Apr 3, 2017 - the best event for getting into contact with daring ...... our sports: the constant contact among the youn
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lahabana Cuban SPORTS
INCLUDING GUIDE TO THE BEST PLACES TO EAT, DRINK, DANCE AND STAY IN HAVANA
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LA HABANA.COM is an independent platform, which seeks to showcase the best in Cuba arts & culture, life-style, sport, travel and much more... We seek to explore Cuba through the eyes of the best writers, photographers and filmmakers, both Cuban and international, who live work, travel and play in Cuba. Beautiful pictures, great videos, reviews, insightful articles and inside tips.
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lahabana. com Cuban sports, its achievements and results, have led Cuba to become a true power in this area, but also to be admired throughout the world. Many people cannot understand how an island of only 11 million people has been able to achieve so many feats of this nature. They fail to realize that for the Cuban people, the practice of sports is not only a right—it is also an expression of their way of life. In this month’s issue, which is dedicated to Cuban sports, there is something for everyone—from interviews with Olympics athletes to great moments in the history of Cuban sport. If you like traditional Spanish dance and music, be sure you don’t miss the La Huella de España Festival (April 2-9) where the rich Spanish cultures alternate with decidedly Cuban manifestations. And if you want to know what young Cuban filmmakers are up to nowadays, the Muestra Joven ICAIC (April 4-9) is the best event for getting into contact with daring and inquisitive works. Elsewhere in Cuba, the Festival Internacional de Cine de Gibara— former International Low-Budget Film Festival—takes place from April 15 to 21 in the small town of Gibara, in the eastern province of Holguín. Founded in 2003, the festival has carved out a niche for itself in the independent festival circuit as one of the most interesting and authentic.
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And back in Havana, ever since its world premiere in 1981, the musical Cats has been tremendously popular around the world and captivating audiences wherever it has been shown. Now, the talented Cuban director Alfonso Menéndez shows us his version of the famous musical at Old Havana’s Amphitheater (Opens April 29, Saturdays & Sundays). And in the world of dance, the Ballet Nacional de Cuba will perform pieces from several ballets of their repertoire at the recently reopened Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso (April 14-16). Be sure to check our listings for art exhibitions, live music, and plays. You are sure to find something to your taste. Abrazos! The LaHabana.com Team
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CONTENTS APR 2017
08 17
JAVIER SOTOMAYOR, THE PRINCE OF HEIGHTS SIBELIS VERANES FOR THE LOVE OF JUDO
21 27 PUNCH AFTER PUNCH FLYING, HIGHER AND HIGHER
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CUBA IN THE OLYMPICS, PAN-AMERICAN AND CENTRAL AMERICAN GAMES
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GREAT CUBAN SPORTS COACHES
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FROM NATIONAL PAINTING TO NATIONAL SPORT
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TIPS FOR PARTICIPATING IN CUBAN SPORTS EVENTS
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AN UMPIRE’S MONOLOGUE
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WHAT HAPPENED TO BASEBALL
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GREAT MOMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF CUBAN SPORTS
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HAVANA LISTINGS68 HAVANA
The ultimate guide to Havana with detailed reviews of where to eat, drink, dance, shop, visit and play. Unique insights to the place that a gregarious, passionate and proud people call home.
GUIDE 85
FEB 2017
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JAVIER SOTOMAYOR THE PRINCE OF HEIGHTS
by Abelardo Oviedo Duquesne and Giovanni Fernández photos by: Mene
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RUMORS We heard a rumor that Javier Sotomayor, the Prince of Heights, wasn’t in Cuba. If that was confirmed then we wouldn’t be able to interview him. So we decided to visit the Ciudad Deportiva where he works these days on the Track and Field Federation’s Technical Commission and as the Vice President of the Cuban Athletic Commission. Standing at the center’s door, we started to talk about if during this new Olympic cycle there would be a highjumper who would go higher than the actual world’s record of 2.45 meters (for 25 years it has had Sotomayor’s name of it and a rumor was going around that the record would be broken at the Rio Olympics). One of the center’s employees came up to us saying: “Why don’t you ask him yourselves? He’s coming out of a meeting with retired athletes right now.” He pointed over to the right. Indeed, there he was, wearing a shirt and slacks and a grey jacket, surrounded by other athletes …he was walking over to his car. We ran up to him, with all the speed we could muster, and blurted out: “Soto, we want to interview you!” THE MEETING After several days of talking about where the best place to talk to our idol would be, we agreed that it should be the emblematic statue of Christ of Havana. Here were the reasons: The capital city lay at our feet and the blue sky was just a bit closer, good folk to accompany us there, a possible visit to the lovely town of Casablanca overlooking the bay to arrive at the Avenida del Puerto… FEB 2017
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Even though the meeting was set for nine in the morning, it didn’t happen until 10 minutes later because Sotomayor’s work schedule held him up and we were stuck in a traffic jam for several minutes in the municipality of Calabazar and so we were late in arriving. When he arrived, Javier made the most of the moment to pull out his cell phone and take some pictures of the lovely view and to tell us some stories about athletic fields around the year 1993. Sitting down with the city behind him, the interview began. In this new Olympic cycle, do you think your record will be broken? I saw high-jumpers who were capable of breaking my record during the past cycle. Two athletes stood out in the 2013-2014 seasons. It was the case of Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Ukrainian Bohdan Bondarenko. I set a term of up to 2016 for them to break it, but it didn’t happen and I can’t promise you that it will be either of them who will be able to do it now. These days it’s really hard to be at that top competitive level for so long. You can be clearing 2.20m or 2.30m quite regularly, but it’s really difficult to maintain over 2.40m or 2.43mseason after season. In this season there will be others who can deal with the 2.45m mark, but right now I don’t know who they are. APR 2017 10
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What’s the high-jump movement like right now in Cuba? Felipe Zayas is the best athlete we have now. He was the junior world champ but this year didn’t start too well for him. He does have a strong point and that’s his speed during the impulse run, which he has to coordinate at the moment of the jump. I think it would be beneficial for him to run faster because it would help his takeoff. I think he could jump 2.30m or higher JAVIER SOTOMAYOR: THE BEST HIGH-JUMPER EVER The height of the lintel of the entrance doorway to the sports museum of Lausanne Switzerland is 2.45m. The executive of the International Olympic Committee wanted to pay tribute to Sotomayor’s jump in Salamanca, Spain during the outdoor season of 1993. Since then, many analysts have been rushing to forecast the possibility of another athlete breakinga that record in the 21st century. Clearly, they could have had other doorways made with specific heights because Javier’s file contains other indoor records: Worlds (2.43 in Budapest, Hungary 1989), PanAmerican (2.40 in Mar del Plata, Argentina 1995) and Central American/Caribbean (2.37 in Maracaibo,Venezuela 1998).
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In 1982 at the age of 15, he set the record at the student national games with 2.00m. The next year at a newer version of the same annual competition he cleared the bar set at 2.30m and added another record. On September 8, 1988, when he was just 20 years old, Sotomayor joined the elite track and field ranks because at the Gran Premio Diputación of Salamanca, Spain, he passed the world record by one centimeter (2.42) that had been set by Patrik Sjöberg of Sweden. And he became the fifth record holder in the history of Cuban sport. In the following season, he set other similar records both indoor and outdoor. The first (2.43m) occurred at the indoor Worlds in Budapest, Hungary. The year 1989 went out with a bang with 2.44m. That challenge was met at the Central American and Caribbean Track and Field Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Not with standing an injured foot and the death of his coach José Godoy, he went on setting records in the world of competition. With his new coach, Guillermo de la Torre, he won the gold medal for 2.34m at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mexico City in 1990 and he got second place in the 1991 Tokyo World Championship with 2.36m. He shared third place with Alexei Yemelin from the Soviet Union (2.31m) at the 1991 World Indoor Championship in Seville, and followed it up with his second consecutive victory (2.35m) at the Pan-American Games in Havana in 1991.
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During our chat with Sotomayor, he mentioned that in order to beat his record, some natural talent was needed, but what was essential was discipline and rigorous training. What physical and mental conditions are needed to go over 2.45 meters, in your opinion? You need to have physically trained for longer than one or two years, trying not to have any serious injuries that would force you to stop training for long periods of time. The results are obtained in daily practice and if you are not well prepared when you go to the competitions you can jump and run alright, but not in the best form. Then it’s important to prepare yourself psychologically. In fact, high jumping is one of the activities where you have to exert yourself more, more than in any of the other branches of track and field. In the long jump, the triple and the throwing specialties, you can make coordinated moves, be physically and mentally in good shape that day, do the best shot or jump of your life on the first attempt, and that’s that, it’s good. On the other hand, in high jumping, if the bar is at 2.35m and you do the best jump of your life, it doesn’t matter because the bar is at that height. Then when the bar is at 2.37m and you are not ready for that jump and you miss, what you are left with is the earlier 2.35m. It doesn’t matter if you jumped 10 or 15 centimeters above the bar. Then, to be able to jump 2.46m, you have to be convinced that you can do it.
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lahabana. com How difficult was it jumping 2.45m when you weren’t able to jump 2.46m? That was one of the things that have made me unhappy. As an athlete I always made sure I would go beyond my limits, I was always very focused and I think that I was still keen on doing better than that height. There were two reasons why I couldn’t do it: the death of my coach Godoy and the injuries that had appeared from 1989. I’m not taking anything away from Guillermo de la Torre, he knew how to keep me at the level that I had reached, but I believe that if Godoy had been alive, I would have cleared that height. My best jump was 2.40m at the Stuttgart Championship, but 2.40m was what there was—as I said, it doesn’t matter how high you jump, the height of the bar is what counts.
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THE OLYMPICS FOR JAVIER SOTOMAYOR At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics he flew over the bar at 2.34m. Four years later at Atlanta in the US he cleared 2.33m and in 2000 at Sydney, Australia, he went over the bar placed at 2.32m. He is an example of a world track and field athlete who possesses more limits for competitions and phases. He is also member of that exclusive group winning the gold in three editions of the Track and Field Grand Prix in 1988, 1994 and 1998. From August 7, 1991 to August 5, 2000, he was the only human being on the planet to jump 2.40 meters, or more, on 15 occasions. BOHDAN BONDARENKO On the August 15, 2013 at approximately 10:23 pm, a news flash alerted specialists and Javier Sotomayor fans. The Ukrainian high-jumper Bohdan Bondarenko woke up the track and field world by clearing the bar set at 2.41 meters at the 14th World Championship in Moscow’s Luhsniki Stadium in Russia. Some experts forecast that this young man would abolish that immovable barrier dating back to July 27, 1993 at Salamanca. They had reasons for speculating. At that season’s Diamond League Bondarenko started his ascent as the best male athlete in Europe. He shone at all the meets in this annual event: Doha 2.33, Shanghai 2.33, Birmingham 2.36, Lausanne 2.41, London 2.38, and Zurich 2.33 meters. But for x number of reasons, he hadn’t been able to hold on to his excellent route towards meeting the Cuban mark.
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Sotomayor assured us with a laugh that “luckily” his record remains intact and that it seems the bar will continue stuck at 2.45m for a good long while yet. Nevertheless, now he is immersed in other experiences that constitute “new challenges” for him. A new page in your life has been opened up at this time as sports analyst. What was your experience at Río 2016 in this regard? Two TV networks hired me as a sports analyst and commentator, Brazil’s TV Globo in the evenings and Mexicos’s Claro Sport in the mornings. With TV Globo I was there with a commentator and several analysts who are internationally renowned retired athletes such as Carl Lewis, Nadia Comaneci, Michael Johnson and two Brazilians. The contract said we were to do our analyses on 10 programs but it was really just one. With Claro Sport I did a one-hour analysis on what had gone on during the previous day. This experience helped me to prepare more thoroughly, to be more rigorous in my comments and to listen to other athletes’ experiences. I am satisfied with the experience.
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EPILOGUE Our interview is over but not his endless stories about the sport, his memories about other Cuban athletes who won Olympic and World medals, like Iván Pedroso, Ariel García, only to name two. Now, in Havana, he tells us that since he has lived here for the past 14 years, the city has welcomed him, spoiled him and let him be who he is. What he most enjoys is walking through Old Havana with his family, discovering new places to visit, laughing and loving it all.
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SIBELIS VERANES fo r t h e l ove of J u d o
Giovanni Fernández Valdés
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Sydney 2000 judo Olympic champion Sibelis Veranes has to cross a dirty nameless river every day to get to her tatami where her students await her at Havana’s Cerro Pelado sports training center for top athletes. At the training sessions there are no lights, the walls are faded and cracked, the windows are broken and the tatami or exercise matting is full of holes and crying out for repairs. But it’s here that Cuban World and Olympic champions in this sport are born and nurtured. Sibelis belongs to what was considered to be the great generation of women’s judo in Cuba, along with Amarilis Savón, Legna Verdecia, Driulis González, Daima Beltrán and Yenis Luna. Almost 20 years ago, they trained in the same conditions that today feed their dreams of winning an Olympic medal. Ever since she was very young, she has been getting up early and going to her training sessions: “From 7:30 until 11 am,” she confesses. “Then we have another training session at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. When I was getting ready for Sydney, I would be on the tatami on Sundays. I have dedicated my entire life to judo and now as a teacher I want to transmit that love to my pupils.” APR 2017 18
lahabana. com As Veranes only too well knows, there is a mystery in Havana that can only be revealed by those who live with it: nobody knows for sure how the Olympic champions living at the Cerro Pelado facility for top athletes are born. At a fair distance from the city, first you have to get to Boyeros Avenue, ask the taxi driver to leave you at 100the St, cross the tracks and keep walking until you get to Perla St. Cerro Pelado has three large doorways: the main entrance and two side doors, one to the west and the other on the east. Coaches and athletes from around the world go through those doors every year to watch young athletes training and to get to know their coaches. They are curious as to how our Cuban judokas manage to take the crown away from the Japanese in their traditional sport at the Worlds, the Grand Prix and in the Olympics.
