Dance and Culture in Havana: Tisch School of the Arts at NYU

Students must take the following two courses for a total of eight units.

Note for NYU students: Both these courses count towards the Dance Minor.

Dance Workshop

IDANCE-UT 1150
6 units

Cuba boasts some of the best choreographers, dancers and dance training programs in the world. Based at the National Theatre and offered in collaboration with the Havana-based Ludwig Foundation for the Arts, this Dance Workshop is designed to introduce students to a Cuban rich multi-cultural trajectory through the world of dance, from folklore to Rhumba.

In daily intensive workshops, conducted by some of Cuba's leading choreographers and dance instructors from The Ballet Folklorico Cutumba in Santiago and Danza Contemporanea de Cuba in Havana, students will experience the country's rich history and learn about the various cultural influences that have created some of the best dancers in history.

With The Ballet Folklorico Cutumba, students will spend week one studying Social Dance and week two studying Folkloric/Cutumba. After returning to Havana, students will spend week three studying Contemporary Dance with the Danza Contemporanea de Cuba followed by Choreography in week four.

Arts & Culture in Cuba

IOART-UT 961
2 units

This course provides a multifaceted understanding of Cuban history, culture, and arts from the period of Spanish colonialism, through the wars of independence and the Revolution, and into the “Special Period” of the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. It examines the many political and cultural transformations and, consequently, how the country’s artistic legacy manifests the spirit of an era through literature, photography, music, dance, theatre, and visual arts.

In addition to class discussions and readings, students interact with the country’s leading artists, writers, and performers. Students also attend lectures, performances, and exhibitions at the Ludwig Foundation, ICAIC, and the National Theatre of Cuba.