CUBAN TRANSITIONS

When we visited Cuba, some of us had the opportunity to see a performance by the National Cuban Ballet. The performance of Copelia was spectacular. I am not a dancer. I am not a Cuban citizen. I am not of Cuban descent. Even though I am not any of these things, that does not mean that I can’t appreciate the power, grace and beauty of the performance by the National Cuban Ballet. Our visit to Cuba, and our visit the ballet, is an example of cultural diplomacy. Cultural diplomacy, as defined by Milton C. Cummings Jr, is “the exchange of ideas, information, art, and other aspects of culture among nations and their peoples in order to foster mutual understanding” (http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k74756&pageid=icb.page399628). Throughout the turbulent history of US-Cuban relations, there has been a small amount of ballet diplomacy.
   In 1999, the National Cuban Ballet were able to tour the United States. In the magazine, Cuba en el Ballet issue number 94, an article ran titled “Giselle hacia el siglo XXI : El Ballet Nacional de Cuba en los Estados Unidos” “Giselle into the XXI Century: The National Ballet of Cuba in the United States.” The article described how the troupe made several appearances in throughout the US, in cities such as Tucson and Los Angeles. The Ballet gave a performance at the Berkeley in which California congress women Barbara Lee spoke, saying how it was “it is also my pleasure to express my support for Cuba’s cultural exchange through art. Art and music are important because they are universal languages that each individual can understand”(20). This speech addresses specifically the concept of cultural diplomacy. Recently, the National Cuban Ballet performed once again in the United States on June 2011.
 While the Cuban dancers were able to interact with United States citizens on US territory, dancers from the American Ballet Theatre company had the opportunity to perform in Havana for the International Ballet Festival of 2010. ABC news coverage of the 2010 International Ballet Festival described how the American Ballet Theatre company was “treated like rock stars” and allowed for a “wider cultural opening between the United States and Cuba.” Julia Kent, a principal dancer, said how “a lot of dancers say that they feel like ambassadors” and how “There is no greater ambassador for humanity than music and dance. They speak to the soul of mankind and cross any boundary” (http://abcnews.go.com/WN/ballet-diplomacy-americans-dance-cuba-time-half-century/story?id=12057197#.T6FR279r9o0). While the governments might only allow limited interaction between the two countries, people, specifically dancers, are creating social relations and cultural understandings between the US and Cuba. Will these relationships help mend the political divide between the two countries? Maybe, maybe not.

More on the National Cuban Ballet:
Alicia Alonso and the Cuban Ballet Revolution
 Spotlight: Alicia Alonso
Ballet Nacional de Cuba and the Revolution (highlighting race and the ballet)