‘Glimpses of Cuba’.
Peterston-super-Ely Hall. Saturday 25 February.
I am fortunate enough to have been to Cuba a few times and (with music and Spanish language as the main motivators) have taken the opportunity to visit various parts of the island, meeting many Cubans, making friends and staying with them rather than in hotels. Its colonial and recent history are enough to make the place fascinating on many levels: the way it clings to its revolutionary ideals; the forced minimal consumerism exemplified by the lack of MacDonalds and Coca-Cola; three centuries of undeveloped architecture; a lack of cars leading to empty motorways; life without electricity; and so on with an almost endless list. I am taking advantage of my enthusiasm to hold a fund-raising evening on behalf of the Cardiff-based choir Cantemus.
The evening will be in three parts:
• I’ll start off with an illustrated talk of my views of the island – its history, architecture, customs, quirks etc – drawing on my own experiences, reading and 19th century prints and newspapers
• After this, Kemi, who runs the excellent café in Craft in the Bay, will produce a Cuban meal for us
• Finally, I will teach some Danzón. This rather sedate dance was introduced in 1879, taking over from the older Contradanza (which came to Cuba from England via France) and Danza, and was the national dance until the 1920s. From then on it caught the mood of the times becoming increasingly animated and ultimately recognisable to us as Salsa. (Danzón is still danced in Cuba but is very specialist and is more for competitions.)
We will of course have music and Salsa itself would bring the proceedings to an energetic close. This would be your opportunity to show off and bring the story up to date.
Kemi’s bar will open at 7.00 and will be including mojitos on its board. I’ll start the formal proceedings at 7.30.
A complete Cuban evening, therefore, for just Ł12, including the food.
Advance tickets only please so we can organise the catering. Tickets can be obtained from Peterston-super-Ely post office (weekdays, and Saturday/Sunday 8 to 1), Kemi’s at Craft in the bay, or by post from me. (Cheques payable to Jeremy Badcock, 40, Pitchcroft Lane, Worcester, WR1 3JW. Please give a phone number.)
For further details contact me on 01905 24307 (yes, just five figures)
Or jeremy.l.b@ntlworld.com
(Sorry, hotmail and yahoo accounts are blocked by ntl at the moment.)