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As Sibelis Veranes puts it, “They realized that our training conditions were not the best in the world, that the tactical approach is based on the same principles, and also, that in Japan they have been updating their training programs a lot and using sophisticated equipment, but the truth is, they could not defeat us.” Veranes recalls that during the Worlds and the Olympics they were respected and in many cases feared. “The mystery about our victories gave the Japanese some sleepless nights; they wanted to know the recipe for our wins.” This important Cuban judoka reveals some of the secrets for that success: “We always train with faith, hope, dedication and many long hours of practice. Besides, we have great group work ethics. Our former coach Roberto Veitía would read poems to us, he gave us advice, he formed us as persons, as human beings. He also invented apparatus that would help us practice. When it was time for the competitions, both he and Fidel Castro would imbue us with the desire for victory and fill us with assurances that we would be victorious. Even though our training conditions have never been the best, the pride of being Cubans has enabled us to overcome adversities.”
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Now as a coach, all she is interested in is the love and the experience she wants to pass on to her students. In this new Olympic cycle, she wants to help Cuban judo to return to the forefront in the world. After meeting with Sibelis Veranes, we were able to see that there were three things you have to know about a Cuban judoka: 1. They train every single day with all sorts of material shortages, but not spiritual ones. During practice, they read poetry and other general educational books. 2. Therefore, they have an enormous capacity to overcome adversity and to make practical decisions. 3. Above all else, feeling the pride of being Cuban, it’s her heart, her passion and her will to not let herself be defeated what the opposition fears most.
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F LY I N G , HIGHER AND HIGHER by Ailyn Martín Pastrana
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“That adrenalin rush is what hooks you,” say the pilots who time and time again face danger as they jump from heights that seem difficult to attain. Skydiving, or parachuting, is the granddaddy of all flying sports. In Cuba it has a long tradition associated with aviation—many skydivers have received training as part of their professions and then gone on to practice it as a hobby. The Varadero International Skydiving Center in Matanzas Province is the main site for jumps in the country. Tandem flights are made there at customer request and you can also get flights for paragliding and paramotor, two variations that have been gaining popularity in Cuba for a while. Equipment for this sport include an ultra-light rectangular and flexible glider which weighs less than the pilot. Paramotor uses the same equipment but with the addition of a motor and propellers. Both disciplines are considered types of skydiving, only that the jumps are taken from steep slopes and not from planes.
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In Cuba, flying sports are becoming more and more popular. Flying enthusiasts are participating in the effort to promote a hobby that is an adventure in the air but full of difficulties on land. The participants tell us that the main drawback to promoting these disciplines on the Island is the high cost of the equipment along with the fact that it is impossible to buy them in the country. Thanks to the collaboration of the Cuban Free flight Federation with other similar groups abroad, the practitioners receive donated equipment. “It’s hard to carry on practicing the sport because the equipment needs maintenance and it’s impossible to buy parts here. For example, the wings have a useful lifespan of 300 flight hours. After that, you start taking risks with every jump,” Roberto Urribares, the president of the Havana Paragliding Club tells us. Cuban paragliders are able to measure their skills, both as individuals and teams, at the national competition which in 2107 will be taking place from April 11 to 17 at Isla de la Juventud. Current national ranking is led by Granma Province, followed by Isla de la Juventud, Santiago de Cuba and Havana. The ideal locations to practice paragliding are in the eastern part of Cuba and that’s why most of the clubs are found there. Havana does not really have any good locations for takeoffs and flights and so paragliding enthusiasts generally meet in Canasí. This area has a campground where people interested in flying sports can do tandem exercises with expert pilots.
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“Those wanting to learn about this sport merely need to get in touch with the club. We have no limitations other than the scarcity of equipment.” Urribares said. He has recently published a dictionary on paragliding terminology and he’s getting another one ready that deals with the history of the sport in Cuba. Paramotor is the “baby” of air sports in Cuba. It reached the height of its media coverage when the veteran Cuban pilot Luis García flew from Varadero to the Morro Castle in Havana. Right now, plans are underway to include this type (in tandem flights) among the items offered by the Varadero Center.
“The Varadero‒Havana trip was incredibly exciting; it made us more visible as a sport. Now we want to do a Key West‒USA trip. We’ve done several training flights from Sagua de Tánamo (Holguín Province) to Cárdenas (Matanzas Province) and from Kilometer 259 (Cienfuegos) to Havana. We have a team of five pilots, with all the required safety devices, planes, boats, etc. In the event we can’t make this trip we have others in mind such as Haiti‒Maisí (Guantánamo Province), Pinar del Río‒Cancun (Mexico) or Pilón (Granma Province)‒Jamaica,” announced Gerardo Ramos, who belongs to the Alas Bayamo Club and is currently the pioneer in this type of sport in his city. “I started skydiving and then I got interested in paragliding and finally paramotor. Since I didn’t have equipment at first, I made the first paramotor ever in Cuba. Gradually, this hobby has taken over my life,” he told us in an interview. He hopes to join the Varadero International Skydiving Club very soon. APR 2017 24
lahabana. com SOME LOCATIONS FOR PARAGLIDING AND PARAMOTOR: Canasí (Mayabeque Province) Varadero (Matanzas Province) Seibabo and Vista Hermosa (Villa Clara Province) Sagua de Tánamo (Holguín Province) Puerto de Boniato (Santiago de Cuba Province) Sierra Caballos (Nueva Gerona, Isla de la Juventud) WHERE TO DO TANDEM SKYDIVING JUMPS: Centro Internacional de Paracaidismo de Varadero Address: Carretera Vía Blanca Km 1 ½ Finca Cadena, Varadero, Cárdenas, Matanzas Province Tel: (+53) 45-662828
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TIPS FOR PRACTICING FLYING SPORTS IN CUBA: • If you wish to take solo flights, bring your own equipment because you can’t buy it in Cuba. • To use Cuban air space, you have to get a permit from the corresponding authorities, so get complete details before you jump . • If you don’t know how to do solo jumps, choose the tandem flight option accompanied by Cuban specialists at the Varadero International Skydiving Club. • Don’t forget your camera (GoPro), aerial views of Cuba are truly spectacular. Besides, you can record your own personal reaction to jumping—it tends to be a lot of fun.
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PUNCH AFTER PUNCH INTERVIEWING NAMIBIA FLORES, CUBA’S FEMALE BOXER
by Ailyn Martín Pastrana Photos: Mene APR 2017 27
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Cuban boxing is admired the world over. It is the sport that brings home the most medals every Olympics, awakening the interest of fans for decades. But in Cuba only men are allowed to compete. Unlike other combat sports, such as judo and wrestling, female boxers are still waiting for their turn in the ring. The reasons for this state of affairs is fodder for speculation because we really don’t know for sure what denies female Cuban pugilists their right to train and spar on a professional level. In the midst of all the uncertainty over if the sport will be approved (several times the matter has been tossed around behind the scenes), Namibia Flores has been training for over ten years. She is one of our sports figures who have put the spotlight on female boxing in Cuba, having been featured in several audiovisual pieces on social media. Even though by now she isn’t the only woman training, she has become the symbol of persistence and guts as she challenges the prejudiced views of many over the course of the years.
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She tried her luck with cycling, baseball and volleyball and even got her BA in Physical Culture in taekwondo. She got to boxing by pure chance—she was looking for a hobby to occupy her spare time and, as she tells us, she has never abandoned her training sessions with her teacher Naldo Mestre. “I think that keeping boxing off limits for women is based on preconceived negative views. I wish that the media would talk about the subject and let us explain that it’s OK. I have been training for over 10 years and up to now, I haven’t had any sort of problem. I think there is discrimination, but not just with female boxers. I was in training with a baseball team and those girls don’t have the necessary conditions they need. But the men’s team is a whole other story. I think this is machismo. “Look at the example of female wrestling: it was approved and the women brought Cuba medals. The same thing could happen with baseball and boxing, but they have to give us the right conditions. Maybe it won’t happen in the first Olympics we compete at, but if we work hard, we’ll be seeing results in two or three years.”
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How do you organize your training sessions? Usually we train at the Rafael Trejo Gym from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm The practices are mixed, for both men and women. A while back, I would be the only woman in a group of men, but as time went by other women joined us. The training is linear, not personalized. We don’t work with any specific techniques or strategies. That would be the difference with boxers who are fighting professionally. What are your experiences sparring with foreign sports figures? In 2012 I trained for a month with Cuba’s youth team and with the Indonesian team and it was the same schedule as the men, no difference at all. A couple of years ago they returned and we sparred again. On that occasion I was able to interact with the Domadores de Cuba (the national team) and there too we had the same practices. That’s why I’m wondering what prevents us from doing that here, if female boxers in other countries are part of the system.
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Whenever I have travelled abroad, I have met women in the sport like myself, on the gym circuit, not professionals. In other countries it’s different. You train on your own, with your own mentors and you only get together when you represent your country at some event, not like here where we are clumped together in schools, in pre-national team levels… A short while back I had the opportunity to spar with a French boxer who was visiting Cuba. It was tough but the experience was good for me. We Cuban boxers would like to see how it feels to have a real fight. You can train a lot but being in the ring gives you a whole other perspective. There is also the psychological factor that you have to bear in mind for this kind of sport. We have to keep pushing forward; otherwise Cuba will continue to be way behind in this sport the world.
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What division are you in right now? My fighting weight would be 54 kg, but right now I should be at 58. When we thought we were going to the Olympics, I went down to 51, but in the end it fell through. Now I keep to a weight where I feel good; it’s a hobby. I am not in the ring every day and I combine training with running and weights.
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I’m already 41 years old and amateur status ends at 40. My sports career in Cuba has finished. I have to look for a future elsewhere, as a trainer or as a sparring partner. But there are the new girls who have left their sports and jobs to train as boxers. They are very good and so the future is bright for women’s boxing in Cuba. Do you have any special diet? I try to eat healthy, without too much fat. Lots of fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken… whatever is available. But I am obsessive about seeing my muscles well-defined. I really like drinking beer; what a contradiction for sports, so sometimes I notice that I get a bit of a belly. That’s when you’ll see me doing much more exercise, until that goes away. In a few more years I’ll be called the Sports Granny but I don’t care. This is my passion, wherever I am.
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CUBA IN THE O LY M P I C S , PA N -A M E R I C A N AND CENTRAL AMERICAN GAMES by Ricardo Alberto Pérez
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Cuba at the Summer Olympics This Caribbean Pearl on which we live experienced Olympic glory for the first time at the Games held in Paris in 1900 when Ramón Fonst won the gold medal for individual epée, thereby becoming the first Olympic champion from Cuba and Latin America. He added to that achievement a silver medal and so Cuba placed twelfth in the final medals listing. At the St. Louis Olympics (United States) 1904, Cuba reached a surprising third place in the medals race thanks to the brilliant showing of the fencers headed again by Ramón Fonst who won gold in the epée and foil. His fellow team-mate Manuel Dionisio Díaz won in the sabre. Alongside of them, two Americans also competed for Cuba, Charles Tatham and Albertson Van Zo Post. Post won another title, one silver and two bronze medals while Tatham got one silver and one bronze, totaling nine medals in all.
Cuba was absent from the games in London 1908, Stockholm 1912 and Antwerp 1920, reappearing in Paris 1924 with 10 athletes, mainly fencers, among whom was the by now 41-year-old Ramón Fonst—none of them won any medals. At Amsterdam 1928, sprinter José Barrientos was the sole Cuban competitor, but he was eliminated in the 100 meter run. Cuba didn’t participate at the Los Angeles 1932 Games nor did it go to Berlin in 1936. The Helsinki Games of 1940 and those of London 1944 were both suspended by WWII. At London 1948, Cuba returned to the medals listing when the two Carlos de Cárdenas, Jr. and Sr., won the silver in the Star Class in sailing.
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At Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956 Cuba took part without winning medals. Rome 1960 was the first Olympic Games in which it competed after the triumph of the Revolution but there it also didn’t win any prizes. It wasn’t until Tokyo 1964 that a Cuban returned to stand on the podium: Enrique Figuerola for 100 meters. At Mexico 1968, new energy began to appear and we obtained 4 silver medals in boxing for the performances of Enrique Regueiferos and Rolando Garbey and for the 4 x 100 meter relay. After 68 years, at Munich 1972, Cuba once again tasted the sweetness of Olympian gold, on this occasion the 3 medals won by boxers Orlando Martínez, Emilio Correa and Teófilo Stevenson. Another silver medal was won by boxer Gilberto Carrillo, along with 4 valuable bronze medals including the one by the outstanding effort of the Cuban men’s basketball team. At Montreal 1976, athletes trained under the revolutionary process won 13 medals: 6 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze. The most outstanding athletes were Alberto Juantorena who won the 400 and 800 meters, Teófilo Stevenson who got his second Olympic belt and Héctor Rodríguez who, in spite of competing with a hurt rib, earned Cuban judo its first Olympic gold by virtue of his courage and determination. At Moscow 1980, without the participation of some of the powerhouses of the Western world, our flag fluttered over the podiums for a respectable accumulated total of 20 medals: 8 gold, 7 silver and 5 bronze. We should highlight the third title won by Teófilo Stevenson and the gold for javelin won by María Caridad Colón, a feat that made her the first Latin woman to win a medal at the Olympics.
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After being absent from Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988, the Cuban results at Barcelona 1992 were historical because it classified Cuba as fifth among all the countries with a total of 31 medals: 14 gold, 6 silver and 11 bronze. Of all these the most outstanding were Javier Sotomayor’s gold for the high jump, the women’s volleyball and baseball teams, and the first title for boxer Félix Savón. At Atlanta 1996, we won 25 medals, 9 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze, with notable distinction for Driulis González in judo and for Félix Savón, who stood on the podium for the second time as did our girls in volleyball.
