Nearly 1 million Africans from West and Central Africa were captured by Cuba's Spanish colonists and brought to Cuba during the 16th through 19th centuries.

As Cuba's plantations expanded in the late 18th and 19th centuries, so did the slave trade. Most enslaved Africans in Cuba were Yoruba from Nigeria.
 

We would like to introduce to you the beauty of dances seeped in historical significance

Afro-Cuban Dance

Most of the  dances  are from the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria  These dances originate from Yoruba traditions  imported by enslaved Africans into Cuba . These slaves were controlled by the spanish and were forced to speak Spanish and convert to Christianity. In order to preserve their native religious traditions, the  slaves gave their African dieties  the names of Christian saints and thus continued to worship them .  This religion is known as Santeria, and under disguise,   many religious  rituals, dances and musical traditions from Africa were preserved.  Santeria is   still practised in Cuba  today. 

Afro Cubano dance brings life to  these  Orishsas (saints) - Eleggua, Oggun, Oshun, Chango, Yemaya, Arara, Obatala, and many others.

This programme is run one weekend a month.  Please click on the timetable for the next start dates.

Rumba with Ariel

CUBAN RUMBA

Traditional Cuban Dance

Rumba developed in the Cuban provinces of Havana and Matanzas in the late 19th century. Historically Rumba was marginalised  because it was viewed as dangerous and lewd. Cuban Rumba can be broken down into three  main types: Yambú,  Columbia, and Guaguancó  

Rumba Yambú  is the oldest and slowest known style of rumba, sometimes called the Old People's Rumba. It uses the slowest beat of the three Rumba styles and incorporates movements feigning frailty. It can be danced alone  or by men and women together. Although male dancers may flirt with female dancers during the dance, they do not use the vacunao of Rumba Guaguancó.


Rumba Guaguancó is faster than yambú, with more complex rhythms, and involves overtly flirtatious movements between a man and a woman in the roles of "Rooster" and "Hen".The woman both entices and "protects herself" from the man, who tries to catch the woman off-guard with a vacunao -- tagging her with the flip of a handkerchief or by throwing his arm, leg or pelvis in her direction in an act of symbolic sexual contact. To defend herself, she may cover with her hand, or use her skirt to protect her pelvis and whip the sexual energy away from her body. Guaguancó most likely inherited the idea of the 'vacunao' from yuca or macuta dances, which were both brought to Cuba by Bantú ethnic groups.

Rumba ColumbiaSolo, traditionally male, dancers displays acrobatic movements. Men may also compete with other men to display their agility, strength, confidence and even sense of humour