Outside Havana, the Festival del Tango de Gibara, Holguin \ is the most important international tango event in Cuba. Under the presidency of Elisa Hernandez, it has attracted a wide range of Argentine tango dancers as well as local performers. During the festival, there are tango classes available from both Argentine teachers and their hosts, practicas, demonstrations, tangothemed performances.
Santiago de Cuba, the second city of Cuba is the undisputed home of traditional Cuban music and dance, Circulo Amigos del Tango Argentino Ledesma is the oldest and most well established tango club in the city with regular classes, practicas and seminaries. Founded in 1984 by Don Hugo Sagredo Jimanez, it aims to develop among its members practice, promotion and dissemination of the tango music and dance. Classes are held every Friday.
Cuba offers many opportunities to practice and dance, from the El Ojo de Ciclon galeria of Leo D’ Lazaro to Del Prado on Sundays, in front of La Union Arabe. If it rains, there is always the Academia del Tango on Calle Agustin Garcia. On Fridays, Pedacito de Cielo hosts evening practicas and milongas at the Academia del Tango Agustin Garcia. Gion Santana has begun a relatively new milonga called Ensueno that is also held there. So, dancers have a choice.
Cuba is, without question, the leading Caribbean island for the teaching and preservation of the tango. Here is where it all began for the peoples of the Crystal Isles. The Cubans are very proud of their musically inspired heritage, as can be noted by their deep immersion into many other world famous Cuban music and dance genres, such as danzón, rumba, and cha cha cha. With the reopening of travel opportunities for Americans, they will able to share their love of music and dance.
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