Sydney 2000 netted the Cubans a grand total of 29 medals, 11 gold, 11 silver and 7 bronze, to take the ninth spot among all the countries. Sotomayor was back to win in the high jump while Félix Savón and the women’s volleyball team both got their third titles. In 2004, competition returned to Athens, its place of origin. Cuba got 27 medals: 9 gold, 7 silver and 11 bronze and so occupied 11th place in the countries’ medals listing. Special mention must be given to the triumph of Osleidys Menéndez in the javelin. At Beijing 2008, the Cuban delegation won only 2 gold medals; we have to add to that the 11 silvers and 11 bronzes but the country descended to 28th place. Our champions were wrestler Mijaín López and hurdler Dayron Robles. At London 2012 we collected 15 medals, 5 gold, 3 silver and 7 bronze, including that for Mijaín López’s outstanding performance. The rhythms of the samba are still reverberating through our memories even though the Rio Games of 2016 are by now part of history. There, Cuba won 11 medals: 5 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze. Once again Mijaín López was our star athlete, brilliantly winning his third title. Cuba at the Central American and Pan-American Games Cuba’s dominance at both of these continental games, particularly in the last few decades, can be clearly seen in the overwhelming number of titles and medals won; in fact there are so many that it would take up far too long to list, one by one, all the athletes who have shone at these competitions. Instead, we shall briefly sum up the Cuban performance at these regional events. APR 2017 36
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At the Central American Games, which go back to 1926, Cuba and Mexico have always been the great winners. Cuba dominated at Havana 1930, Barranquilla 1946, Panama City 1970, Santo Domingo 1974, Medellín 1978, Havana 1982, Santiago de los Caballeros 1986, Mexico City 1990, Ponce 1993, Maracaibo 1998, Cartagena 2006 and Veracruz 2014. Ever since the Pan-American Games were inaugurated in Buenos Aires in 1951, Cuba has uninterruptedly participated at all the editions with a performance that can only be described as brilliant. At that first edition we ended up in third place with a total of 28 medals: 9 gold, 9 silver and 10 bronze. Between Mexico 1955 and Winnipeg 1967, Cuba alternated between being fifth and ninth. But this picture abruptly changed at Cali 1971 when it took over second place in the medals race bested only by the United States. Cuba kept its second place until Toronto 2015 when it was bumped down to fourth. We must emphasize that at the Pan-American Games in Havana in 1991, Cuba took first place with a collection of 140 gold medals, 62 silvers and 63 bronzes for a grand total of 265. Such a fabulous result certainly makes clear the prestige of the Cuban sports movement.
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G R E AT C U B A N SPORTS COACHES
by Ricardo Alberto Pérez
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Behind the great achievements of Cuban athletes in the past fifty years is the presence of extraordinary coaches who with their dedication and wisdom have managed to discover, develop and get the best out of the talent of their trainees. I shall talk about some of them who have made a stellar contribution to the history of Cuban and world sports. Eugenio George rightly deserves to head the list: he was a brilliant guide for 40 years (1968-2008) on the incredible women’s volleyball team nicknamed the Morenas del Caribe. Eugenio George is a veritable legend.
The perfect term to define his relationship with the players is “rapport.” Some of the women confess how he was always in tune with their moods and nothing would ever escape his notice, no matter how insignificant. He was like a special father figure. He also looked after how the girls behaved and talked, even their manners at the table. But especially, like nobody else, he had a very clear idea about the value of training. He knew that most games were won in this pre-game process. As a player, George represented Cuba at the Pan-American Games in Mexico in 1955 and in Chicago in 1959, with his farewell from active sports taking place in the Central American Games in Jamaica in 1962. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) named him the Best Women’s Volleyball Team Coach of the Twentieth Century. He was also president of the Cuban Volleyball Federation, later continuing to work as a consultant to national teams.
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In 2005, he was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame for his proven track record as coach and teacher to generations of volleyball players. He was also the deserving recipient of two decorations, the National Hero of Labor and the FIVB Golden Collar Order awarded to him by the NORCECA Confederation, of which he was president of the technical and coaching committee, until his death. As coach, his team won three Olympic Gold Medals (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000), along with an equal number of first places at the World Championships of 1978, 1994 and 1998 just to mention a few of the most important ones. When he died on May 31, 2014, he left many admirers who remembered seeing him sitting on the sidelines stoically dealing with the excitement of the games, noticing small details and providing the necessary calm for the players. Another essential figure in coaching is Alcides Sagarra, born in Santiago de Cuba in 1936. After a boxing career in which he won 87 of his 97 fights, in 1964 he became the trainer for the Cuban national team. A short while later he was promoted to head coach. It is a sure fact that with him in place and with the advice of foreign coaches, the great boom in Cuban boxing was born, taking the sport to phenomenal heights. His work is backed up by having trained 46 world youth champs, over 30 Olympic champions and 48 world champs. Even more: he founded and developed a phenomenon that is highly respected all over the world: the Cuban School of Boxing, which is outstanding for its technical excellence and for the distinct mobility of boxers in the ring.
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Fans of Cuban boxing will always remember Sagarra for his unique explosive character in the corner, always demanding more. The key to his success was to ensure the fabulous physical conditioning of his athletes and the way they kept up their impressive fighting spirit. Once a journalist asked him for the video of a fight where one of Cuba’s boxing greats had been KO’d: Alcides replied without hesitation: “I destroyed that video because nobody should remember champs lying on the canvas.” When the name of José Godoy is mentioned, there may be many who do not know who he is, but when we say he was the coach in charge of training the high jump world record holder Javier Sotomayor, we immediately feel a great deal of respect. Born in 1926, Godoy started coaching in the 1950s and with the triumph of the Revolution he travelled to the then USSR for professional training. On 1982 he took on the task of preparing Sotomayor and it was under his guidance that this athlete became truly amazing, breaking one record after another until he reached youth world records and then the adult world record levels. His chief principle was that first you had to train the man and then the athlete. Upon winning the Gold in Barcelona in 1992, and as he remembered Godoy’s death in 1990, Sotomayor said: “I lost my teacher, my friend, my father. I made an oath to myself, swallowing my tears, that in Barcelona I would win the Gold that he so wanted for me!” APR 2017 41
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And to round up this brief list of outstanding Cuban coaches, we will talk about Ronaldo Veitía, one of the most charismatic and beloved figures in sports in Cuba, affectionately called “el gordo Veitía.” From 1986, this black belt and eighth dan was the head coach of Cuba’s women’s judo team until 2016, the year he retired. It only took a few years for his magnificent work to show great results. Under his supervision, during the 1990s and into the 21st century, the Cuban women’s team has been racking up world and Olympic titles. His team has also won consecutive gold medals at the Pan-American games from the year 1975. He took part in six Olympics from 1992 to 2012, obtaining 5 Golds, 9 Silvers and 10 Bronzes. Such results made him the coach with the greatest number of Olympic medals in the history of judo. During his 30 years as coach, he obtained 308 international medals for judo. At the competitions he looked like he was fighting alongside his girls. He was very excitable and would cheer on his athletes by shouting his instructions. Whenever they would win, he would pick them up as part of a grand celebration. Veitia was passionate about his profession and felt great pride that he was part (“essential,” I should add) of the process that has made Cuban judo a world power. APR 2017 42
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FROM NATIONAL PAINTING TO NATIONAL SPORT
by Ricardo Alberto Pérez Reynerio Tamayo APR 2017 43
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Juan Padrón
Even though baseball is a game, in Cuba it is certainly no child’s play. For us Cubans, a baseball game can destroy a years-old friendship, throw the most blissful marriage into crisis, separate two brothers or create a neighborhood tiff. People can end up hating each other between balls and strikes, between scored or un-scored runs, between strikeouts and homeruns, between great fielding and unexpected errors. And all of this happens because baseball is a passion on this Island and passions turn us into somewhat irrational beings, yet faithful and determined to giving our all to defend what we love.
Reynerio Tamayo
A Cuban can be having a tough time at work, be sick or have some family member in the hospital, but if their baseball team is doing well, this gives Cubans strength of spirit in the hope that, in the long run, everything is going to turn out fine. This sport runs in our blood, just like the need to dance or to eat masas de cerdo fritas--fried pork medallions. Baseball is a spectacle that, without any doubt, surprisingly fits our essential idiosyncrasies. It goes hand in glove with controversy and leisure time, both of which practices seem to fascinate us. APR 2017 44
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Baseball connects us with each other like nothing else can. When baseball is on the table, Cubans are spontaneous and carefree, like in the good old days. On any corner, in any park, avenue or entrance to a store, even in a hospital, people impulsively and light-heartedly discuss last night’s game. The most attractive feature of this is that a baseball game doesn’t end with the final strike; it sometimes (or almost always) manages to go on for days in the discussions of fans who come across as true experts. Being involved right to the core with that practice (and for those who don’t understand it, this could seem to be the height of nonsense) is another of those traits that defines us. The worshipped team can inspire a sense of pride that is like the pride one feels for one’s children. The language spoken by Cubans on the street is drenched with phrases that are pure “baseballese”. For example, when some girl has brushed you off, you have struck out. But if you manage to win her over, it’s obvious that you have scored a homerun. When you are trying to resolve a tricky situation, you are stuck between third and second. And if something hits you completely out of the blue, preventing you from reacting, you are stuck with your bat over your shoulder--“con el bate al hombro.” Douglas Pérez
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lahabana. com Deeply ingrained in the lives of Cubans, baseball cannot be set apart from our creative universe. Like a powerful fuel that revs up the imagination, various artists have interpreted it through different manifestations. However, visual arts seem to have taken up their position in the forefront--once again--especially in the way they have adopted the codes and mythology of baseball, to provide a convincing visual solution through a product that possesses undeniable esthetic values. At a difficult time for our society, it was the visual artists who were the greatest promoters of an event that ended up becoming a referential work for Cuban art: El juego de béisbol (The Baseball Game). This year of 2013, which has seen the celebration of the Third World Baseball Classic, a remarkable group of artists gave free rein to their affection for baseball in the exhibition entitled “Clásicos del Béisbol en Cuba” (Baseball Classics in Cuba), at the Fresa y Chocolate Gallery from March 1 to 19. This singular exhibition included works by widely acknowledged artists, belonging to several generations, such as Arles del Río, Reinier Leyva Novo, Raynerio Tamayo, Rubén Alpizar, Douglas Pérez and Frank Martínez. Clásicos del Béisbol en Cuba surprises for its extraordinary spirit of reflection, capable of surpassing the limits of the subject matter per se and delving into the problems of life in Cuba using the excuse, or inspiration, of the balls-and-strikes pastime. Elements such as elegant irony and philosophical humor have not been overlooked; in fact, they abound, along with double entendres, all valid weapons working together to revolutionize the state of mind and propose novel interpretations of reality.
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Even though the majority of pieces at the Clásicos del Béisbol en Cuba show are paintings and drawings, the installation entitled A chocar la bola (Hitting the Ball) by Yuniet Hernández attracts a lot of attention. Using different baseball bat inventions, the artist dialogues about the Cuban character and the manner in which we interpret religion, science, sexuality and other topics. Other works are outstanding for their formal and ethical consistency: El cuarto Bate (The Fourth Bat) by Reynerio Tamayo, Otra manera de superar los límites (Another Way of Going Over the Limits) by Frank Martínez and Esperando que caigan las cosas del cielo, o el deporte nacional (Waiting for Things to Fall From the Sky, or the National Sport) by Arles del Río. These pieces are lucid metaphors that synthesize the efficacy of this pictorial gift that has arrived just about at the same time as spring.
Douglas Pérez
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T I P S F O R PA R T I C I PAT I N G I N C U B A N S P O R T S E V E N T S photos by : Mene
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Cuba is a country where sports are synonymous with life and passion. You can talk to anyone anywhere about any sport, from baseball to ice hockey, the winter Olympics or American football. Throughout the year there are several sports tournaments of different sorts that will go on all through the country. The Cuban government subsidizes all the facilities and productions for these events. We suggest the following tips to help you feel at home should you decide to attend a sports event in Cuba. 1. Most events don’t charge for tickets and even if you do have to pay, it will be hardly anything at all. Only some specific sports such as golf and fishing have very high entrance fees. 2. You will have the chance to chat with the athletes during intermissions or at the beginning and end of the tournament. That’s something special with our sports: the constant contact among the young athletes and their fans. If you go up to talk to them, nobody is going to mind. 3. Unlike tournaments in other parts of the world where they sell shirts bearing the players’ numbers, in Cuba you will only find drinks and food being sold. Cuban tournaments are quite modest so you will only be able to ask for autographs. 4. Don’t worry if you don’t see any police security in the stadium. During soccer games in other countries, it’s not unusual to see fights in the stands, but in Cuba fighting or any sort of disturbance by the spectators is extremely rare. 5. If you see people shouting or gesticulating, don’t worry. That’s how Cubans show how they feel about their sports. I repeat: it is very difficult to ever see fights breaking out in the stadiums. 6. Wear light clothing and comfortable shoes, take a hat and bring water because it gets very hot at tournaments. If you should be brave enough to participate in any of these tournaments, these are the most important ones scheduled for 2017, month by month.
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April ► The Marcelo Salado Swimming Cup will be held from April 6 to 15 in Havana and you can enjoy what this sport is all about in Cuba. All categories compete. There is also a team competition format and one by provinces in all the varieties of the sport. May ► The famous International José Raúl Capablanca in Memoriam Chess Tournament will be held in Havana from the May 3 to 19. No doubt about it, this is the most important such event in Latin American and the Caribbean region. In past years, great chess players such as Miguel Najdorf, Anatoli Karpov, Vassily Ivanchuk, Lázaro Bruzón and Leinier Domínguez have participated. June ► The Moncada Gymnastics Cup will be held from June 16 to 24 in the city of Camagüey. It will be a chance to discover new athletes in this sport, in both men’s and women’s categories. August ► The National Baseball Series is the most important of its kind in Cuba. Every province is involved and the main players get together in those 16 teams. The current champions are from Granma Province and this year they will want to win for a second season. The nine favorite teams at the 2017 edition will be the Ciego de Ávila Tigers, the Matanzas Crocodiles, the Pinar del Río Tobacco Farmers, the Industriales from Havana, and the Holguín Bloodhounds. ► The NORCECA beach volleyball circuit will take place on the sands of Varadero from August 21 to 30. This year the special feature of the event will be seeing the Cuban duet of Sergio González and Nivaldo Díaz who attained fifth place in the Río 2016 Olympics.
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October ► The Grand Fondo Tour Cuba for cycling in Havana takes place from the 18th to the 24th of October. It usually happens on the popular Malecón strip; men women and children of all ages will be cycling approximately 4 kilometers. Many have called this the “Havana cycling party” because of the crowd it attracts every year. ► Caribbean Table Tennis Championship in Santiago de Cuba, from October 13 to 23. Every province in Cuba participates. Last year, approximately 200 athletes took part, wanting to improve their national rankings both in the children’s and youth categories.
