Who We Are
Ballet Folklórico Cutumba is a world-renowned professional dance company and cultural institution based in the city of Santiago de Cuba. Our multi-talented troupe of dancers, singers, percussionists and choreographers are united by a passionate dedication to preserve, uphold and creatively promote the diverse cultural legacies of Cuba's eastern provinces.
As ambassadors of Afro-Haitian-Caribbean folklore, we draw upon decades of intensive research to authentically recreate dances, rituals, rhythms and centuries-old performance traditions. Our artistry encompasses the spiritual Yoruba influences and the visceral Abakua legacy, to French Haitian and Spanish strains that amalgamated into eastern Cuba's fascinatingly individual identity.
Our History
The roots of our company took hold in 1959 when a group of young artists formed the ‘Conjunto Folklórico de Oriente’ to preserve and elevate the nation's folkloric arts onto the national stage. Over the next decades, the pioneering ensemble branched into two distinct companies - our venerable Ballet Folklórico Cutumba and the Ballet Folklórico de Oriente.
Since its inception in 1976, Cutumba has been committed to an indefatigable exploration of Afro-Cuban culture through the Oriente lens. Travelling to remote villages, we've documented archivalliances dances and rhythms from the descendants of African slaves and Haitian emigres who bequeathed the region its unique syncretic traditions.
From those field studies, Cutumba has built an unparalleled repertoire that recreates everything from obscure rural rituals and long-suppressed Haitian pastorals to the pageantry of Santiago's iconic carnviales. Through tireless educational initiatives and mesmerising stage productions, we've delivered eastern Cuba's living folkloric legacy at prestigious festivals across many continents.