AZUCAR CUBANA DANCE GROUP

CUBAN DANCE

Azúcar Cubana (Cuban Sugar) was founded in 2002 by Taina Morales, a graduate from the National Ballet of Cuba, artistic director of the Cuban Folklorama Pavilion and dancer of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet from 1999 to 2004.

In 2004, Caridad Quesada, known as Cacha, continued on as artistic director and has since incorporated many new choreographies.  Cacha has been dancing since she is 7 years old. She studied contemporary and folkloric dance in Cuba and represented her community in many events.  Here in Winnipeg she has taught many Winnipeggers interested on Salsa and other Cuban dance.

Azúcar Cubana promotes all kind of Cuban dance: salsa, mambo, cha cha cha, guaracha, conga, son, merengue, rumba, zapateo, folkloric and other dances. The group is upbeat and interactive, combining the music with performace.

Azúcar Cubana consists of 6 dancers: Caridad Quesada, Yuriem Nodarse, Grettel Reyes and Harol Rancaño from Cuba, Alexander Spaggs from Guatemala and Andres Vermette from Canada.

In the past Azúcar Cubana has performed in such venues as the Black History Month Celebration (Red River College), Mardi Gras (Winnipeg Convention Centre), 55th Annual Rotary Chicken Fest. (Canad Inn, Polo Park), International Mother’s Day Celebration (Richmond Kings Community Centre), Latin American day (The forks), Cuban Night (Mona Lisa Restaurant), Folklorama 2006, Cuban Culture Association events and other Latin American events.

Some of our performances are:

Orichas, folkloric afro Cuban dance: celebrating the spirits of the sea (Yemaya), river (ochun), pathway/forest/mountain (elegua), silver and white metals (Obatala). Orichas means Gods in the Lucumí language.  This language came from West of Africa (Nigeria).  These dances represent the power of nature and were introduced to Cuba by African slaves.

The dance is a trilogy of three different rhythms in a single song: Guaguancó, Cha Cha Cha and Rumba.

El bacalao, merengue: The performance is about two waiters, who steal the most

favorite plate “the bacalao” from a restaurant, enraging the Cheft who starts to look for them. Bacalao is a kind of fish.

Typical and traditional dance from Cuba. Rumba means “go to party” in Spanish.  In a Cuban Rumba dance you will see a seduction game between the man and the woman.  This dance is not considered a ballroom dance because man and woman dance together but don’t touch.