat pushed out from the media by his famous painter daughter, Frida Kahlo. According to the expert Mayra Mendoza Avilés, these pictures taken 100 years ago for the Mexican Register of Federally-Owned Temples “is a masterly example of the magnificent work carried out [by Kahlo], using photography as a means of register and control, in which aesthetic and artistic values have been recognized, inserting within the Mexican photographic heritage.”

Colombia, un Diálogo de instrumentos y cantos

	Colombia, un Diálogo de instrumentos y cantos Casa Simón Bolívar Mercaderes 158 entre Obrapía y Lamparilla, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 861 3988	Throughout July / 2009
	Photographs, maps, texts, music recordings, video installations and documentaries will all offer a sample of the musical wealth of a country with an extraordinary ethnic diversity given its native, European and African components, expressed in its coastal and mountainous culture.

Cinco mujeres argentinas homenajean al maestro Oswaldo Guayasamín

	Cinco mujeres argentinas homenajean al maestro Oswaldo Guayasamín Casa Fundación Oswaldo Guayasamín Obrapía entre Oficios y Mercaderes, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 861 3843	Opens 23rd July / 2009
	An exhibition of works by Argentinean artists Ana Masón (embroidered textiles), Celia Marco del Pont (digital photography), Sol Halabi (oil and mixed technique paintings on textile), Hilde Morin (tapestries) and Gabriela Pérez Guaita (sculptures) to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the birth of the great Ecuadorian painter Oswaldo Guayasamín, called the Painter of the Americas.

	Paisaje a la vista Museo de Arte Colonial Plaza de la Catedral, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 644	Throughout July / 2009
	The artists Mario García Portela, Humberto Hernández, Ania Toledo, Antonio Espinosa, Joel Ferrer, Raciel Gómez, Jesús Gastell and Arturo Montoto, portray the island’s rural and urban landscape in black and white and greys. On the 3rd of July, at 10:30 am, Professor Concepción Otero from the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Havana, will lecture on Cuban landscape from the 19th century to the present day.

	Cultura peruana en el Centro Histórico Museo Nacional Numismático Obispo entre Cuba y San Ignacio, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 861 5811 Oratorio San Felipe Neri Aguiar esquina a Obrapía, La Habana Vieja	Throughout July / 2009
	Numismatic Museum: An exhibition of Peruvian ceramic and silver pieces, coins and medals dating back to the pre-Columbian, colonial and republican periods from the collections of the Archaeology, Metal-Working and Numismatic Museums of the City Historian’s Office. Oratorio San Felipe Neri: Exhibition Arte popular platero del Perú, organized by the Council of Silver of Peru, The Peruvian Embassy in Cuba and the City Historian’s Office, of prize-winning works made in silver from 1997 to 2007 at the National Silver Competition of Peru.

	Estudios para vivir Galería La Acacia San José 114 entre Industria y Consulado, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 863 9364 / 861 3533	Throughout July / 2009
	olo exhibition by Alicia Leal, one of the most interesting Cuban artists today, in whose work the resources, from the spatial layout to the expressive use of colour and decorative delight, indebted in a certain manner to a studied “primitive “aesthetics, serve to reveal a female universe full of suggestions.

	Introspectiva Galería La Acacia San José 114 entre Industria y Consulado, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 863 9364 y 861 3533	Opens 23rd July / 2009
	A retrospective of a significant artist of contemporary Cuban art, Vicente Rodríguez Bonachea, who with his colourful dream worlds validates his proposition: “I feel that my work is non-written poetry.”

Music

	La Bella y la Bestia Anfiteatro del Centro Histórico Avenida del Puerto entre Cuba y Peña Pobre, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 33 1718	Opens 21 June, Sat and Sun, 9:00 pm (except rainy days) / 2009
	Beauty and the Beast, produced and choreographed by Alfonso Menéndez, who is putting all his effort in revitalizing the musical theatre in Cuba, is based on Alan Menken’s score for the well-known animated film.

	Centro Hispano Americano de Cultura Centro Hispano Americano de Cultura Malecón 17 entre Prado y Genio, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 860 6282	5:00 pm / 2009
	11 July: Popular European, Asian and American music sung by Exaudi, the most important and prize-winning choral group in Cuba. Conducted by María Felicia Pérez. 15 July: Concert by an exponent of flamenco music: the guitarist Reynier Mariño. 18 July: Verdadero Complot, a space reserved for young trova talents, announces the performance of the singer-songwriter Silvio Alejandro Rodríguez.

	Encuentro de Tríos Museo de Arte Colonial Plaza de la Catedral, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 644	24 July, 3:30 pm / 2009
	The Vocal Tres trio shall host this meeting of trios that sing traditional Cuban music.