November ► Titan Tropic Cuba in Havana, Pinar del Río and Artemisa, November 18 to 28. This cycling event has attracted participants among Cubans and it seeks to incorporate a greater number of cyclists form other countries. ► Marabana from the 17th to the 27th of November in Havana. Every edition brings together conventional runners and walkers, Elites, non-Elites, Masters, Handicapped (blind, deaf and wheelchair racers) for the marathon distances of 42 km and 195 meters; halfmarathon for 21 km and 09750 metros; 10 kilometers. December ► Copa de la Amistad in Havana. Competition will be in several sports. Usually it’s university student who participate, whether or not they are athletes. The important thing is not to win but to have fun and make new friends.
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A N U M P IR E’ S M ON OLOGU E by Alejandro Quintana And now, in this heat, I gotta wear black! Squatting for hours and hours behind the plate! Never mind. If I could never play baseball even though I love the game, at least I can umpire, and I love doing that. All in all, the players are worse off, in full uniform, in the hot sun, running from base to base and catching balls. Being an umpire—“ampaya” as we say here in Cuba—has its good side and its bad side, one of which is that it can be good and bad at the same time. We’re the guys who have the final word, especially the umpire-in-chief, like me. Sometimes I get jealous of volleyball refs: cool, wearing white and…sitting down at a height where they can see everything clearly and be out of the range of players and coaches. Soccer refs also get to wear shorts but they run around just like the players and you really have to know your stuff to call a corner or call a strike.” And in boxing, don’t get me started. These refs are decked out in dress shirts and ties. OK, they’re pretty close to the action but I’ve never seen any one of them KOed. Lately women are getting a chance to be umps and refs, in sports that have always been the domain of males. If we don’t wake up, we could even end up without a job, because with ladies present things cool down. And now the spectators are starting that cat-calling and whistling thing. They see us as the “enemy.” I’d like to see what the game would be like without us; even when we’re there it practically becomes a jungle. Imagine what would happen if home runs got to be decided by the coaches. We’d have to have an ICU next to the baseball stadium.
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This pitcher is screwed. All he does is float balls and they hit them out of the ball park. Damn! I jinxed him. It’s a heck of a triple play. What is Víctor Mesa waiting for to get rid of him? That’s a guy who changes pitchers more often than his handkerchief and he’s turning a blind eye. This is never going to end! Now he’s throwing balls too close to the batters. Let me warn him because if one of the batters gets hit, something nasty is going to happen. Yeah, I called a strike. Let the spectators heckle me all they want. This Latin American Stadium has more umpires per square centimeter than anywhere else in the world. And the batter is going to challenge my call? People don’t know the rules around here, or they forget them whenever it’s convenient. And what’s this pitcher doing, coming up to side with me? And first base should know it’s none of his business? And Vargas too. I’m gonna ask for red cards to be used in baseball. The first clown who kicks up a fuss…he’s out of the game. Whew, luckily, things didn’t get ugly. My back is already killing me. Thank God the two pitchers have a good handle on it and the game is going well. Great hit! For sure, those Industriales are artistes when the spirit takes them. The guy on first is trying to steal a base. And the second base ump is ignoring him. If it’s a close move, he’s gonna have a hard time and it’ll be up to me to make a decision. That’s why I’m here facing the field…and the lights, which are really bothersome. Every day my wife asks me when I’m going to retire from all this. I can tell that she’s never really liked baseball. Did I say baseball? She doesn’t like any sport, only rhythmic gymnastics with all those hoops and ribbons. What if I had been a gymnastics judge ? No way. I’m a baseball kinda guy. All that nonsense about points, apparatus, composition and execution and arguing with some lady smelling of Chanel No. 5… No way, Jose. I don’t like watching rom the sidelines. Equestrian sports, swimming… Not on your life. I need to be on the inside of things, on the field, sweating, close to the catcher, making both spectators and players hold their breath whenever I call ball or safe.
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Out at home! The kid has some arm! If he keeps on playing like that he’ll be the best pitcher in Cuba. And he was right on; so much right on that no one said a word. And in the bleachers nobody argued because that was the favorite team. If it had gone the other way, the roar would have been deafening. You would’ve been able to hear them in Camagüey. Finally it all ended: nobody thrown out, not too many claims. I wish it was always like that. Our “Blues” really played well but I still prefer the team from Granma, but don’t tell anyone. With all the baseball fanatics out there, who would ever believe that I will not take sides with my favorite team? They don’t understand that when you’re on the field, it’s just like being the judge at a trial. There’s my kid yelling at me. Ever since that time when I forgot he was there and went home alone, as soon as the game ends he starts calling out to me. He doesn’t know that after his mom’s scolding, I’ll first lose my head than leave him behind! Let’s go buddy. Tomorrow’s another day… and another game.
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WHAT HAPPENED TO BASEBALL? by Victoria Alcalá
Illustration by: Fernando Riveaux
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Surreptitiously, almost without our noticing it, baseball games have been disappearing from the streets of Cuba. And that could be a good thing in terms of peace and quiet and an acceptable noise level, yet the hubbub remains, especially after 5 o’clock in the evening when kids—and others who are not kids anymore but act like kids—have returned from school. When previously you could hear raucous shouts of “estrái” (for strike), “quieto” (for safe), “ao” (for out), now there is a unanimous shout through my neighborhood of “Gooooooool!” (for goal). The idols are not Cepeda, or Despaigne, or not even Víctor Mesa. I don’t see kids and teenagers wearing their blue baseball caps and walking to the Latinoamericano Stadium to cheer on the Industriales, nor do the team’s banners, the city emblem (and for many the emblem of Cuban baseball) adorn balconies and windows. My young neighbors want to be Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo; they are Barça, Real Madrid or even Bayern München fans, even though this last team may be almost impossible for them to pronounce, and during World Cup years, they set up the flags of Brazil, Germany or Spain on their roof-tops.
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What happened? This question has been the subject of many brainy analysis. Many say that soccer is less expensive because all you need is a ball and “something” to serve as a goal, but I remember when street baseball games would use a stick for a bat and a ball that could be homemade out of crunched up paper covered with some cloth or tape or even replaced by a stone— which augured serious injury for both human heads and window panes. Others attribute the flagging interest in baseball to the obvious loss of quality in Cuban baseball. But Cuban soccer leaves a lot to be desired and for many years we have been hearing about its imminent boom that never occurs. I also don’t remember that during the glory days of Cuban volleyball, the popularity of that sport would replace street baseball for long, much less track and field or boxing.
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Finally, a number of people tend to “blame” television for the lack of enthusiasm because for a long time broadcasts of excellent international soccer matches would not be balanced by showing professional baseball games on TV, with teams having several Cubans who had left the national Cuban team or local teams. To make matters worse, the international media has transformed soccer players into heroes thanks to the advertising that not only exploits their technique but also their other attributes that often have very little to do with the sport, while Cuban baseball players don’t even get a poster to popularize their images. Maybe all of these factors contribute to the reason why we are in the presence of a serpent biting its own tail. If children don’t get excited by baseball because our National Series is not made to be attractive, the pool of future players becomes dramatically reduced and we will be haunted by results that are as disappointing as those obtained a few days ago when we played against Israel, Japan and Holland in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Is there anyone else who still remembers the days when playing against that weakling Holland would be a sure victory for Cuba?
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I have heard “expert” opinions on practically every street corner that lay their hopes on the possibility of an agreement that would allow Cuban players who have signed up with US Major Leagues to participate in the National Series and make up the Cuban National Team if it does not interfere with their schedules. Besides the fact that such an agreement, normal for sports figures in other countries, would have to go through a complicated tangle of mediations having more to do with politics than sports, I don’t think that if indeed the quality of Cuban baseball is on a downhill slope there would be too many Cubans who would be signed up to play in the United States. Or perhaps someone is thinking in terms of a team made up of the descendants of Cubans living in the US, inspired by the case of Israel’s team in the Classic which only has one player who was actually born in the country he represents.
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I don’t know what the solution would be for a problem so intricately bound up with our idiosyncrasy as baseball. There are those who simplify it in one phrase: “Money and food.” I don’t think the solution is as simple or unimaginative as that but it certainly deals with the work of physical education teachers in the primary schools, with improvements to stadiums and practice fields at all levels, better conditions for sports figures, changes in the structure of the National Series, updating training methods, and a long etcetera. But for now I just have to get used to hearing shouts of “Goal!” while I await the day when my neighborhood’s streets will once more echo with the sounds of the hits and home runs of future world champs.
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G REAT MOMENTS IN TH E H ISTORY OF C U BA N SP ORTS by Ricardo Alberto Pérez The history of Cuban sports goes back to the Spanish colonial period with the practice of chess. This was played mainly in the homes where tournaments were organized. In the midst of such popularity, on October 9, 1855, the distinguished Cuban patriot Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, known as Father of the Country, published in El Redactor newspaper, in Santiago de Cuba, the “Laws of the Game of Chess.” Three decades later, in 1885, the Chess Club of Havana was created on O’Reilly Street. Long identified as our national pastime, baseball was brought to Cuba in 1866 by a group of young Cubans who were studying at universities in the United States. The Cuban Professional Baseball League was created in 1878 and went on until 1961, when the revolutionary government replaced it with an amateur championship called the National Baseball Series, which has held 56 editions and has promoted many glories in that sport. Four teams, or clubs as they were called then, excelled in the professional league: the Habana, the Almendares, the Marianao and the Cienfuegos. APR 2017 59
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For more than a century, a notable group of Cuban baseball players played in the Major Leagues, and other baseball leagues organized in the United States and other countries of the continent. Among these pioneers, we find Armando Marsáns (who in 1911 made his Major League debut with the Cincinnati Reds), Martín Dihigo, José Rodríguez, Cristóbal Torriente and Miguel Ángel González. During the course of the XX century and what goes of the XXI, Cuba has had other stars at that level of the likes of Adolfo Luque, Orestes Miñoso, Conrado Marrero, and Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, just to name a few. At present, several figures formed by the Cuban school of baseball play in the Major Leagues, with Yoenis Céspedes, Kendrys Morales, Yasmani Tomás and Aroldis Chapman excelling in their respective teams. Before the revolutionary triumph of 1959, sports in Cuba had isolated talents who, nevertheless, gave the nation and honorable place at world-wide level. Thus, one of the most outstanding was José Raúl Capablanca, world chess champion from 1921 to 1927, considered by the experts as one of the three most brilliant chess players of all time. Another one that stood out was the fencer Ramon Fonst, winner of two Olympic golds in epée in Paris in 1900, and gold and silver in epée and foil in Saint Louis, 1904. In addition, he has the honor of being the first Latin American in obtaining an Olympic medal.
Also fencer Manuel Dionisio Diaz won gold in épée and team foil at the Saint Louis Games, while the spectacular boxer Eligio Sardiñas Montalvo, known as Kid Chocolate, was world champion in 1931 and 1932. The revolutionary government managed to massify the practice of sport with the creation of training schools as well as the construction of a good number of facilities for the practice of the different disciplines, which turned Cuba in a few decades into one of the main powers of world sport. Among the great exponents of this phenomenon it is essential to mention the brilliant women’s volleyball team, known as “Las Morenas del Caribe,” winner of gold medals in three consecutive Olympic Games (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000); APR 2017 60
lahabana. com in four, also consecutive, World Volleyball Cups (1989, 1991, 1995 and 1999; and in two Grand Prix (1993 and 2000). Furthermore, since Munich 1972, the Cuban Boxing School, known for its refined technique, usually occupies the top of the podium both in Olympic games and in world championships. In athletics and other combat sports, such as judo and wrestling in its two styles, as well as weightlifting, gymnastics, rowing, shooting, and cycling, Cuba has also had a remarkable performance. Neither should we forget an Olympic bronze medal won by Cuba’s men’s basketball team in Munich 1972, and the medals win by the men’s volleyball team. Also, for more than three decades, Cuba’s amateur baseball team was brilliant in world championships and continental events. The roster included outstanding figures of the stature of Antonio Antonio Huelga, Omar Linares, Antonio Muñoz, Agustín Marquetti, Lázaro Valle, Pedro Luis Lazo , Antonio Pacheco, Braudilio Vinent, Victor Mesa and Orestes Kindelán.
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Several figures stand out for their superb performances: Boxers Teófilo Stevenson and Felix Savón, who were both three times Olympic champions and several times world champions; Alberto Juantorena, double Olympic champion in Montreal 1976 in 400 and 800 meters, becoming the first athlete to do such a double at an officially recognized Olympic, something that no one has repeated to date; Javier Sotomayor, world record holder in high jump both in outdoor and indoor championships; javelin throwers Maria Caridad Colón and Osleidys Menéndez, both Olympic champions. Maria Caridad was the first Latin American woman to obtain a medal in the Olympics; Judoka Idalys Ortiz, Olympic medalist; weightlifter Daniel Núñez; shooter Neurys Pupo; and multi-champion wrestler Mijaín López. Among the sporting events organized in Cuba after 1959, in my opinion there are two that have had a special impact on our sport and our pride as hosts: the World Boxing Championship held in Havana in 1974 and the Pan American Games, also held in Havana in 1991. The latter were organized in the midst of an extremely difficult economic situation. Cuba was first in these Games, staging one of the most admirable moments of our sport.
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HOTEL SAN BASILIO - STYLISH SPANISH-COLONIAL HOTEL IN HISTORIC CITY CENTER The small sage-and-cream Hotel San Basilio, reached by a pretty double staircase, is the only boutique hotel in the historic center of Santiago de Cuba. With its 1920s ambience, and its eight rooms featuring handsome colonial furniture, guests can retreat from the buzz of the city streets to the quiet of the hotel. Night owls can enjoy the evening entertainment at the Rooftop Bar-Terrace of the nearby Hotel Casa Granda, compliments of the San Basilio Hotel.
