performance at the Hotel Melía Cohiba . We also heard from the influential musician and musicologist , Alberto Faya , who provided us with an overview of Cuban music , emphasizing its strong relationship between preserving culture and preserving life . “ We Cubans ,” he said , “ breathe music all the time . It ’ s so much a part of the cultural fabric .”
In addition to music , the tour also incorporated dance and art , with excursions to see Afro Cuba , a colorful and dynamic Afro Cuban dance troupe with eye-popping physicality , and the Santa Malia Jazz Dance Project . The latter is comprised of a group of dancers ranging in age from 65 to 87 who perform traditional jazz choreography in the home of Grammyaward winner , Chucho Valdes , one of the country ’ s most renowned rhythm kings . These senior citizens ’ passion and spirit , not to mention their agility and talent , is remarkable . Their love of dance is contagious and during our visit they had everyone on the floor strutting their newly acquired Latin dance moves .
It ’ s not just the adults who are involved in the arts , but also the children who are carrying on these vibrant traditions in the schools and after-school programs . In the village of Matanzas , for example , a new community project offers children the opportunity to learn Cuban and Spanish dance . Other activities include guitar and voice lessons , and classes in basic etiquette . The kids take immense enjoyment in performing for visitors and the pride they have in their accomplishments is testament to the success of the program . Another project we visited was geared towards youth living in Centro Havana , a more high risk area of the city , and involved the art of paper mache . Founded by Lazaro Salsita , a noted painter and lithographer , the program teaches children how to make art using recycled materials and papiermâché . They are then free to keep whatever they make or they can choose to sell their creations on site . Salsita ’ s house is a veritable papier-mâché museum with hundreds of items lining the walls of every room .
Finally , when it comes to art , a visit to the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana is a must . There are two buildings : one houses an international collection and the other focuses on works by Cuban artists . The latter contains an impressive range of pieces from Cuban surrealism and contemporary abstracts to landscapes , sculptures and politically-charged works . It ’ s an eye-opener to the moods and
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