Going to CUBA - Cuba help

[Jure]

Hello everyone!

My dream is coming true! I am going to Cuba for a whole july. My goal is to expand my professional dance knowledge and of course my not so professional drumming

I am looking for more cuban home, country, old way to experience and learn Cuba, culture, people, music,...

So congaboard any information about dancing and of course drumming in Cuba as well as any other info, pics, casas particulares, experience,... would be very very thankful!


You may write to my e-mail: jure@comparsa.si!

Thanks in advance!

Best regards


Jure

[GuruPimpi]

Jure!
Waw, ZAKON!

Poznaš Blaža iz MB, tolkalist tut? No, on je bil na Cubi in se učil...
Če rabiš cifro, me kontaktiraj; bi ti znal povedat kaj koristnega!
Blaž Celarec iz LJ tut...

Super!

Mislim, da bo kar fajn da se enkrat na kofet dobiva pa kakšno rečeva!

Primoz

[akdom]

Hi there

when you are in la Habana, go to the Malecon and look for the horse ride guys. Ask For YOR, he is great and he will help you to go straight where you want.

B

[pavloconga]

Hi Jure,
You can look up my conga teacher in Havana:
Guillermo Lopez Clemente, Professor of music from Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba. Very good teacher, extremely knowledgable and methodical. Lessons at his home in Havana Vieja.
With him I studied: Guaguanco, Yambu, Pilon, Songo, Iyesa, Tumbao, Mozambique, Columbia, Columbia de campo, + Bata rhythms.
I'll PM you his contact details. Let me know if you need accommodation, I know a good place in the centre of Havana and in Vedado.
Pavlo

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... o_folc.jpg

[pavloconga]

In pic above, Guillermo is seated at centre with onkonkolo, playing shekere.



Edited By pavloconga on 1176415978

[akdom]

I just remeember that last time I was in Cuba, they put me in jail.. lol

at factore final for thoses who know... he he


B

[Charangaman]

Greetings Jure,

My advice is travel around, Havana is cool but Santiago de cuba is heavy!

my two convertibles

[korman]

Jure, I was in Cuba last July! You can read my trip report on the lonely planet's forum. Wow, July will be hot, man! Expect 32-34 degrees everyday, and a shower every afternoon.

Since you go on July, you MUST go to Santiago de Cuba! On the first week there is Fiesta del Caribe (see the girls comparsa group in the picture from the main parade) and Carnaval on the last. I had to choose the first because I did not have the whole month, but carnival is even better, they say. From Santiago you can go to Baracoa for couple of days and find some changui music. Or climb the Sierra Maestra ...

I can recommend you Yoyi's house in Santiago (say hello to her from Kristaps if you stay with her), and great teacher Joaquin Solorzano Benitez, who has played with Eliades Ochoa and Cuarteto Patria, and now has his own folkloric group and also plays son with Los Guanches and as guest musician in many other groups.

Also Trinidad is a very nice place to relax for couple of days, maybe up to a week if you do some hiking in the nearby Sierra Escambray and horse tours. There are also dancing and music teachers in there, but perhaps not the top level like in Havana. We had salsa lessons with a guy called Hector in casa ArTex, and he was good. He did not try to impose cuban style dancing on us, because he knew we did not have time to absorb it, but instead he adapted to our style and improved our dancing, cubanizing it a bit in the process.



Edited By korman on 1176458796

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... _small.jpg

[Jure]

Thanks everyone for posting the infos!

Pavloconga: can you send me accommodation infos in Havana,Vedado? Thanks for the teacher!!!

GuruPimpi: kaka kavica bi bla super! Sm 2x na teden v NM drugace pa v Lj,... te poklicem,...

Korman:
I can recommend you Yoyi's house in Santiago (say hello to her from Kristaps if you stay with her), and great teacher Joaquin Solorzano Benitez - can you tell me where to find them in Santiago? Thanks



If u now something more let me know,...

[pavloconga]

No problem, I'll PM you the details.
Pavlo