EEUU -
[email protected] | 1 800 282 2468 (Toll Free) Europa -
[email protected] | +31 (0)20 794 7962 Asia -
[email protected] | 1800 198 150 (Toll Free) Resto del mundo -
[email protected] | +53 (0)7 214 0090
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H AVA N A L I ST I N G S VISUAL ARTS PHOTOGRAPHY DANCE MUSIC THEATRE FOR KIDS EVENTS
FEATURES RESTAURANTS BARS & CLUBS
HAVANA GUIDE
LIVE MUSIC HOTELS PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION APR 2017 68
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VISUAL ARTS
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GALERÍA GALIANO
THROUGHOUT APRIL
Grand Tour, by Marlon Portales, exhibits smallscale paintings, which depict his travels through different countries and cities.
GALERÍA EL REINO DE ESTE MUNDO
THROUGHOUT APRIL
Leer, by the German painter Siegfried Kaden, exhibits portraits of Cuban writers who have received the National Literature Prize.
CASA DE LAS AMÉRICAS
THROUGHOUT APRIL MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES. EDIFICIO DE ARTE CUBANO
THROUGH APRIL 10
Ji, ji, ji (Apóstrofe), solo show by Luis Gómez Armenteros of eight installations, a video-performance, a video installation and a sculpture that from the conceptualist affiliation of the artist, explores critically the relationship between the creator and art and between the creator and the market. PALACIO DEL SEGUNDO CABO
THROUGHOUT APRIL
Naturalezas del Art Nouveau, organized by the Réseau Art Nouveau Network, an international institution responsible for the documentation, research and protection of the World Art Nouveau heritage, aims to introduce the viewer in this style through its main features, associated with nature. TALLER EXPERIMENTAL DE GRÁFICA DE LA HABANA
THROUGH APRIL 21
En el espacio: de lo escultórico a lo instalativo, an exhibition of 66 sculpture and installation pieces from Casa’s collections, ten which 10 are heritage.
CASA DE LA POESÍA
THROUGH APRIL 16
Las olas del tiempo, solo show by Alberto Lorente.
GALERÍA ARTIS 718
THROUGHOUT APRIL
Two-person show by Nelson Villalobos and Moisés Finalé, which establishes a counterpoint between the poetics of both artists, of very different aesthetics. For the occasion, Finalé will present new works made using the technique of transparency.
CASA VÍCTOR HUGO
THROUGH APRIL 10
Fabulaciones cubanas, a show by María López Martínez and Alejandro Batista López.
América basta, 18 portraits by the Algerian artist Mustapha Boutadjine, who from a photograph makes a drawing that he fills with small pieces of paper torn from Western press publications. The exhibition is accompanied by the screening of the documentary Pedazos de vida, pedazos de sueños, by the Algerian filmmaker Hamid Benamra on the work of Boutadjine. VITRINA DE VALONIA
THROUGH APRIL 24
Alexander Izquierdo, solo show of the comic strip artist’s most recent work.
photos by Alex Mene Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Edificio de Arte Cubano
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BIBLIOTECA PÚBLICA RUBÉN MARTÍNEZ VILLENA
THROUGH APRIL 29
Cuentibujos, with illustrations for children by the renowned painter, illustrator and designer Enrique Pérez Blanco. CASA DEL ALBA CULTURAL
THROUGH APRIL 17
El tercer mundo en la Gráfica de la OSPAAAL is a collection of posters from the Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa and Latin America (OSPAAAL), many of them from to the golden age of Cuban poster art. OPENS APRIL 21
La OSPAAAL, las causas solidarias con el tercer mundo, exhibition of posters. CASA OSWALDO GUAYASAMÍN
THROUGH APRIL 16
Caribe alucinante, by Ángel Urrley, offers a vision in which the urban and island environments are recurring elements in works of varied formats. The works stand out for their accuracy, and the presence of topographic elements translated into communicative and reflexive models about the individual and their experiences in a state of insularity. CENTRO DE DESARROLLO DE LAS ARTES VISUALES
THROUGH APRIL 23
Postconceptua-lismo en el arte, group show of Cuban artists. THROUGHOUT APRIL
Ella vale mil pensamientos (Nature is Worth a Thousand Thoughts) an exhibition of works by Úrsula Biemann, Habib Asal nad Alexandra Meyer (Switzerland), Gideon Mendel (South Africa), Amy Balkin (US), and Humberto Díaz, Orestes Hernández Palacios and Reynier Leyva Novo (Cuba), who through photography, video, installation and performance warn of the urgent need to assume greater responsibility to nature, which is subjected to aggressions that put life on the planet at risk. GALERÍA VÍCTOR MANUEL
THROUGHOUT APRIL
CENTRO PROVINCIAL DE ARTES PLÁSTICAS Y DISEÑO
THROUGH APRIL 8
Obsesión, abstract paintings by Mexican artist Alfonso Mena. THROUGH APRIL 16
La Bella Época y el bosque tropical cubano, by the German painter Linda Starbatty, presents a sociological and anthropological vision of Cuban daily life, starting from an external view. FÁBRICA DE ARTE CUBANO
THROUGH APRIL 30
El Sistema, an industrial design show by D2 Estudio, made up by Dinorah Mabardi, José González, and Eric and Juan Alberto Sentí, proposes the versatility of furniture, both in its functionality and in the experience of different users and contexts. THROUGH APRIL 30
Estampida, group show. THROUGH APRIL 30
12 diseñadores cubanos ilustran el 2017, exhibition of works by designers Erick Silva, Giselle Monzón, Raúl Valdés (Raupa), Edel Rodríguez Mola, Nelson Ponce, Idania del Río, Marwin Sánchez, Darwin Fernández, Ramiro Zardoya, Pablo Montes de Oca, Yaimel López and Gabriel Lara. THROUGH APRIL 30
El Encanto Atelier, by María Laura García, proposes unique dresses and objects made by hand using the lines and details of the time. The elegance of the 50’s with the ingenuity of the 21st century. FACTORÍA HABANA
THROUGHOUT APRIL
Diógenes y la luz, brings together artists Octavio Cesar Marín and José Ángel Toirac, in an exhibition, which inspired by a passage from the life of the Greek philosopher Diogenes who is said to have toured Athens under the light of the sun holding a burning candle, searching for an man Honest, surpasses the anecdotal and promotes the critical value, bringing the myth to Cuban history and present day.
Leño & xy, by José Ramón Salas Martínez, is a selection of the sculpture series El discurso del carácter, with pieces assembled from wooden mobiles, and from the abstract series Transferencia óptica.
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FOTOTECA DE CUBA THROUGH APRIL 24
Bob Dylan 1961 y 1964, an exhibition of pictures of the everyday life of musician and poet Bob Dylan taken by Ted Russell from 1961 to 1964.
FÁBRICA DE ARTE CUBANO THROUGHOUT Detalles de cubanía, by artist VAE. APRIL
Miedo a Vicente, with photos by Anabel Cairo and Irolán.
GALERÍA EL REINO DE ESTE MUNDO THROUGH APRIL 19
Solo show by Alex Castro, with previously unpublished photographs of his father, Fidel Castro Ruz.
photos by Huberto Valera Jr.
PHOTO GRAPHY APR 2017
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DANCE LE CHEVALIER DE SAINT-GEORGES
APRIL 1, 8:30PM; APRIL 2, 5PM GRAN TEATRO DE LA HABANA ALICIA ALONSO
Show by the Laura Alonso Ballet Company.
CONCERT PROGRAM
APRIL 14-15, 8:30PM; APRIL 16, 5PM GRAN TEATRO DE LA HABANA ALICIA ALONSO
Concert program by the Ballet Nacional de Cuba: Un concierto en blanco y negro (choreographed by José Parés, music by Joseph Haydn); Cygne (music by Wojciechowska and video by Yaniv Cohen); Invierno (choreographed by Ely Regina Hernández, music by Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky), and Oscurio (choreographed by Anabel López Ochoa, y music by Raime & Michael Gordon).
COMPAÑÍA FLAMENCA ECOS
WEDNESDAYS, 9PM EL TABLAO, GRAN TEATRO DE LA HABANA ALICIA ALONSO
The ECOS company combines traditional and contemporary flamenco, drawing on current international dance trends and Cuba’s music and dance.
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lahabana. com The contemporary fusion and electronic music scene has expanded recently as new bars and clubs have opened party promoters have organized events in parks and public spaces. Good live music venues include Bertolt Brecht (Wednesdays: Interactivo, El Sauce (check out the Sunday afternoon Máquina de la Melancolía) and Fábrica de Arte Cubano which has concerts most nights Thursday through Sunday as well as impromptu smaller performances inside. In Havana’s burgeoning entertainment district along First Avenue from the Karl Marx theatre to the aquarium you are spoilt for choice with the always popular Don Cangrejo featuring good live music with artists of the likes of Kelvis Ochoa, David Torrens, Interactivo, Diana Fuentes, Descemer Bueno, David Blanco, just to name a few, Las Piedras (insanely busy from 3am) and El Palio and Melem bar— both featuring different singers and acts in smaller more intimate venues. BALNEARIO UNIVERSITARIO EL CORAL
FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS / 1PM-1AM Electronic music with rapping, DJing, Vjing, Dj-producers, breakdancing and graffiti writing, among other urban art expressions. CAFÉ CONCERT EL SAUCE
SUNDAYS / 5PM La Máquina de la Melancolía, with Frank Delgado and Luis Alberto García CASA DE LA AMISTAD
EN GUAYABERA
SUNDAYS / 5PM Discotemba LA CASA ESPAÑOLA
WEDNESDAYS / 6PM Sonash
THURSDAYS / 5PM Karamba
Pura Birria
SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS / 6PM Rock cover bands
THURSDAYS / 11PM
Dj Productores Session.
Concerts by fusion and alternative music soloists and bands.
FRIDAYS / 9PM Dj Productores Session: Iván Lejardi.
SATURDAYS / 9PM Dj Productores Session: Iván Lejardi.
CENTRO CULTURAL BERTOLT BRECHT.
THURSDAYS / 10PM
EVERY OTHER FRIDAY / 6PM Soul Train, a show of soul music
THURSDAYS / 10PM
Gens CAFÉ CANTANTE MI HABANA
FUSION
FÁBRICA DE ARTE CUBANO
Rock ’n’ Roll with Vieja Escuela.
FRIDAYS / 5PM
MUSIC CONTEMPORARY
HAVANA HARD ROCK
SUNDAYS / 9PM
DIABLO TUN TUN
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SUNDAYS / 11PM Rock and Roll at FAC.
FRIDAYS / 11PM Concerts by fusion and alternative music soloists and bands. SATURDAYS / 11PM Concerts by fusion and alternative music soloists and bands. SUNDAYS / 12AM Hip Hop at FAC. APR 2017 73
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FRIDAYS / 10PM Azúcar Negra SUNDAYS / 5PM
CASA DE LA MÚSICA DE MIRAMAR ALL DAYS 5 PM, 11 PM
Grupo Moncada
Popular dance music
MONDAYS Maykel Blanco 11 PM TUESDAYS Alexander Abreu 11 PM WEDNESDAYS Juan Guillermo 11 PM THURSDAYS 5 PM FRIDAYS 5 PM
Cristian y Rey
SUNDAYS 5 PM
Bamboleo
NG La Banda
SALÓN ROJO. HOTEL CAPRI
WEDNESDAY THRU SATURDAY / 9PM Dorgeris Álvarez
HABANA CAFÉ. HOTEL COHÍBA
WEDNESDAY / 9PM Teté y su grupo
SALSA TIMBA
CABARET TURQUINO. HOTEL HABANA LIBRE
MONDAYS / 11PM El Chispa y los Cómplices WEDNESDAYS / 11PM Caribe Girls
DIABLO TUNTÚN
MONDAYS / 11PM Tumbao Habana WEDNESDAYS / 5PM
CAFÉ CANTANTE. TEATRO NACIONAL
MONDAYS / 11PM Popular dance music (Manana Club) THURSDAYS / 5PM Primera Clase CASA DE 18
FRIDAYS / 8:30PM Iván y Fiebre Latina SATURDAYS / 8PM Ahí Namá
El Expreso de Oriente THURSDAYS / 11PM NG La Banda SATURDAYS / 5PM Manana Club SUNDAYS / 5PM Arnaldo y su Talismán LA PIRAGUA
EVERY OTHER SATURDAY / 10PM One of the most popular spaces of popular dance music returns again for the public. APR 2017 74
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MUSIC
Jazz Café
Café Jazz Miramar
Mellow, sophisticated and freezing due to extreme air conditioning, the Jazz Café is not only an excellent place to hear some of Cuba’s top jazz musicians, but the open-plan design also provides for a good bar atmosphere if you want to chat. Less intimate than La Zorra y el Cuervo – located opposite Melia Cohiba Hotel.
SHOWS: 11 PM - 2AM
UNEAC APRIL 13
La Esquina del Jazz, hosted by showman Bobby Carcassés
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This new jazz club has quickly established itself as one of the very best places to hear some of Cuba’s best musicians jamming. Forget about smoke filled lounges, this is clean, bright—take the fags outside. While it is difficult to get the exact schedule and in any case expect a high level of improvisation when it is good it is very good. A full house is something of a mixed house since on occasion you will feel like holding up your own silence please sign! Nonetheless it gets the thumbs up from us.
CAFÉ MIRAMAR 10 PM
Havana in the Grand Manner, with Tamara Castañeda (vibraphonist), Oliver Valdés (percussionist), Jorge Reyes (contrabass player), Jorge Luis Chicoy (guitarist) and Ernán López-Nussa (pianist), and guests singers Daymé Arocena and Kelvis Ochoa.
MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES. EDIFICIO DE ARTE CUBANO APRIL 6 7 PM
JAZZ
Leyanis Valdés (pianist)
ASOCIACIÓN CUBANA DE DERECHOS DE AUTOR MUSICAL APRIL 20 6PM
Alexis Bosch (pianist) and Proyecto Jazz Cubano
INSTITUTO INTERNACIONAL DE PERIODISMO JOSÉ MARTÍ MARCH 3 6 PM
Alejandro Falcón (pianist) and his group Cubadentro
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MUSIC BOLERO,
FOLKLORE, SON AND TROVA
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EL TABLAO
THURSDAYS / 11:30PM
Osdalgia
SUNDAYS / 7:30PM
Ivette Cepeda
HOTEL MELIÁ HABANA
TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS & SATURDAYS / 8:30PM
Vocal group Retro
GATO TUERTO
FRIDAYS / 5PM
Music, visual arts, literature and more.
