Embracing Cuban Culture before Visiting on Holiday

1. Learn to Salsa

One synonymous activity which has long been associated with Cuba is the dance form known as salsa.

Many of you may have tried salsa at one time or another for fun, but the standard of dance in Cuba tends to be very high, given that dance and music are so closely aligned and ingrained into the culture.

If you want to get more of a feel for Cuban culture and to better appreciate this dance form for when you are in Cuba, why not take a few classes locally in salsa, wherever you live.

Learning even some basic salsa moves can be fun and will make the dance shows you can expect to see in Havana and other locations, that much more interesting.

2. Get a Feel for Cuban Music

Cuban music has a distinctly Latin and Caribbean mix to it and is lively.

The term ‘Afro Cuban’ is often also used for music, because of the influence from Africa on Cuban music.

The local music often has a jazzy sound to it, although of course depending on the exact style of music being played.

3. Black Beans and Yellow Rice

I used to live in New York City and my interest in Cuban food was instigated by the discovery of a restaurant on Broadway, which to this day, remains my favorite place to eat in the world aka La Caridad on 78th Street and Broadway.

Although listed as a Chinese Cuban restaurant, my experiences of eating one of the staple foods of Cuba with black beans and yellow rice was always a favorite.

Some of the best foods and tastiest can also be the simplest sometimes, as many lovers of Italian food will know.

If you live in the UK, some options include:

• The Cuban Bristol (in Bristol)
• Viva Cuba (Leeds)
• Escudo de Cuba (London)

4. Read about Cuba

There are a number of excellent books out there which give you an insight into all aspects of Cuban culture, including its history, people, foods, dance, the different areas of the country, and the culture as a whole.

One of the best series of books though for getting an overall view and outlook on Cuba is the Culture Shock series.

5. Learn a Little about the History

The Culture Shock series book above is a great start for getting to know and understand some of the basics about Cuba and its history.

6. Visit a Cuban Festival

• Festival de Cuba – annual festival which takes place in Stuttgart in Germany. This event takes place every October and brings together Cuban artists from all over Europe in a celebration of everything Cuban. A number of workshops are included and which give you the chance to learn a range of Cuban dance forms. (Accommodation in Stuttgart for the event)
• Cuba in Brighton – Another annual event, this time in Brighton, England, on the south coast. This event focuses on music and dance and normally includes over 50 hours worth of workshops to choose from and live Cuban music every day, over the course of four days. The festival normally takes place every June, so I would recommend to book accommodation in Brighton early because this seaside resort gets very busy in the summer months.
• Guaguanco Festival – if you live in Spain and close enough to the town of ‘Lloret de Mar‘, then the Guaguanco festival is an excellent 4 day international event, which includes daily workshops for all levels of dancers. Every night there is also a show and party from midnight through to five in the morning and there is a lot going on throughout the town. Try Cuban food, watch live bands and get to meet Cuban artists from around the world.
• If you live in France, then the ‘Aqui Cuba’ festival in the lovely town of Rennes makes for a wonderful location for such an event. This lively city hosts this 3 day event every October and has been running for over twelve years. The event includes a number of concerts, shows and classes and attracts many of the best Cuban performers in Europe and afar. Rennes is the capital city of the Brittany region and is steeped in history. (Info on staying in Rennes)

7. Movies Connect to Cuba

The number of movies about Cuba and from Cuba is very small in relative terms.

Investment in the movie industry unsurprisingly has been very limited in the last few decades.

This is very likely to change in the future though, as trade barriers begin to fall.

For now, some movies you might enjoy, which might at least give you a little flavor of Cuba are: