Cuban Music, Dance, and Art

The revolutionary government of Cuba officially recognizes that cultural activity is essential to the fulfillment of its economic and social goals, and has accordingly been very supportive of Cuban art, music, and literature, including the promotion of appreciation of the African elements in Cuban culture. All areas of Cuban culture are protected and promoted by the Ministry of Culture established in 1976.

Cuban music is a distinctive combination of Spanish and African elements: The rumba, guaracha, bolero, conga, and cha-cha are among Cuban rhythms enjoyed by listeners and dancers all over the world. The habanera that most of us can hum from Georges Bizet's opera Carmen is a Cuban dance rhythm. The National Folklore Group of Cuba is the foremost performing group of Cuban dances, and represents the country among the international set of folk dance troupes that perform throughout the world. Cuban interest in ballet predates the revolution: The world-famous Cuban dancer Alicia Alonso founded Ballet Alicia Alonso in 1948.

Of special interest are the singers Silvio Rodriguez and Pablo Milanes, who started a musical movement called La nueva trova, politically and socially conscious songs that comment on the new Cuban man and woman. These songs are somewhat in the spirit of the American '60s singers like Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Joan Baez, and can be heard all over Latin America and Spain.

There is a national Cuban literature, in Spanish, that had its origins in 19th-century Cuban writers' commitment to Cuban independence from Spain. José Martí, who is discussed above in more detail, was the foremost of these writers.

Cuban filmmakers have earned respect in international cinematographic circles and are particularly adept at capturing varied facets of social problems within a narrative or anecdotal framework. One film in particularFresa y chocolate (Strawberries and Chocolate)has gained a great deal of international attention, not only for its quality (Variety reviewed it as "an international breakthrough film for Cuban cinema, thanks to its great good humor and wit"), but also its subject matter. It portrays the friendship between two young men, one of them a dedicated socialist homophobe and the other a loca (overt homosexual) in the days before the Mariel boatlift. The film has been wildly popular in Cuba and won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in February, 1995.

Cuban posters are perhaps the best and most popular example of Cuban art, and form one of the country's national exports. Other Cuban art can be seen and enjoyed in over two hundred museums on the island.

Several sources mention that the drastic economic situation in Cuba has caused a good many Cuban artists, musicians, writers, and others in the cultural milieu to leave the country.

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