HOTEL TELÉGRAFO
FRIDAYS / 9:30PM CASA DE 18
WEDNESDAYS / 8PM
Héctor Téllez
THURSDAYS / 5PM
José Valladares
SUNDAYS / 5PM
Georgeana
CAFÉ CANTANTE, TEATRO NACIONAL
MONDAYS / 5PM Proyecto Lírico CASA DE LA BOMBILLA VERDE
MONDAYS-SUNDAYS / 8PM Performance by singer songwriters
CABARET EL TURQUINO. HOTEL HABANA LIBRE
FRIDAYS / 11PM
CENTRO CULTURAL FRESA Y CHOCOLATE
Mónica Mesa
SUNDAYS / 8PM
THURSDAYS / 4PM
Trova with Frank Martínez
SUNDAYS / 6PM
Singer Leidis Díaz
LIBRERÍA FAYAD JAMÍS
APRIL 21 / 4PM Trova and poetry hosted by singer songwriter Ireno García.
CLUB AMANECER
FRIDAYS / 5PM Conjunto de Arsenio Rodríguez DELIRIO HABANERO
SATURDAYS / 10PM Sonyku DIABLO TUN TUN
CASONA DE LÍNEA
Ivette Cepeda
THURSDAYS / 5PM Trova with Ray Fernández
ASOCIACIÓN YORUBA DE CUBA
THURSDAYS / 9PM Trova with Frank Martínez HOTEL NACIONAL DE CUBA
SATURDAYS / 7PM Los Indómitos
MUSEO DE LA MÚSICA
APRIL 12 / 5PM Piquete Típico Cubano MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES, EDIFICIO DE ARTE CUBANO
APRIL 18 / 7PM
CASA DE LA POESÍA
APRIL 7 / 3PM
Concert in the semifinals of the French Song Festival in Cuba
Trova
Trova HURÓN AZUL, UNEAC DOS GARDENIAS
TUESDAYS THRU SUNDAYS / 10PM
SATURDAYS / 9PM Bolero Night
LE SELECT
FRIDAYS / Grupo Moncada 5PM YAIMA SÁEZ 9PM
CENTRO CULTURAL EN GUAYABERA
FRIDAYS / 3PM Trova with Diego Ulloa
Performance by soloist vocalists APR 2017 76
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CLASSICAL MUSIC BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL JOSÉ MARTÍ SATURDAYS 3PM
Performance by chamber soloists and ensembles.
CASA DEL ALBA APRIL 2 5PM
Performance by chamber soloists and ensembles.
APRIL 9 5PM
En Confluencia, dedicated to guitar.
APRIL 16 5PM
Tardes Líricas project, directed by the soprano Milagros de los Ángeles.
APRIL 23 5PM
De Nuestra América, a project directed by guitarist Zuleida Suárez.
TEATRO ARENAL FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS 9PM SUNDAYS 5PM
Presentation of “Hatuey: Memory of Fire,” by Opera de la Calle, in collaboration with Music-Theater Group of New York. The Yiddish-Cuban opera, “Hatuey…,” is based on a 1931 epic poem written in Yiddish by Oscar Pinis, a Ukrainian refugee who fled to Cuba. Hatuey was the Taino chief who resisted the Spanish invaders. The libretto is written by Elise Thoron and the music is composed by Frank London.
SALA COVARRUBIAS. TEATRO NACIONAL SUNDAYS 11AM
Concerts by the National Symphony Orchestra.
CENTRO HISPANO AMERICANO DE CULTURA APRIL 8 Concert by guitarist Mabel González. 5PM
FÁBRICA DE ARTE CUBANO THURSDAYS 9PM
Concerts by chamber music soloists and ensembles.
MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES. EDIFICIO DE ARTE CUBANO APRIL 8 Concert by pianist Denis Peralta, and guest dancer Isabel 7PM May. APRIL 15 Concert by the Electroacoustic Music Laboratory, featuring 7PM composer Wilma Alba. MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES. EDIFICIO DE ARTE UNIVERSAL APRIL 1 Concert by guitarist Susana Frade, featuring pianist Jessica 3PM Barreto. APRIL 8 Concert by pianist Huberal Herrera. 3PM
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THEATRE
El diccionario
El otro cuarto
Pagola mismo
ESPACIO IRREVERENTE
FÁBRICA DE ARTE CUBANO
TEATRO KARL MARX
IRREVERENCIA PRODUCCIONES / PRODUCTION: EVA GONZÁLEZ SUNDAYS & MONDAYS, 7:30PM
TEATRO EL PÚBLICO / PRODUCTION: CARLOS DÍAZ APRIL 2, 9PM
GRUPO PAGOLA LA PAGA / PRODUCTION: KIKE QUIÑONES APRIL 7-8, 8:30PM; APRIL 9, 5PM
A young couple lives in “the other room” of a house lived in by a lady, who the couple tries to kill and solve the eternal problem of housing and independence. This is a universal problem, which this play that, this contemporary Polish play recreates with humor and ingenuity.
Comedy show.
The play, by Spanish playwright Manuel Calzada, approaches the vital conflicts of the philosopher and lexicographer María Moliner, author of the essential Diccionario de uso del español, who at the age of seventy discovers the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and begins the definition of the concept of freedom, according to what it has represented in the different crossroads of her life.
Telaraña CASA DEL ALBA CULTURAL GRUPO TE-ATRO, APRIL 13, 6PM
Monologue by actor Carlos Luis Echavarría.
Salida cuatro por cuatro CENTRO CULTURAL RAQUEL REVUELTA TEATRO MIMO CLAN , APRIL 21-30, FRIDAYS THRU SUNDAYS, 6:30PM
Vagos rumores CENTRO CULTURAL RAQUEL REVUELTA TEATRO D’DOS / PRODUCTION: JULIO CÉSAR RAMÍREZ APRIL 1-16 & 28-30, FRIDAYS THRU SUNDAYS, 8:30PM
Play by Cuban playwright Abelardo Estorino, which, for the critic Vivian Martínez Tabares, constitutes “an ethical reflection based on the contextual constraints on the social responsibility of the artist, with which he experiences spatialtemporal unfolding, plays with intertextual references and gives another lesson in artistry and coherence.”
Harry Potter se acabó la magia TEATRO TRIANÓN TEATRO EL PÚBLICO / PRODUCTION: CARLOS DÍAZ FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS, 8:30PM; SUNDAYS, 5PM
The fantastic world of Harry Potter, brought, in the manner of a social satire, to a music school in Cuba.
Nos Vemos LUDI TEATRO LUDI TEATRO / PRODUCTION: JENNIFER H. CAPRARU FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS, 8:30PM; SUNDAYS, 5PM
Play by Guillaume Corbeil, which deals with the interaction of people in social networks, where, in spaces such as Twitter or Facebook, private lives are made public, often neglecting essential values.
APR 2017 78
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FOR KIDS Uno, dos, tres... Contando APRIL 1-2, 10AM, CASA DEL ALBA CULTURAL
An oral narration show featuring the PalabrAbierta theater company and guests.
Cirhabana Circus APRIL 9, 11AM, MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES. EDIFICIO DE ARTE CUBANO
Clowns, music and other attractions.
Sueños y fantasías APRIL 19, 10AM, CASA DEL ALBA CULTURAL
Show by the Sueños y Fantasías company.
Habana Magia 2017 GRAN TEATRO DE LA HABANA ALICIA ALONSO APRIL 20-23
Event sponsored by Cuba’s national Circus for discovering and promoting a new generation of magicians.
Gigantería CAFÉ LITERARIO. CASA DE LA POESÍA APRIL 28, 3PM
Performance by the Gigantería theater group, including games and songs for kids of all ages. APR 2017 79
EVENTS IN HAVANA Festival La Huella de España APRIL 2-9 HAVANA Founded in 1989 by Cuba’s prima ballerina, Alicia Alonso, this festival pays tribute to one of the components of Cuban nationality. Both in their most traditional and in the most contemporary exponents, the rich Spanish cultures alternate with manifestations that, while decidedly Cuban, exhibit an undeniable Iberian imprint. This edition will be dedicated to the Canary Islands.
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APRIL 4
ASOCIACIÓN CANARIA DE CUBA LEONOR PÉREZ CABRERA / 9AM
Canarian Cuisine Workshop 10AM
Canarian traditional costume workshop. Rosette and openwork workshop. 3PM
Colloquium on Canarian Literature MULTICINE INFANTA, SALA 2 / 6PM
Cinema from the Canary Islands TEATRO MELLA / 7PM
For more information: http://www.balletcuba.cult.cu/ programacion-del-xxvi-festival-la-huella-de-espana/
Gala by the Federation of Spanish Societies of Cuba “Islas Canarias, España te baila” APRIL 6
ASOCIACIÓN CANARIA DE CUBA LEONOR PÉREZ CABRERA / 9AM APRIL 3
TEATRO MELLA / 9PM
Opening Gala featuring the Irene Rodríguez Dance Company, Pancho Amat y su Cabildo del Son, Luis Paz Esquivel (Papillo) and improviser Eduardo Duque González from the Canary Islands, accompanied by the lute player Yariel Gil Sotolongo and guitarist Marcos Prieto; Cantoría Coralillo, of the Schola Cantorum Coralina, musicians from the Chamber Orchestra of the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory and Rondalla Timanfaya from the Leonor Pérez Cabrera Canary Islands Association of Cuba; dancers from the Professional Formative Workshop under the Irene Rodríguez Company and the Canary Islands Folkloric Ensemble of the Canary Islands Association of Cuba, and the Cuban Television Dance Company. ASOCIACIÓN CANARIA DE CUBA LEONOR PÉREZ CABRERA / 9AM
Opening of an art and book exhibition. Canarian Cuisine Workshop
10AM
Canarian traditional costume workshop. Rosette and openwork workshop 3PM
Colloquium on Canarian Literature APRIL 4
ASOCIACIÓN CANARIA DE CUBA LEONOR PÉREZ CABRERA / 9AM
Canarian Cuisine Workshop 10AM
Canarian traditional costume workshop. Rosette and openwork workshop. 3PM
Colloquium on Canarian Literature MUSEO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES. EDIFICIO DE ARTE CUBANO / 6PM
Recital by pianist Othoniel Rodríguez TEATRO MELLA / 3PM
Colloquium on Canarian Literature
Canarian Cuisine Workshop 10AM
Canarian traditional costume workshop. Rosette and openwork workshop. 3PM
Colloquium on Canarian Literature MULTICINE INFANTA, SALA 2 / 6PM
Cinema from the Canary Islands TEATRO MELLA / 7PM
Gala from the Canary Islands, featuring Princesa Dacil and Mencey; Renacer, from the Canary Islands Association of Cuba; Marcos A. Santana; Marco del Castillo and Josele del Pino, guitar and tiple of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Canary Islands; Agrupación Folklórica Rumores del Teide, Liset Núñez, Coral Hespérides from the Canary Islands Association of Cuba; Luis Paz Esquivel (Papillo) and Eduardo Duque González; Odalys Maestre, La Vieja Parranda de Valladolid, Danza Isleña de Pozas, Islas Canarias flokloric ensemble of the the Canary Islands Association of Cuba. APR 2017 80
EVENTS IN HAVANA
APRIL 7
ASOCIACIÓN CANARIA DE CUBA LEONOR PÉREZ CABRERA / 9PM
ASOCIACIÓN CANARIA DE CUBA LEONOR PÉREZ CABRERA / 9PM
Canarian Cuisine Workshop
10PM
10PM
SOCIEDAD DE BENEFICENCIA DE NATURALES DE CATALUÑA / 3PM
Panel “Benito Pérez Galdós, el más universal de los canarios,” by experts Iraida Rodríguez Figueroa, Carmen Almodóvar Muñoz and Antonio Pérez Herrero MULTICINE INFANTA, SALA 2 / 6PM
Cinema from the Canary Islands TEATRO MELLA / 8:30PM
Gala “Diálogo entre islas,” with María Victoria Rodríguez and her group, El Jilguerito, Cuban Televisión Dance Company, Legendarios del Guajirito, Niurka Reyes, Pancho Amat y su Cabildo del Son, La Vieja Parranda.
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APRIL 8
Tenerife Day. Canarian Cuisine Workshop Canarian traditional costume workshop. Rosette and openwork workshop.
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Canarian traditional costume workshop. Rosette and openwork workshop. 3PM
Colloquium on the work of Dulce María Loynaz MULTICINE INFANTA, SALA 2 / 8:30PM
Gala performance by the Irene Rodríguez Dance Company and the Ballet Nacional de Cuba: El mito, Encontra2, Fever, Falsa bulería, Tifoeo, Amaranto (Compañía Irene Rodríguez). A la luz de tus canciones, suite del ballet Don Quijote (Ballet Nacional de Cuba). Gala performance by the Irene Rodríguez Dance Company and the Ballet Nacional de Cuba: El mito, Encontra2, Fever, Falsa bulería, Tifoeo, Amaranto (Compañía Irene Rodríguez). A la luz de tus canciones, suite del ballet Don Quijote (Ballet Nacional de Cuba).
MULTICINE INFANTA, SALA 2 / 6PM
Cinema from the Canary Islands APRIL 9
MULTICINE INFANTA, SALA 2 / 6PM
Cinema from the Canary Islands TEATRO MELLA / 5PM
Closing Gala with the performances of Corina Mestre, La Vieja Parranda, Ivette Cepeda y su grupo Reflexión, Compañía Irene Rodríguez, Habana Clásicos, Ballet Nacional de Cuba.
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16 Muestra Joven ICAIC
APRIL 4-9, CENTRO CULTURAL CINEMATOGRÁFICO FRESA Y CHOCOLATE, CINEMATECA DE CUBA, 23 Y 12 AND CHARLES CHAPLIN MOVIE THEATERS An event for stimulating awareness and consideration of the audiovisual production of new video/ filmmakers and getting into contact with daring and inquisitive works usually produced outside the official production. The competition is directed at young Cuban filmmakers who will compete for prizes in the categories of fiction, documentary and animated films, poster and original script. The event also includes showings of international contemporary cinema, theoretical meetings, discussions, seminaries and workshops with important filmmakers. This year 25 fiction films, 10 documentaries and 5 animated films will be competing for prizes. The Centro Cultural Fresa y Chocolate will host Moviendo Ideas, a venue for the discussion of topics such as Other landscapes of spirituality (April 5, 1:30 pm); Stories filled with memories (April 5, 4pm); New narrative provocations” (April 6, 1:30 pm); Cultural violence in childhood (April 6, 4pm); Sexual identities on the margins (April 7, 4pm); Oppressive contexts, screams from the cinema (April 8, 1:30 pm). For more information: www.muestrajoven.cu
II Festival Universitario de Cantautores APRIL 6-7, DE LAS ARTES The festival aims to facilitate and promote the work of young university creators, create spaces for dialogue and motivate cultural exchange with the community.
