Salsa dance courses in Cuba

We have clients coming back every year!

For singles guys, girls, ladies, men and couples

We have all levels beginners, intermediate and advance

This 14 days intensive dance program offers classes in Salsa, Son, Rueda de Casino, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha, and Rumba

The best teachers in Cuba

Every student gets a Cuban dance partner


Trips in 2012-2013:

2012: 31 of March- 14 of April, 1 - 15  of July, 4 -18 of August, 6 - 20 of October, 22 of December - 5 of January 2013

2013: 23 of March - 6 of April, 6- 20 of July, 5 - 19 of October

On week options are possible (then it is half price).

Introduction

The courses are arranged by the Danish/Cuban Friendship Society of Cuban Arts Cuban Culture Club in cooperation with the Cuban organisation CNSEA and Paradico. The teachers are especially selected among the best in Cuba. Each course lasts 14 days and is held at the Hotel Kohly, in association with the National School of Performing Arts (Escuela Nacional de Arte) in Havana.

Coordination

The courses in Cuba are coordinated by Stine Ortvad, a professional dancer from Denmark. Stine Ortvad lived and worked in Cuba for 5 years. This long-term stay gave her a unique insight into Cuban culture. Stine Ortvad graduated from Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana and has taught salsa for almost 20 years.

Tuition

The classes are divided into different levels depending on the ability and experience of the participants. The choice of dances varies. It may include salsa, rueda de casino, son, mambo, cha cha cha, and rumba. Instrumental courses can be arranged to suit your needs, and extra-curricular tuition (15 CUC) is also possible. Usually, tuition takes place between 9 am and 1 pm, leaving time to take extra classes or go sight-seeing. Outings are arranged - to salsa concerts, santeria displays, the legendary cabarets, theatres, beaches etc.

The schedule is:
Monday-Friday from 9:30-13:30
9:30-10:30: Son, mambo, cha cha cha, rumba.
10:30-13:30: Salsa and rueda de casino.

All students receive an official diploma from Escuela Nacional de Arte. It is awarded at an informal ceremony where the participants get the chance to show off their newfound skills!

Accommodation

Duration the course all participants stay in a 3 stars hotel, which includes breakfast and dinner. All rooms have a bathroom. Lunch is available at reasonable prices. The hotel is located 15 minutes by taxi from old Havana, in an atmospheric residential street, fringed with tropical vegetation such as mangrove trees. It is possible to stay in the hotel before and after the course. The hotel has a swimming pool, a fitness centre, a tennis field, a pool bar, and a "Business Centre" which makes it possible to send and receive faxes and e-mails for a small fee, and make overseas phone calls. A few blocks away you find a bank, where it is possible to use major credit cards (with a maximum of 200 USD per day, so it would be advisable to bring cash). Valuables should be deposited in a safety box in your hotel room. All extra nights in the hotel cost 35 euro (meals included), and 30 euro in a double room.

Hotel Kohly, Cuba: Ave. 49-Ay 36, Reparto Kohly Havana .

We will send you a hotel reservation as you need this in order to get a tourist visa to Cuba.

Price and payment

Total price: 1000 Euro, plus extra 100 euro if you like a single room, that have to be pay in Cuba to our rep. in cash.

The price includes: Classes 4 hours daily Monday-Friday for two weeks, 14 days of accommodation at the hotel with 2 daily meals, a city tour around old Havana, and a big party the last night.

We need you to deposit 400 Euro 30 days in advance at this account, and the rest 600 Euro, 14 days before the trip, you will get a receipt and conformation by mail first.

You also have to pay tips to the Cuban dance partners, that is around 100 Euro, and have to be paid the last day in cash to the person.

Receiving Bank Name: Danske Bank
Bank Swift: DABADKKK
Iban: DK7030000016799904.

Further information and sign up:

Cuban Culture Club
Denmark
Phone: +4520987477
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
www.misalsacubana.com


Here is some important information for you to read before departure:

The trip

The authorities are very strict and do not allow you to bring fluids, tooth paste, deodorants, etc. in your hand luggage. Some airports are big, and there may be a long way to go from check-in to the gate. It is a long trip, and you must be prepared to wait for a couple of hours before you receive your luggage in Havana Airport. Please be patient when you come to the immigration/passport control. It may take some time, as Cubans are not speedy.

Take a taxi to the hotel. It costs approximately 25 CUC. Do however feel free to ask one of the other participants to share a taxi and the costs.
Hotel address: Hotel Kohly, Ae. 49-Ay 36, Reparto Kohly Havana)

Information meeting

On Sunday evening at 21h30, we get together for an information meeting in the café at Hotel Kohly. At that time everybody should have arrived, and you will meet the other participants. On Monday morning at 9h15, all participants meet in the lobby at Hotel Kohly. The dance lessons take place in a dance hall at Hotel Kohly, and at the Hotel Bosque (5 minutes from Hotel Kohly), where one of the groups will have their dance lessons.