	El Jardín de la Gorda Centro Iberoamericano de la Décima Calle A entre 25 y 27, El Vedado	Third Sunday of the month, 5:00 pm / 2009
	Sara González, emblematic voice of the Cuban Nueva Trova, has resumed her monthly gatherings where the audiences can enjoy, in an informal atmosphere, the performances of some of the best Cuban troubadours.

	Peña de Manuel Argudín Agencia Cubana de Derecho de Autor Musical Calle 6 entre 15 y 13, El Vedado	Last Saturday of the month, 6:00 pm / 2009
	At troubadour Manuel Argudín’s monthly gatherings, anything is possible: from the active participation of a member of the audience to an impromptu performance by concert pianist Frank Fernández.

	Peña de Rochy Balneario Universitario El Coral Calle 1ra. esquina a 42, Miramar	Last Thursday of the month, 8:30 pm / 2009
	Performance by Cuban singer Rochy with her group and guests.

	Concierto Abierto Sala Villena Calle 17 esquina a H, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 832 4551 al 53	Last Thursday of the month, 5:00 pm / 2009
	Concert and electroacoustic music for soloists and chamber music ensembles, under the direction of Guido López Gavilán.

	Conciertos de Dimensión Vertical El Sauce Calle 9na. entre 120 y 130, Playa Tel. +(53) 7 204 7061	Sundays, 4:00 pm / 2009
	Dimensión Vertical, one of the oldest Cuban rock bands who insist on reproducing, the same as 40 years ago, hit songs by famous British and US rock bands of the 60s and 70s, make up, together with their middle-aged fans, a sort of Jurassic Park.

	Peña de Los Kents Café Cantante, Teatro Nacional Calle Paseo y 39, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 870 4651	Sundays, 4:00 pm / 2009
	Los Kents, another “dinosaur” of Cuban rock, play their own hits from the 60s and 70s.

	Peña de Heydi Igualada Palacio del Segundo Cabo O'Reilly 4, esquina a Tacón, La Habana Vieja	Last Saturday of the month, 4:00 pm / 2009
	One of the most beautiful voices of the Cuban trova, almost always accompanied by very special guests, covers the best of the Cuban trova repertory of all time.

	Tardes del Jazz Hurón Azul, Unión de escritores and Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC) Calle 17 esquina a H, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 832 4551-53	Second Thursday of the month, 5:00 pm / 2009
	Jam sessions with important Cuban jazz musicians and bands.

	Peña de Rembert Duharte Jardines del teatro Mella Línea entre A y B, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 830 4987	Last Friday of the month, 5:00 pm / 2009
	The young jazz musician Rembert Duharte plays the different forms of Cuban jazz.

	Noche de Boleros Hurón Azul, Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC) Calle 17 esquina a H, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 832 4551-53	Saturdays, 9:00 pm / 2009
	Lovers of this romantic genre par excellence have the opportunity of meeting and enjoying the performances of the best Cuban boleristas.

	Hombres Verdes Pabellón Cuba 23 y M, El Vedado	Third Friday of the month, 9:00 pm / 2009
	A gathering for electroacoustic music sponsored by the organization of young Cuban creators: Asociación Hermanos Saíz.

	Peña de la Trova Patio de La Casona de Línea Calle Línea entre D y E, El Vedado	Sunday, 7:30 pm / 2009
	As a confirmation of the old Cuban saying “The trova is not dead”, singers from different generations and different styles get together to sing their songs.

	Trovando Patio-bar of the EGREM record label San Miguel 410 entre Campanario y Lealtad, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 862 0673	Wednesday, 5:00 pm / 2009
	A place where troubadours and poets get together for a unique performance in a bohemian atmosphere.

	Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís Oficios y Churruca, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 9683	6:00 pm, except otherwise indicated / 2009
	3 July: The Amadeo Roldán quartet, conducted by Leonardo Baster, celebrates it 6th anniversary with a concert based on works by Beethoven, Villa-Lobos, Gershwin and William Roblejo. 4 July: The pianist María de los Ángeles Horta and the soprano Ivette Betancourt will play pieces by Chopin, Mozart and Strauss, among other composers. 6 July, 4:00 pm: Graduation concert by the guitarist Magela Oquendo 10 July: The Música Eterna chamber music orchestra, conducted by Guido López-Gavilán, has prepared a varied and attractive program with woks by Vivaldi, Bach, Rodrigo, Falla, Piazzolla, Paganini and Sarasate. 11 July: The Trío Concertante announces a program in tribute to the Cuban composers Ignacio Cervantes and José White, pillars of Cuban romanticism, and Juan Piñera and José María Vitier, outstanding contemporary composers. 17 July: Concert by the pianist Olga Valiente. 18 July: Performance by one of the most successful ensembles of its type in Cuba, the all-female Camerata Romeu, conducted by Zenaida Romeu. 23 and 30 July: Two outstanding choral ensembles, the Nacional and Entre Voces, both conducted by Digna Guerra, get together in this concert. 24 July, 4:00 pm: Graduation concert by the pianist Lisandra Rodríguez.

