Afro-Cuban
At the heart of our mission, Cutumba's curriculum covers a panorama of authentic Afro-derived dances and folkloric expressions original to Cuba's eastern provinces. Our expert instructors will immerse you in the rhythms, symbols and performance traditions surrounding sacred Yoruba forms like the trance-like gagá and the initiated-only Arará dances.
You'll also experience the call-and-response choreography, textured undulations and polyrhythmic drumming of rumba as danced in Havana, Matanzas and Santiago's centuries-old rumba societies. Folkloric dances like tonadas evoke the blended African-Spanish roots, while character pieces showcase dances from Cuban cabildos or colonial social clubs.
Other classes highlight culturally-specific Afro-Cuban dances like the processional Bantú traditions and complex yeyelucumí inspired by Cuban Abakuá secret societies. The yeyé curriculum covers symbolic meanings, rhythmic footwork and ritualized movements from this male-only Afro-Cuban fraternity
You'll learn majestic dances portraying combative warriors, animals and initiation ceremonies accompanied by dense polyrhythms played on nkemyé drums. Similarly, Cutumba preserves rarely-seen Bantú-derived styles like the Yambú and makara from Santiago's Regla de Palo indigenous religion.
No matter the ancient folkloric form, students gain deep insights into each dance's unique history, spiritual symbolism and cultural context within the diverse diaspora of eastern Cuba. Our faculty's institutional knowledge ensures the intangible heritage surrounding these sacred traditions gets passed down with utmost authenticity and respect.
Salsa
No Cuban dance repertoire would be complete without salsa - the undisputed queen of Latin partner dances and a quintessential part of our nation's cultural identity. Cutumba offers premier salsa instruction to help students of all levels master the iconic rhythms, footwork, timing and stylistic flair of this exhilarating couples dance.
Our syllabus covers the fundamental Casino rueda de casion moves that originated in Havana's raucous street parties, where tightly-turning partners execute acrobatic tricks and reverse moves. From the basic cross-body lead to more intricate LA and Miami styles, you'll learn to express dynamic passion through intricately intertwined movements.
Beyond technique, we instil the authentic sabor, esthetics and attitude that give each salsa style its unique regional flair. With our sensual instruction, you'll exude the hip-swinging confidence, articulated upper body movements, and playful audience rapport that define great salsatros.
Son
The infectious son cubano rhythms and dance lay the essential foundation of Afro-Cuban movement and partnering. From the rural combos that birthed salsa to the old-time salons and carnavales, these energetic call-and-response moves blend Spanish girded dignity with earthy African undulations.
In our son classes, you'll master the guapachá rhythm's two-step pulse driven by claves, maracas, bongos and vocals. Students learn the styles popularized by legends like Cachao and El Gran Combo, with grounded camino kicks and rhythmic break-away moves for the advanced male singer/dancer known as the sonavoz.
Crucially, you'll also learn Cuban son gestures like batting moves that embody a fun, flirtatious courtship between the masculine and feminine roles. Upholding the son and its Afro-Hispanic roots is crucial to preserving the island's foundational folkloric lineage.
Every year since 1998 we have been organising two week dance holiday workshops based in Santiago de Cuba. Aimed at dancers from absolute beginner to advanced levels, these holiday programmes include 3 hours of Cuban dance lessons each day and accompanied nights out with Cuban dance partners to local dance clubs. Everyone on the holiday has their own professional Cuban dance partner for all tuition and nights out, and this allows everyone to not only learn at their own pace but also helps to boost confidence and dance ability. The trips are scheduled at regular intervals throughout the year and often coincide with local music and dance festivals taking place in the city.
For full details of these unique dance holidays, please contact Kath on kath@caledoniaworldwide.com or have a look at the website on www.caledoniaworldwide.com