Visa

Everyone wishing to enter Cuba is required to apply for a Cuban visa. You must apply for a tourist visa at the Cuban embassy in your home country. American citizens can buy the visa when they arrive in Cuba. Your passport will not be stamped.

Hotel

Address: Hotel Kohly, Ave. 49-Ay 36, Reparto Kohly, Havana.

Single rooms have been reserved for those of you who have not requested a double room. Please note that there is a supplement of 100 euro for single rooms.

The rooms will be assigned upon arrival. The hotel needs your passport number to check you in, so if you have not already done so, please send your passport number to us without delay.
You can rent a safety box for the room; it costs 2 CUC per day and is paid upon arrival.

Two daily meals are included in the price. Meals are served in the restaurant of the hotel: Dinner is between 19-22h every day. Breakfast is between 7-10h.
The hotel is situated in a green and quiet area. It has a swimming pool. There is also a small beach, Santa Maria, approximately 3 minutes drive from the hotel. Don’t forget to bring your swimwear!

The hotel allows you to have friends/visitors at the hotel, but Cubans are only admitted to enter the hotel when they have a specific errand. They are not permitted to enter the hotel rooms unless they live in the hotel.
Laundry: If you leave your dirty clothes in a plastic bag with the staff at the hotel, they will take care that it is washed. You pay in cash upon delivery.

Internet: There is an internet connection at the hotel. It works, although slowly. It costs 6 CUC per hour.

The dance lessons

This is what it’s all about! The lessons take place at Hotel Kohly, and in other premises nearby. Inside the hotel, there are two big halls, where two classes dance, while a third class dances under the palm trees. There will be three classes: beginners, intermediate, and advanced.

On the first day the instructors will study your dance skills and determine which class you should go to. This is to ensure that everybody is placed at the right level.

Every participant gets a Cuban dance partner. The teaching takes place in teams, and there will be two instructors. Every team will have an English interpreter who translates from Spanish into English whenever necessary. Our teacher and assisting teacher are good at showing the movements slowly. You may find that their way of teaching is different from the pedagogical methods you know from your own country. The Cuban way is a different way, but it works, and you will get value for money.

If it should happen that it doesn’t work well between a participant and a dance partner we will find another dance partner. As part of the cultural experience, please be prepared to make an effort to understand the local mentality and energy, which is so exciting. We always find a number of tall guys for the tall girls. Local female dance partners are usually not as tall as the male participants, but don’t worry, they are very sweet and good dance partners.

Every morning at 9h 15 we gather for an information meeting. From 9h30 there is one hour of warm-up with an introduction to other types of dances, e.g. son and rumba. Thereafter there will be three hours of salsa and rueda de casino.

Dancing for so many hours may be a challenge, and the dance floor is a little hard. Please remember to bring soft shoes (sneakers). As you will be sweating a lot during classes, it might also be a good idea to bring many T-shirts. There are no rules about dancing in shorts or long pants. We only recommend comfortable clothes for training.

Sightseeing and night life

On the second day we take you on sightseeing in Havana Vieja (Old Havana). We may also go on other tours during the stay, depending on your wishes. There is a tourist information center in the lobby of Hotel Kohly. We will typically go on tours in the afternoon, and we might find good bands at this time of day (entry only 10 CUC). This is also a good time for going out if you don’t want to be too tired at the dance lessons next morning. Entry to dance shows/cabaret shows (beautiful costumes and headgear decorated with feathers) is not quite so cheap, approximately 40 CUC. We will also go to some rumba and folkloristic places during the week. At night during the weekends, we go out and enjoy some of the biggest bands. In Cuba, it is customary to dress nicely when you go out at night. On Sunday, we usually go to the fantastic beach Santa Maria and enjoy the whole day there. It is up to you whether you wish to take part in these activities.

Read about music places and night life events at:
http://www.egrem.com.cu/egrem/progcmusica.asp

Dance partners

The Cubans do not earn much money, so you must be prepared to pay for them if you take them out. It is up to you how much you would like to invite them out. However, it is usually a good idea. It creates good relations, you can feel safe, and you have somebody to dance with when going out. Usually, you agree to meet with the girl/guy in front of the music club, and then you pay for her/his entry. It is relatively cheap to go out, depending on the choice of band (between 5-20 CUC). Please, bear in mind that you pay for all the costs for your dance partner, i.e. entry and drinks. The Cubans get their salary in Pesos National, equivalent to approximately 10 CUC a month, so they haven’t got much money. If/when you take your dance partner out she/he will try to pay for her/his own entry in Pesos National, if possible, (100 Pesos National is equivalent to approx. 5 CUC). This is to save money so that it will be cheaper for you. Your dance partner will assist you in exchanging your money to the local currency, and then there will be no further exchange fees. You can use the local currency if you want to buy fruit, pizza, water, and the like in local shops in Havana.

