Cuba-Vibes: The dance virus that embodies an attitude to life

Cuba-Vibes

Since I have to rewrite Cuba vibes, I'll start from yesterday. After spending almost 4 months in cold and wet Germany, I was happy to be back in Israel. Yesterday I was finally able to dance salsa again. After a lot of people had arrived at Bet Gabriel, the warm-up exercises for the dance began. We then divided into groups depending on our abilities. I went to the mediocre dancer. The lesson was a basic step to the Rueda, a bit too much repetition for me. I discovered many familiar faces from Media Noche Kinnererth

Then the dance party started. For a long time I didn't manage to get one of the sought-after good salsa dancers. So I mostly danced alone. But then a hot Michal Jackson salsa mix came along and I grabbed the bald guy. It is so indescribable when you have the feeling that you can completely let yourself go in his hands (guidance) and at the same time have control over your body. I let the rhythm flow through my body even more. If you then feel that your partner finds the same vibes, then you will take off in the dance. It's just an incredible feeling of freedom.

And I have exactly the same feeling even when I dance in the water. Letting yourself go and being carried in the water. At the same time, I let the music control, guide, move and heat my body. So I let go of everything and glide through the water like a dolphin. Float away in the dance with the music. Off to Cuba back in the spring.

Cuba vibes or the Cuba virus is undoubtedly a dance virus that embodies the mood and attitude to life of Cuba. It is an inner liberation that is experienced through the rhythm of Latin American music in dance. It is about letting go and letting yourself fall into the hands of the dancer in order to stage the music together. You become a part of a dream, your own musical. Once you've experienced this feeling, you'll never want to miss it again.

My trip to Cuba

At the first opportunity (invitation) to Cuba, I couldn't help but take it. I turned the world upside down on Passover when I came to Cuba. Only three people were in on my crazy plan: Mom, Andrea and Uri. And so the adventure was inevitable; it was also my first flight across the Atlantic. The journey to the island was already promising. Of course I was picked up in a pink Cadillac and we were wonderfully accommodated in an upstairs apartment in Old Havana. As we explored the old town, we came across the first typical Cuban sounds from restaurants.

This together with the colors, the mix of old and new, a wonderful first impression of Havana. Vinales; From there the journey overland went west to Vinales in a fully-fledged shared taxi (vintage car). At some point we stopped at a sugar cane farm. Vinales is beautiful, Bund and the surrounding nature are breathtaking. You can plan your day at breakfast in the family room.

For example, a horseback ride to the Cigarette Farm and Caves includes purchasing a whole pineapple to take home, or a bike ride to the nearest remote lake. Another bike ride led to the large caves and another to the Coco Logo bush bar. The highlight was attending the dance evening in the city center on Sunday. The open venue was packed and the live band was heating up the crowded dance floor and I had to be there. In the middle of it all, even though I couldn't dance salsa yet, I let myself turn around. The closest city was Trinidad (southeast of Havana) Is the city with the cobblestones and narrow streets that turn into a salsa party mall at night.

We also visited the underside of the tourist town of Slams, met wonderful people there and were then taken to a beautiful rooftop restaurant with views over the city to the sea. And of course live music, I play the bongo every now and then and dance between the now full tables. These are CUBA VIBES! A great evening of dancing (salsa) in a crowded bar and a visit to the beach rounded the whole thing off, PURE CUBA. Of course there are still many anecdotes to tell, such as: from getting lost in the streets of Trinidad, searching for the internet WIFI, the heavy rain from time to time, the beautiful fruits and breakfast plates etc. But I should write that in my book. The next highlight was Varadero. Varadero is a long peninsula with miles of white sandy beaches. There are many luxury hotels on the island, but in the village center there are cool rooms for rent, good and idyllic restaurants and everything a tourist needs.

There is also no shortage of good food. I love the fried bananas with it, but a fresh Pina Colada tops it all off. And I had to go dancing, unfortunately the Havana Club was closed that night so we ended up at an open bar with live music and a dance show. What I didn't know was that I would then become part of the club's entertainment program. Although I barely understood anything, I “accidentally” ended up on stage at a dance competition. First task for us (6) candidates: a model walk (catwalk). I can do that with an oriental catwalk. Then we have to look for partners in the audience, I have the Cuban!

The next task is to dance a medley of parlor dances with a brand new partner, without practicing and without saying the songs! we do another round, even though I have no experience in salon dancing. We even made it to the final with our individual dance. but the dirty dance rumba was a step too big! But it was great fun to throw out the XXL American! Back in Havana I went to a real salsa evening with a professional competition with Eddy, a Cuban. I dance salsa with Eddy until midnight. From then on I finally got the CUBA DANCE VIBES. And you won't be able to get rid of the Latin virus anytime soon.

Since then I have taken a Cuban dance class and attended many salsa evenings in Israel. Dancing salsa in the water requires short and quick movements, but I love it.

Cuba vibes or the Cuba virus is undoubtedly a dance virus that embodies the mood and attitude to life of Cuba. It is an inner liberation that is experienced through the rhythm of Latin American music in dance. It is about letting go and letting yourself fall into the hands of the dancer in order to stage the music together. You become a part of a dream, your own musical. Once you've experienced this feeling, you'll never want to miss it again.

It is interesting to learn that dance, especially salsa, is a kind of balm for the wounds of slavery suffered by Africans in Cuba. The dance's African roots have a deep connection to Cuba's history and culture.

Salsa dance, which originated in Cuba in the 1920s, is a mix of African and European influences. The African slaves brought their traditional dances with them to Cuba and mixed them with the European dance styles introduced by the colonial masters. This fusion led to the creation of salsa, which is now known and loved worldwide.

Salsa is not just a dance, but also an expression of freedom and joy of life. Cuban society has embraced salsa as part of its identity and made it an important part of its cultural heritage.

The importance of salsa dance to African Cubans is that it offers them a way to preserve and celebrate their history and culture. Through dance they can heal the wounds of slavery and strengthen their identity. It is a form of resistance against oppression and exploitation.

Salsa dance has evolved over time, producing different styles and variations. Each style has its own peculiarities and characteristics, but they all share the passion and energy that characterizes salsa.

Nowadays, salsa is popular not only in Cuba, but also in many other parts of the world. People from different cultures and backgrounds come together to dance the salsa and feel the Cuban vibes. It is a universal language that connects people and gives them a sense of community and belonging.

The Cuba virus, the dance virus, is not just a fad, but a deeply rooted way of life that inspires people all over the world. It is the joy of dancing, the joy of life and the joy of being part of a cultural movement inspired by Cuba's African roots.