	Conciertos Boleros de Oro Teatro América Galiano entre Concordia y Neptuno, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 862 5416	3- 5 July, 7:00 pm / 2009
	To make up for the absence of the Boleros de Oro Festival this year, a series of concerts will be given on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the birth of the famous Cuban singer Benny Moré. Rodrigo de la Cadena from Mexico, Mario Bustillo from Colombia, the duet Parranboleros from the Canary Islands and outstanding Cuban bolero singers, such as Beatriz Márquez, Raquel Hernández, Ela Calvo, Anaís Abreu, the Ignacio Piñeiro band and Mundito González, will be performing emblematic pieces from this well-liked, romantic genre, accompanied by the orchestra and chorus of Cuban Television.

Concierto de la Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional

	Concierto de la Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional Teatro Amadeo Roldán Calzada y D, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 832 4521 al 22	5 July
	Conducted by Enrique Pérez Mesa, the National Symphony orchestra, together with the Cuban soloists María Victoria del Collado (piano) and Alfredo Muñoz (violín), will be presenting a program comprised by Felix Mendelssohn’s Double Concert in D minor for piano and violin, and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 in B flat major.

Theatre

	La muerte de un viajante Sala Hubert de Blanck Calzada 657 entre A y B, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 830 1011	Opens 12 Jun, Fri and Sat, 8:30 pm; Sun, 5:00 pm / 2009
	The Hubert de Blanck premieres Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Willy Loman’s grey and frustrated existence and his suicide to save the family, especially his children, from experiencing a similar fate, has been regarded by many as a bitter criticism of the “American dream” and its globalized substitutes.

Juicio y condena pública de Charlotte Corday

	Juicio y condena pública de Charlotte Corday Sala El Sótano Calle K entre 25 y 27, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 832 0630	Throughout July; Tue, Wed and Thu, 6:00 pm / 2009
	Written, produced and directed by Rubén Sicilia, this one-woman show suggests a reinterpretation of the events surrounding the assassination of the French revolutionary Jean Paul Marat in 1793.

	Un elefante ocupa mucho espacio Capilla de El Ciervo Encantado Calle 5ta. esquina a D, El Vedado	18, 19, 25 and 26 July, 10:30 pm / 2009
	A show for both children and adults, based on a short story by the Argentinean writer Laura Devetach, in which music, dance and clowns are combined with the purpose of strengthening the art-life relationship.

Dance

	MalSon Teatro Mella Línea entre A y B, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 830 4987	2 and 3 July, 8:30 pm / 2009
	Choreographed by Susana Pous, music and videos by X Alfonso, and performed by Mailyn Castillo, Saro Silva, Yaima Cruz, Abel Berenguer and Yoan Matos of DanzAbierta, one of the boldest and more creative Cuban dance companies today. According to the dancer and theatre expert Noel Bonilla-Chongo, it “defies the calmness and timidness of the gesture, the cliché, of and the ordinary to reconquer the role of organic and provoked movement…”

	Temporada del Royal Ballet de Londres Gran Teatro de La Habana Prado y San Rafael, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 861 3077 al 79 Teatro Karl Marx Calle 1ra y 8, Miramar Tel. +(53) 7 203 0801 y 209 1991	14-16 July at the Gran Teatro; 17 and 18 at the Karl Marx / 2009
	The Royal Ballet makes historic first visit to Cuba as part of Summer Tour 2009 to Washington, Granada and Havana 23 June to 18 July The Royal Ballet is delighted to announce that it will make its first ever tour to Cuba during its summer tour to Washington, Granada and Havana. The Company will take two programmes and perform in two different, iconic theatres. From 14 to 16 July, The Royal Ballet performs a Mixed Programme featuring Chroma, Divertissements and A Month in the Country at the Gran Teatro de la Havana, Sala Garcia Lorca, followed by two performances of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon on 17 and 18 July in the larger Karl Marx Teatro to an audience of more than 4,500. It is expected that the first Mixed Programme will be broadcast live to a big screen in the centre of Havana. Cuban Royal Ballet Principal Guest Artist, Carlos Acosta, leads the Company in the first performance of Manon partnering Tamara Rojo. read more

	Miércoles de la Danza Sala Tito Junco Centro Cultural Bertolt Brecht Línea y 13, El Vedado	Every Wednesday of the month, 6:00 pm / 2009
	Dedicated to dance with the participation of companies, soloists and experts on the subject.

