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Learning
to dance the salsa, Cuban-style
By CNN's
Monita Rajpal, April 5, 2007.
HAVANA, Cuba (CNN) -- I've been in Havana
for more than a week and what's evident
is that life here isn't focused on material
wealth.
Most Cubans don't earn -- or have -- a
lot of money, but what they do have in abundance
is an amazing energy.
And they know how to have fun.
To many, Cuba is known as the isle of rum
and salsa. I'm at the Havana Club for a
dance lesson. Its tasting room is a reminder
of the drinking establishments that made
the city famous in the pre-revolution 1930s.
My teacher is Darien Fernandez Valdivia,
a dance professor at the Havana Club.
Dance variations exist and when it comes
to salsa, Cubans have a style all their
own.
For me, we're starting with the basics.
It's more difficult to do with the music
and when you're trying not to count out
loud.
The word salsa means 'sauce' in Spanish,
and in reference to dance it is flavor or
style. The music is a fusion of African,
Cuban and Latin American rhythms.
the Cuban steps are known as Guapea. The
simplified version that I've been learning
involves the eight-step count and there
are variations for those more advanced.
Is it enjoyable? Yes. But salsa is also
a way for ordinary Cubans to make a living.
Juan Ernesto Santana Hernandez teaches
dance in a private home. Although he has
not had any formal dance training, he says
the intimacy of home tuition attracts tourists.
It's a family atmosphere, and part way
through my lesson, others are invited to
join in.
Luz confides that she is 78 years old,
and accepts my invitation to dance.
There is a similar family atmosphere in
some of Cuba's restaurants but more from
necessity than choice.
Since the 1990s, Cubans have been permitted
to serve meals from their homes, in restaurants
known as paladares.
They're heavily taxed by the government
and involve long working hours. Unlike state
run restaurants, they are governed by strict
rules.
Paladares must employ family members, only
12 seats are allowed and they are forbidden
from serving seafood or beef.
Elizabeth Montero's restaurant -- essentially
tables in her back room and patio extension
-- serves traditional creole fare.
For many Cubans, eating out is rarely affordable,
but a meal for two in a paladare can be
bought for as little as 10 cuc -- the currency
Fidel Castro created mainly for tourists.
It's roughly $10.
I met photographic producer Lucky Look
at another paladare called La Cocina de
Lilliam. He's been to Cuba 74 times.
"The thing that I've learned is that
where we live we have so many things for
communication, like cellular phones. But
here they do not have so much. There's more
communication between people. They meet
each other," he says.
"They talk about life, about their
family, how they feel. Where we come from,
it's difficult to know who the person living
just next door is. That's why I love just
to be here because when you walk you can
feel free inside."
"It is so difficult to find one country
where everybody is so happy. But here they
don't have so many things, but they feel
so happy inside themselves. That's why I
always come here."
And, like many other tourists, Look says
he'll keep coming back to Cuba despite the
restrictions because of its people, their
friendliness and their charm.
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