Premio de Composición APRIL 10-14, CASA DE LAS AMÉRICAS The Composition Prize Competition is aimed at stimulating and spreading the most recent creation of chamber, symphonic and choral music in the continent. The event also includes lectures, workshops and performances by Cuban musicians and international guests.
XXIII Encuentro Internacional de Academias para la Enseñanza del Ballet y XV Concurso para Jóvenes Bailarines APRIL 8-19, GRAN TEATRO DE LA HABANA ALICIA ALONSO AND ESCUELA NACIONAL DE BALLET Organized for the first time in 1993, this International Meeting of Ballet Academies has made it possible for dancers, teachers and students to become familiar with the technical and stylistic peculiarities of the Cuban School of Ballet through workshops, courses, and methodological and master lessons. Similarly, dancers and pedagogues from other countries have conveyed their experiences in a fruitful exchange with their Cuban colleagues. The theoretical sessions and demonstrations permit delving more deeply into the methodology and technique of dance in general and ballet, and to broaden basic knowledge about repertoire, classical duos, technique, folk dances and the kinesiology of dancers, just to mention a few. A workshop on the criticism of classical dance and the art of dance has also been organized. The event features performances by the participating academies. Since 1995 there has also been an International Competition for students. APR 2017 82
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Festival Piña Colada APRIL 1-4, CIEGO DE ÁVILA
Under the slogan Music and Youth, the festival will feature popular Cuban artists in different music genres, such as David Torrens, Luna Manzanares, César López y Habana Ensemble, Hayla Mompié, Waldo Mendoza, Enrique Álvarez y la Charanga Latina, Andy Rubal y su grupo, Orquesta Revé, Alain Pérez, Arnaldo y su Talismán, just to name a few. Simultaneously, the II Symposium on Music, Education and Society will be held. Discussions will deal with the type of music that young people like and their social repercussions.
III Concurso Nacional de Colografía Belkis Ayón APRIL 4-7, CIENFUEGOS Tribute to the late engraver Belkis Ayón. In addition to the presentation of the award, discussions will be held on the importance and development of contemporary Cuban engraving.
VII Festival de Videoarte de Camagüey APRIL 4-9, THEATERS AND CONSEJO PROVINCIAL DE LAS ARTES PLÁSTICAS Institutions, artists, gallery owners and managers, curators and art theorists will participate during the 7th International Video Art Festival of Camagüey. The public will be able to enjoy video art works (video performance, video installation—video-sculpture and video-environment—video dance and animation), both from emerging and established artists. Theoretical sessions involving artists, scholars and critics who have been invited to the event will also take place. During the festival, 79 works by creators from 24 countries will be presented, in addition to 80 works outside the competition.
Festival Internacional de Cine de Gibara APRIL 15-21 , GIBARA, HOLGUÍN PROVINCE Although the name is another one, the spirit of the Festival de Cine Pobre (Low-Budget Film Festival) remains. The festival was founded in 2003 by the late Cuban filmmaker Humberto Solás in the small town of Gibara, in the eastern province of Holguín. Its president, actor Jorge Perugorría, assures that the initial purpose of promoting an emancipated and alternative cinema is still alive, although now without restrictions regarding the budget used for making the films. The Lucía Awards will be presented in different categories, and works under construction will be recognized with the Humberto Solás Award. In addition to the competitive section, theoretical events, ancillary shows, concerts, visual arts exhibitions and theater plays have also been included in the program. This year the festival will be dedicated to Spain and the attendance of important figures of the cinema of that country is expected. For more information: www.baibrama.cult.cu APR 2017 83
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MESÓN DEL REGIDOR - INTIMATE HOTEL IN THE HEART OF UNESCO CITY STUNNER This tiny hotel, with just four rooms, is found in a restored ochre and blue Spanish colonial building in the heart of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a cobblestone’s throw from the palaces-turned-museums, and main square and church, of this beautiful city, and the growing number of private restaurants. EEUU -
[email protected] 1 800 282 2468 (Toll Free) Europa -
[email protected] +31 (0)20 794 7962 Asia -
[email protected] 1800 198 150 (Toll Free) Resto del mundo -
[email protected] | +53 (0)7 214 0090
APR 2017 84
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HAVANA’S
best places to eat La Habanera
EL ATELIER
BELLA CIAO
CAFÉ BOHEMIA
LA CALESA REAL
EXPERIMENTAL FUSION
HOMELY ITALIAN
CAFÉ
CUBAN AND INTERNATIONAL
ECLÉCTICO
FUSION, ITALIAN
Interesting décor, interesting menu.
Great service, good prices. A real home from home.
Bohemian feel. Great sandwiches, salads & juices
Totally charming, excellent food
Beautiful mansion in the heart of El Vedado serving excellent food.
Calle 5 e/ Paseo y 2, Vedado (+53) 7-836-2025
Calle 19 y 72, Playa (+53) 7-206-1406
Calle San Ignacio #364, Habana Vieja
Compostela No. 359 e/ Lamparilla y Obrapía, La Habana Vieja (+53) 78645001
Calle Paseo No. 206, El Vedado (+53) 7 831-3423, (+53) 5360-0384
CASA MIGLIS SWEDISH-CUBAN FUSION
MEDITERRÁNEO HAVANA INTERNATIONAL
Beautiful modern decor. Interesting menu and good service. Calle #35 e/ 20 y 41, Playa. (+53) 7-203-8315
CORTE PRÍNCIPE
RÍO MAR
D.EUTIMIA
INTERNACIONAL
ITALIAN
INTERNATIONAL
CUBAN/CREOLE
Interesting and diverse menu. Beautiful terrace.
Industrial chic alfresco rooftop with a buzzing atmosphere
Sergio’s place. Simple décor, spectacular food.
Lealtad #120 e/ Ánimas y Lagunas, Centro Habana (+53) 7-864-1486
Calle 13 #406, e/ E y F, Vedado. (+53) 7-832 4894 http://www/medhavana.com
Calle 26, e/ 11 y 13, Vedado. (+53) 7-832-2355
Calle 9na esq. a 74, Miramar (+53) 5-255-9091
LA FONTANA
LA HABANERA
EL LITORAL
SANTY
INTERNACIONAL
INTERNATIONAL AND VEGETARIAN
INTERNATIONAL
SUSHI/ORIENTAL
Calle 46 #305 esq. a 3ra, Miramar (+53) 7-202-8337
INTERNATIONAL
EL COCINERO
Oasis of good food & taste in Centro Habana
Consistently good food, attentive service. Old school.
OTRA MANERA
Excellent food and veggie-friendly menu. Lovely, majestic house.
Watch the world go by at the Malecón’s best restaurant.
Calle 16 # 506, e/ 7ma y 5ta, Miramar, Playa (+53) 7 202 9941
Malecón #161 e/ K y L, Vedado (+53) 7-830-2201
Contemporary décor. Great seaview. Good food. Ave. 3raA y Final #11, La Puntilla, Miramar (+53) 7-209-4838
NAZDAROVIE SOVIET
Authentic fisherman’s shack servicing world-class sushi.
Well designed Soviet décor excellent food & service.
Calle 240A #3023 esq. a 3ra C, Jaimanitas (+53) 5-286-7039
Malecon #25, 3rd floor e Prado y Carcel, Centro Habana (+53) 7-860-2947
Absolutely charming. Excellent Cuban/creole food. Callejón del Chorro #60C, Plaza de la Catedral, Habana Vieja (+53) 7 861 1332
SAN CRISTÓBAL CUBAN/CREOLE
Deservedly popular.Consistently great food. Kitsch décor. San Rafael #469 e/ Lealtad y Campanario, Centro Habana (+53) 7-860-9109
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La Calesa Real
TOP PICK
magazine
Style of food: Cuban and international cuisine Cost: Moderate Type of place: Private (Paladar)
Best for: Excellent, authentic cuisine and friendly service Don’t Miss. The Langosta Calesa Real, lobster served in its shell with raspberry sauce , red wine, aromatic herbs…and other secret ingredients. Compostela No. 359 e/ Lamparilla y Obrapía, La Habana Vieja (+53) 7864-5001
Style of food: Fusion, Italian Cost: Expensive Type of place: Private (Paladar)
TOP PICK
Ecléctico
Best for Quality decor, fine service and great food. Don’t miss Fresh pasta, the fish…and the ice cream of innovative flavors! Calle Paseo No. 206, El Vedado (+53) 7 831-3423, (+53) 5360-0384
TOP PICK
El Litoral
Style of food: International Cost: Expensive Type of place: Private (Paladar)
TOP PICK
Best for Quality décor, good service and great food. Best new place recently opened. Don’t Miss Drinking a cocktail at sunset watching the world go by on the Malecón Malecón #161 e/ K y L, Vedado. (+53) 7-830-2201 APR 2017 86
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La Guarida
TOP PICK
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Style of food: Contemporary fusion Cost: Expensive Type of place: Private (Paladar)
Best for Authentic, charming and intimate atmosphere in Cuba’s best known restaurant. Great food, professional. Classy. Don’t Miss Uma Thurman, Beyoncé or the Queen of Spain if they happen to be dining next to you. Concordia #418 e/ Gervasio y Escobar, Centro Habana. (+53) 7-866-9047
Style of food: Traditional Cost: Moderate Type of place: Private (Paladar)
TOP PICK
Café Bohemia
Best for taking a break from long walks and seeking shelter from the stifling Cuban.. Don’t miss location in the cool inner courtyard of the colonial building. Ground floor of the Palacio de la Casa del Conde de Lombillo, Calle San Ignacio #364 (+53) 5- 403-1 568, (+53) 7-836-6567 www. havanabohemia.com
TOP PICK
La Habanera
Type of food: International and vegetarian Cost: Moderate Type of place: Private restaurant (Paladar)
Best for: Excellent food and veggie-friendly menu. Lovely, majestic house. Don’t miss: Eggplant lasagna and grilled fish with lemon and capers. Calle 16 # 506, e/ 7ma y 5ta, Miramar, Playa (+53) 7 202 9941 APR 2017 87
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Corte del Príncipe Sergio’s Style of food Italian Cost Expensive Type of place Private (Paladar)
Best for Cozy atmosphere, excellent service.
Don’t miss spectacular homemade Italian pastas.
9na esq. 74, Playa (+53)5255 - 9091
Casa Miglis
TOP PICK
Style of food Swedish-Cuban fusion Cost Expensive Type of place Private (Paladar)
Best for The beautifully designed interior, warm ambience and Miglis’s personality create the feeling of an oasis in Central Havana. Don’t Miss Chatting with Mr Miglis. The Skaargan prawns, beef Chilli and lingonberries. Lealtad #120 e/ Ánimas y Lagunas, Centro Habana www.casamiglis.com (+53) 7-864-1486
APR 2017 88
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HAVANA’S best Bars & Clubs
Corner Café TRADITIONAL BARS EL FLORIDITA Hemingway’s daiquiri bar. Touristy but always full of life. Great cocktails. Obispo #557 esq. a Monserrate, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1299
1950S TRADITIONALS Guest performers include BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB MEMBERS Sociedad Rosalía de Castro, Egido 504 e/ Monte y Dragones, Old Havana (+53) 5-270-5271
SLOPPY JOE’S BAR Recently (beautifully) renovated. Full of history. Popular. Lacks a little ‘grime’. Ánimas esq. a Zulueta, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-866-7157
CERVECERÍA ANTIGUO ALMACÉN DE LA MADERA Y EL TABACO
Microbrewery located overlooking the restored docks Simply brilliant. Avenida del Puerto y San Ignacio, La Habana Vieja
CONTEMPORARY BARS EL COCINERO
ESPACIOS
TABARISH
FAC
Fabulous rooftop setting, great service, cool vibe.
Laid back contemporary bar with a real buzz in the back beergarden.
A comfortable place to chat / hang out with your friends. Great service.
X Alfonso’s new cultural center. Great concerts, funky young scene.
Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado
Calle 10 #510, e/ 5ta y 31, Miramar
Calle 20 #503, e/ 5ta y 7ma.
Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (next to the Puente de Hierro)
(+53) 7-832-2355
(+53) 7-836-3031
(+53) 7-202-9188
(+53) 5-329-6325 www.facebook.com/fabrica.deartecubano
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CONTEMPORARY BARS/CLUBS
Sangri-La
TOP PICK
CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS
Best for Hanging out with the cool kids on the Havana Farundula in the most popular bar/ club.
DON CANGREJO Love it/hate it—this is the oldest Friday night party place and is still going strong. Outdoor by the sea. Ave. 1ra e/ 16 & 18, Miramar (+53) 7-204-3837
CORNER CAFÉ
SANGRI-LA
Great live music every day. very frequently by locals. Good tapas.
For the cool kids. Basement bar/club which gets packed at weekends.
Calle B e/ 1ra y 3ra. Plaza de la Revolución (+53) 7837 1220
Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar (+53) 7-264-8343
Don’t Miss The best gin and tonic in Havana. Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar (+53) 5-264-8343
GAY-FRIENDLY CABARET LAS VEGAS Can get dark and smoky but great drag show (11pm) from Divino—one of Cuba’s most accomplished drag acts. Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar (+53) 7-264-8343
FASHION BAR HAVANA
CAFÉ BAR MADRIGAL
A superb example of queer class meets camp, accompanied by a fantastic floor show.
Pop décor, fancy cocktails, and the staff’s supercilious attitude, this is a gathering spot for all types of folks.