	La cenicienta Gran Teatro de La Habana Prado y San Rafael, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 861 3077 al 79	24, 25, 26, 30 and 31 July; Fri and Sat, 8:30 pm; Sun, 5:00 pm / 2009
	Choreographed and written by Pedro Consuegra with music by Johann Strauss, Cinderella, ballet in two acts based on Charles Perrault story for children, has become one of the great successes of the company thanks to the excellent portrayals, smooth flow and virtuosity of the dance, the beautiful designs by Armin Heinemann and the fine humor throughout this piece.

	Mi Fiesta en el Gran Caribe Riviera and Saint John’s hotels (Havana); Tortuga and Internacional Hotels (Varadero)	Every Wednesday of the month, 6:00 pm / 2009
	This meeting with children dancers and dance academies for kids the world over includes traditional Cuban dance lessons by prestigious teachers from the island’s art schools, as well as meetings with Cuban children.

	Cuballet Gran Teatro de La Habana Prado y San Rafael, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 861 3077 al 79	Throughout July / 2009
	Theoretical-practical course developed at the Centro Pro Danza, with performances at the Gran Teatro de La Habana, from 1st July to first days of August. Around 200 teachers, dances and students from seven countries will participate in this event under the direction of Laura Alonso, daughter of the prima ballerina Alicia Alonso. The courses will include ballet lessons, physical training, modern and popular dance, makeup, acting, Spanish dance and tango. The closing event of the course will be the premiere in Cuba of the complete version of the ballet Paquita, written by Laura Alonso based on the el original by Mazilier and Paul Foucher.

EVENTS

	Festival del Caribe: Fiesta del Fuego Santiago de Cuba	3-9 July / 2008
	This annual popular festivity of Caribbean cultures, initiated in 1980, aims at harmonizing the identities of the peoples of the region beyond geographic and linguistic diversity. Considered Cuba’s most Caribbean city, Santiago de Cuba is the natural venue for this colourful and joyful celebration—dedicated to fire and its genesis symbolism—which combines dances, rhythms and rituals of strong African centuries-old presence syncretized into the national identity. The “El Caribe que nos une” (The Caribbean which Unites Us All) international colloquium focuses on issues related to the preservation, development and dissemination of Caribbean cultural diversity, as well as actions which could contribute to the unity of the region and promote a cultural exchange with the rest of America and the world. The 2009 edition will be dedicated to Honduras, which will participate with numerous performers, including the Ballet Folclórico Garífuna; Guillermo Anderson, one of the most outstanding musicians in Honduras today; and the Supremos Poderes Band.

	Carnavales de Santiago de Cuba Santiago de Cuba	July / 2008
	Carnival festivities in Santiago de Cuba go back to the late 17th century with the annual procession on the feast of Santiago Apóstol, the patron saint of the town. During colonial times, slaves were granted permission by the Spanish authorities to celebrate the Epiphany with their own music and dance. By the end of the 19th century, these festivities were also held in June and July in celebration of various patron saints days. At the beginning of the 20th century, comparsas (neighbourhood dance groups) and processions of decorated floats began to parade down the streets—a tradition that is still observed. Although many Cuban towns hold their own carnival festivities, none attracts a greater crowd than the Santiago carnival: the whole city seems to move to the rhythm of conga lines, the sound of the Chinese trumpet and dozens of percussion instruments, both traditional and unconventional - bass drums, congas, pots and pans, and spoons - which lead dancing crowds down the steep roads of the city.

A PREVIEW OF THE COMING MONTHS

	Circuba 2009 11-23 August Trompoloco and Fantasía big tops, Havana
	Strictly for circus lovers: circus artists from several countries will be giving their best performances in this Circuba 2009 competition.

Festival Internacional Habana Hip Hop
August
Havana

Hip hop became a sensation in Cuba during the 1990s when this festival was born. Since then, the event has attracted an increasing number of hip hop artists from other countries, as well as featuring many important local groups. There are more than 1,000 rap groups in Cuba today. More recently, the festival has also included rap dancing, graffiti artists, a series of films, and a colloquium with discussion of hip hop culture and issues regarding this type of music which has delved into controversial aspects of Cuban life, such as racism and emerging economic inequalities.

	Cubadanza 3-14 August Teatro Nacional Paseo y 39, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 879 3558 y 879 6011
	Workshop on the techniques developed by the Cuban school of modern dance.

	Varadero Jam Session 11-14 September Playa de Varadero
	Started in 2007 and presided by Chucho Valdés, who is considered one of the best pianists in the world and a major figure of world jazz, the Varadero Jam Session is a spectacular festival of improvisation, with important Cuban and foreign jazz musicians jamming away for the enjoyment of jazz lovers.