Tips to the cuban dance partners

The Cuban dance partners receive a small amount of money from the dance school for their two weeks of dancing. Thus, we kindly suggest that the participants tip their dance partner at the end of the course. The amount would typically be 100 Euro, but of course we leave it to you to decide how much to offer, depending on how satisfied you have been with your dance partner, but no less than 80 Euro. Cubakultur.dk pays the teacher and interpreter. Tips are expected in Cuba (5-10% in the restaurants, and tips for guides and the like).

Gifts

If you have clothes, T-shirts, make-up, teddy bears, toys, etc. that you do not use anymore and if you have room for these things in your suitcase, please bring it along. The Cubans would be more than happy to receive them. Everything can be used in Cuba. The Cubans are very appreciative people and have only very little money to buy things. We also warmly recommend bringing pens, lighters, perfume, and clothes in general.

Shopping/pocket money

Apart from cigars, rum, CD’s with local artists and some art, it is very limited what you can buy in Cuba, and things are generally very expensive due to the embargo. The few countries trading with Cuba enjoy a kind of monopolistic position. But there is always a lot going on, just remember that you have to pay an entry fee every time you go out.
You should expect to spend approximately 600 euro during your stay.

Foreign currency/course fee and security

It is not worth exchanging money (and probably not possible either) at home into Cuban Dollars Convertibles - also called Pesos Convertibles (CUC). CUC should not be confounded with the local Pesos Nacional that the Cubans spend in the rationing shops and which foreigners cannot use in most places. The rate of the Cuban CUC is 10-20% lower than that of euro (and is very unstable). Whenever we refer to dollars (CUC) we mean Cuban Dollars Convertibles. On the websitewww.valutakurser.dk you will find the exchange rate of “Cuban Peso” – not Cuban Dollars Convertibles. You should bring euro with you from your own country. Euro cannot be used as means of payment, but can be exchanged to Cuban Dollars Convertibles. You can do so at the airport upon arrival (you will have plenty of time while waiting for your luggage), or in the bank located a 5 minutes walk from Hotel Kohly. Do NOT try to exchange money in the street!

VISA cards can be used, but it is expensive as the fee is approximately15%. It is recommended to bring cash from home. It is difficult to say how much pocket money you will need, but an estimate is 600 euro . Make sure to exchange CUC into euro before departure. It is possible to exchange DKKR in a shopping mall in the centre of Havana.

The weather

In general, the weather is good in Cuba. When it rains you will notice it (!) so it is a good idea to bring an umbrella.

Vaccinations and mosquitoes

It is recommended to have vaccinations against tetanus and hepatitis (hepatitis A). If you travel a lot you may already have had these vaccinations.
It is a good idea to bring mosquito repellent from home as it is very hard to find in Cuba, and there may be many mosquitoes in the morning and evening.
Remember your own medicine if you need something special. Medicine is expensive in Cuba.

Food

Cuba is known for many exotic things, but not for its cooking. The food is fine, you get lots of fruits, vegetables and meat at the hotel, but there is not much variation, and you may not find it exciting. To stabilize your stomach, bring yoghurt pills, but if you do not drink tap water, not eat fish from outside the hotel , neither shellfish in the streets, you would be fairly safe.

Electricity

The standard mains voltage in Cuba is 110 volt (V). One plug in the hotel room is 220 V; this is the plug for the air condition. Bring appliances that can be used in a 110 V country - or a small transformer that transforms from 110 V to 220 V (Danish standard). As the air condition plug (220 V) is placed in the room and not in the bathroom, you should bring a mirror if you need one when using electrical appliances connected to the 220 V plug in the room.

Water/toilet paper

Do not drink the tap water. We recommend to buy bottled water in big quantities as water in the supermarket can be sold out or there may be a long way to the next shop. There is a little shop in the hotel and a bigger supermarket approximately 5 minutes from the hotel. The humidity is very high in Cuba, and you drink a lot of water.
You will rarely find toilet paper at public toilets in Cuba. Thus we recommend you always to carry some in your bag when outside the hotel. The toilets are often very simple, compared to Danish standards. The toilet paper must be put in the little bin next to the toilet (never in the lavatory). This is the case both at the hotel and at public toilets.

Politics/security

Fidel Castro has delegated his power to his brother, Raoul. Should Fidel Castro die while we stay in Cuba it is not likely that anything should happen. You need not worry about the political situation. However, if an emergency situation arises we are not responsible for the participants and we therefore recommend you to buy travel insurance.

Mobile phones

Cuba is covered, but it costs approximately 1 euro to send and receive SMS, and phone calls cost approximately 4 euro per minute.

Cuban Salsa

Read the history of cuban salsa at: http://michbuze.club.fr/burdi/histoire.htm