San Juan de Dios, esq. a Aguacate, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1676
Calle 17 #809 e/ 2 y 4, Vedado (+53) 7-831-2433
Corner Café
TOP PICK
CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS
Best for Frequently by locals. Great tapas. Don’t Miss Live music every day. Calle B e/ 1ra y 3ra. Plaza de la Revolución (+53) 5-264-8343
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CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS
Espacios
Best for Laid back lounge atmosphere in the garden area which often has live music. Good turnover of people. Don’t Miss Ray Fernandez, Tony Avila, Yasek Mazano playing live sets in the garden. Calle 10 #510 e/ 5ta y 31, Miramar (+53) 7-202-2921
TOP PICK BAR / TRADITIONAL Best for Immense original bar lovingly restored. Good service, History.
Sloppy Joe´s Bar
Worst for Not quite grimy. Too clean. Ánimas, esq. Zulueta La Habana Vieja, (07) 866-7157
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Fábrica de Arte
TOP PICK
magazine
CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS Best for X Alfonso’s superb new cultural center has something for everyone Don’t Miss Artists who exhibit work should demonstrate ongoing creativity and a commitment for social transformation. Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (next to the Puente de Hierro)
GAY FRIENDLY Best for A superb example of queer class meets camp, accompanied by a fantastic floor show.
TOP PICK
Fashion Bar Havana
Don’t Miss The staff performing after 11pm San Juan de Dios, esq. a Aguacate, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1676
TOP PICK
Bertolt Brecht
CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS
Best for Hanging out with hip & funky Cubans who like their live music. Don’t Miss Interactivo playing on a Wednesday evening. Calle 13 e/ I y J, Vedado (+53) 7-830-1354 APR 2017 92
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HAVANA’S
best live music venues
CONCERT VENUES KARL MARX THEATRE World class musicians perform prestigious concerts in Cuba’s best equipped venue. Calle 1ra esq. a 10, Miramar (+53) 7-203-0801
BASÍLICA SAN FRANCISCO DE ASÍS A truly beautiful church, which regularly hosts fabulous classical music concerts. Oficios y Amargura, Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, Habana Vieja
FÁBRICA DE ARTE X Alfonso’s new cultural center. Great concerts inside (small and funky) and outside (large and popular!). Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (next to the Puente de Hierro)
SALA COVARRUBIAS TEATRO NACIONAL
Recently renovated, one of Cuba’s most prestigious venues for a multitude of events. Paseo y 39, Plaza de la Revolución.
SALSA/TIMBA CAFÉ CANTANTE MI HABANA Attracts the best Cuban musicians. Recently renovated with an excellent new sound system. Ave. Paseo esq. a 39, Plaza de la Revolución (+53) 7-878-4273
CASA DE LA MÚSICA
CASA DE LA MÚSICA
CENTRO HABANA
MIRAMAR
A little rough around the edges but spacious. For better or worse, this is ground zero for the best in Cuban salsa.
Smaller and more up-market than its newer twin in Centro Habana. An institution in the Havana salsa scene.
Galiano e/ Neptuno y Concordia, C. Habana (+53) 7-860-8296/4165
Calle 20 esq. a 35, Miramar (+53) 7-204-0447
SALÓN ROSADO DE LA TROPICAL The legendary beer garden where Arsenio tore it up. Look for a salsa/timba gig on a Sat night and a Sun matinee. Ave. 41 esq. a 46, Playa (+53) 7-203-5322
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CONTEMPORARY CAFÉ TATRO BERTOLT BRECHT
DON CANGREJO
EL SAUCE
Think MTV Unplugged when musicians play. Hip, funky and unique with an artsy Cuban crowd.
Love it/hate it—this is the oldest Friday night party place and is still going strong. Outdoor by the sea.
Great outdoor concert venue to hear the best in contemporary & Nueva Trova live in concert.
Calle 13 e/ I y J, Vedado (+53) 7-830-1354
Ave. 1ra e/ 16 y 18, Miramar (+53) 7-204-3837
Ave. 9na #12015 e/ 120 y 130, Playa (+53) 7-204-6428
TEATRO DE BELLAS ARTES Small intimate venue inside Cuba’s most prestigious arts museum. Modern. Trocadero e/ Zulueta y Monserrate, Habana Vieja.
TROVA & TRADITIONAL BARBARAM PEPITO´S BAR Some of the best Cuban Nueva Trova musicians perform in this small and intimate environment. Calle 26 esq. a Ave. del Zoológico. Nuevo Vedado (+53) 7-881-1808
GATO TUERTO Late night place to hear fabulous bolero singers. Can get smoky. Calle O entre 17 y 19, Vedado (+53) 7-833-2224
TRADICIONALES DE LOS 50 The 1950s traditionals, a project created over 10 years ago, pays tribute to the Golden Era of Cuban music: the 1950s. Sociedad Rosalia de Castro, Egido #504 e/ Monte y Dragones, Havana Vieja (+53) 7-861-7761
SALÓN 1930
COMPAY SEGUNDO
Buena Vista Social Club style set in the grand Hotel Nacional. Hotel Nacional Calle O esq. a 21, Vedado (+53) 7-835-3896
JAZZ CAFÉ JAZZ MIRAMAR Clean, modern and atmospheric. Where Cuba’s best musicians jam and improvise. Cine Teatro Miramar 10:30pm – 2am Ave. 5ta esq. a 94, Miramar
JAZZ CAFÉ A staple of Havana’s jazz scene, the best jazz players perform here. Somewhat cold atmospherewise. Galerías de Paseo Ave. 1ra e/ Paseo y A, Vedado
LA ZORRA Y EL CUERVO Intimate and atmospheric, which you enter through a red telephone box, is Cuba’s most famous. Calle 23 e/ N y O, Vedado (+53) 7-833-2402
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magazine
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Best Hotels
SIMPLY THE BEST… IBEROSTAR PARQUE CENTRAL
Luxury hotel overlooking Parque Central Neptuno e/ Prado y Zulueta, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-860-6627
SANTA ISABEL
Luxurious historic mansion facing Plaza de Armas Narciso López, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-860-8201
SARATOGA
TERRAL
Stunning view from roof-top pool. Beautiful décor.
Wonderful ocean front location. Newly renovated.
Paseo del Prado #603 esq. a Dragones, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-860-8201
Malecón esq. a Lealtad, Centro Habana (+53) 7-862-8061
BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN OLD HAVANA FLORIDA
Beautifully restored colonial house. Obispo #252, esq. a Cuba, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-862-4127
PALACIO DEL MARQUÉS...
Cuban baroque meets modern minimalist Oficios #152 esq. a Amargura, Habana Vieja
HOSTAL VALENCIA
Immensely charming, great value. Oficios #53 esq. a Obrapía, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1037
CONDE DE VILLANUEVA
Delightfully small and intimate. For cigar lovers. Mercaderes #202, Lamparilla (+53) 7-862-9293
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MELIÁ HABANA
Oasis of polished marble and professional calm.
Attractive design & extensive facilities.
Ave Paseo e/ 1ra y 3ra, Vedado (+53) 7- 833-3636
Ave. 3ra y 70, Miramar (+53) 5-204-8500
OCCIDENTAL MIRAMAR
magazine
H10 HABANA PANORAMA
Good value, large spacious modern rooms.
Cascades of glass. Good wi-fi. Modern.
Ave. 5ta. e/ 70 y 72, Miramar (+53) 7-204-3583
Ave. 3ra. y 70, Miramar (+53) 7 204-0100
FOR A SENSE OF HISTORY AMBOS MUNDOS
MERCURE SEVILLA
HOTEL NACIONAL
RIVIERA
A must for Hemingway aficionados
Stunning views from the roof garden restaurant.
Eclectic art-deco architecture. Gorgeous gardens.
Spectacular views over wavelashed Malecón
Calle Obispo #153 esq. a Mercaderes, Habana Vieja (+53) 7- 860-9529
Trocadero #55 entre Prado y Zulueta, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-860-8560
Calle O esq. a 21, Vedado (+53) 7-835 3896
Paseo y Malecón, Vedado (+53) 7-836-4051
ECONOMICAL/BUDGET HOTELS BOSQUE
DEAUVILLE
SAINT JOHN’S
VEDADO
On the banks of the Río Almendares.
Lack of pretension, great location.
Lively disco, tiny quirky pool. Popular.
Good budget option with a bit of a buzz
Calle 28-A e/ 49-A y 49-B, Reparto Kohly, Playa (+53) 7-204-9232
Galiano e/ Sán Lázaro y Malecón, Centro Habana (+53) 7-866-8812
Calle O e/ 23 y 25, Vedado (+53) 7-833-3740
Calle O e/ 23 y 25, Vedado (+53) 7-836-4072
HAVANA’S Best Hotels
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HAVANA’S
best private places to stay Sueño Cubano
MID RANGE - CASA PARTICULAR (B&B) 1932 MIRAMAR 301 LUXURY HOUSE Visually stunning, historically fascinating. Welcoming. 4 bedrooms private luxury villa Campanario #63 e/ San Lázaro y Laguna, with swimming pool Centro Habana (+53) 7-863-6203
HABANA Beautiful colonial townhouse with great location.
JULIO Y ELSA Cluttered bohemian feel. Hospitable.
Calle Habana #209, e/ Empedrado, y Tejadillo, Habana Vieja. (+53) 7-861-0253
Consulado #162 e/ Colón y Trocadero, Centro Habana ( +53) 7-861-8027
UP-SCALE B&BS (BOUTIQUE HOSTALS) SUEÑO CUBANO
Old palace carefully restored, seven rooms, suites with bathrooms and featuring 24 hour service. Calle Santa Clara número 66 entre Oficios e Inquisidor. Habana Vieja 53 78660109 39 339 1817730
LA RESERVA VEDADO 5 luxurious rooms in a renovated colonial mansion . The tropical garden in the courtyard, ideal to eat, drink and relax. Calle 2 entre 21 y 23 numero 508. Vedado, La Habana
[email protected] (53) 7 8335244 http://lareservavedado.com/
VITRALES
Hospitable, attractive and reliable boutique B&B with 9 bedrooms. Habana #106 e/ Cuarteles y Chacón, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-866-2607
PASEO 206
Incredible boutique hotel and restaurant. Luxury and comfort combined. Paseo, 206 – Vedado. (+53) 7 8313423, (+53) 5 3600384
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EEUU -
[email protected] 1 800 282 2468 (Toll Free) Europa -
[email protected] +31 (0)20 794 7962 Asia -
[email protected] 1800 198 150 (Toll Free) Resto del mundo -
[email protected] | +53 (0)7 214 0090
PALACIO AZUL A PRETTY BAYSIDE BLUE PALACE A small boutique hotel, the duck-egg blue Palacio Azul faces the Bay of Cienfuegos, and is 10 minutes by foot to the UNESCO-crowned historic city center. Built in 1920, the domed hotel features 7 rooms, a marble staircase, and beautiful original art nouveau tiled floors. Catch the breeze on the rooftop terrace, and enjoy the neighboring architectural stunners — the Club Cienfuegos and the Palacio del Valle.
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APARTMENT RENTALS BOHEMIA BOUTIQUE APARTMENTS
Gorgeous 1-bedroom apartment beautifully decorated apartment overlooking Plaza Vieja. San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja (+53) 5- 403-1 568 (+53) 7-836-6567 www.havanabohemia.com
CASA CONCORDIA
Beautifully designed and spacious 3 bedroom apartment. Spanish colonial interiors with cheerful, arty accents. Concordia #151 apto. 8 esq. a San Nicolás, Centro Habana (+53) 5-254-5240 www.casaconcordia.net
TROPICANA PENTHOUSE
A luxurious penthouse with huge roof terrace and breath-taking 360 degree views of Havana and the ocean. Galiano #60 Penthouse Apt.10 e/ San Lázaro y Trocadero
SUITE HAVANA
Elegant 2-bedroom apartment in restored colonial building. Quality loft style décor. Lamparilla #62 altos e/ Mercaderes y San Ignacio, Habana Vieja (+53) 5-829-6524
(+53) 5-254-5240 www.tropicanapenthouse.com
LUXURY HOUSES VILLASOL
CASABLANCA
Rent Room elegant and wellequipped. Beautiful wild garden and great pool.
Elegant well-equipped villa formerly owned by Fulgencio Batista. Beautiful wild garden.
Calle 17 #1101 e/ 14 y 16, Vedado
Morro-Cabaña Park. House #29
(+34) 677525361 (+53) 7-832-1927 (+53) 5-360-0456
(+53) 5-294-5397 www.havanacasablanca.com
MICHAEL AND MARÍA ELENA
This leafy oasis in western Havana has an attractive mosaic tiled pool and three modern bedrooms. Calle 66 #4507 e/ 45 y Final, Playa (+53) 7-209-0084
RESIDENCIA MARIBY
A sprawling vanilla-hued mansion with 6 rooms decorated with colonial-era lamps, tiles and Louis XV furniture Vedado. (+53) 5-370-5559
Bohemia Boutique Apartments Red
TOP PICK
Best for 3 small balconies (facing the Patio of the Palace), 1 spacious bedroom with air conditioning Don’t Miss The apartment is fully furbished, plenty of light and very well ventilated. San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja, Habana Vieja
[email protected] (+53) 5 4031 568: (53) 7 8366 567
www.havanabohemia.com
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lahabana. com Paseo, 206 – Vedado. (+53) 7 8313423, (+53) 5 3600384
TOP PICK
magazine
Paseo 206 Best for The hotel staff not only picks up guests at the airport in perfectly restored vintage automobiles, they take you to fruit and vegetable markets where you can choose what you want to eat later in the day. Don’t Miss The luxury bedroom. Two areas on the house are extra-special: a glass-wall sitting room surrounded by plants, and a room in the dome with a splendid view of the Caribbean Sea.
Sueño Cubano
TOP PICK
Best for Old palace carefully restored, seven rooms, suites with bathrooms and featuring 24 hour service. Don’t Miss Relax at any of the four terraces, feel the mellow touch of antique and original Cuban furniture.
TOP PICK
Bohemia Boutique Apartments Blue Best for i1 internal balcony, 1 spacious bedroom on the mezzanine with air conditioning. Don’t Miss The apartment is fully furbished, plenty of light and very well ventilated. San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja, Habana Vieja
[email protected] (+53) 5 4031 568: (53) 7 8366 567 APR 2017 101
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