Blog Archives
dancers, 1
This was the highlight of the entire trip – the chance to watch performances of dancers from Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba, a highly regarded dance academy in Cuba.
I was going to write about the dances (a fusion of flamenco, ballet, Cuban rhythms, and other styles), the dancers (who attend academic and dance classes at the academy), or the founder (Lizt Alfonso, a highly regarded dancer and visionary). But nothing I can say will convey the passion, the precision, the dedication of the dancers. Or the passion and precision of the dances.
Ms. Alfonso spoke with our group after the performance and indicated the company would be touring internationally in 2024. You ought to try to catch a performance. (I mean – look at this video, and you’ll see what I mean.) (If you look at the video you’ll also see that my photo is a very, very poor capture of what I experienced.)
Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
shadow boxing
The sweat-covered boxer from this post is the man on the left, giving it his all in full Cuban sun.
The men would pair up, sparring until the coach said, in a calm deep voice, “Tiempo.” They’d rest a few minutes, wipe their faces, drink some water*. And when the coach again announced, “Tiempo.” they’d start back up until the next announcement.
Gimnasia de Boxeo Rafael Trejo
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
*And if we were there, put up with a swarm of photographers intent on getting a Very Important Portrait of Very Sweaty Boxer.
Che is still watching
Revolutionary leader Che Guevarra is still watching what goes on in Havana. I mean, he was executed in Bolivia in 1969, but still.
And also, while Che was keeping watch inside this building, that gentleman in the helmet was definitely keeping an eye out for what I might do next.
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.6.2022
boxing gym, after practice
Our days in Cuba were of course filled with photography. And it wasn’t just the things you’d expect, like old cars and older buildings. We spent part of one morning at a boxing gym, watching the men work out. It was an open-air gym, it was hot, it was muggy, and they were sweaty. It was rich with history and aspirations.
The gym is named for famed revolutionary Rafael Trejo González, who was killed leading student protests in 1930; his killing was a turning point in the battles against the dictatorship of Gerardo Machado.
Aspiring boxers train here under the coaching of Nardo Mestre Flores, whose goal is to keep alive Cuba’s rich boxing heritage.
Gimnasia do Boxeo Rafael Trejo
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
¡patria o muerte!
Homeland or death – that’s what the sign on the wall says. I do not know if there is any connection between that and the headless statue (other than the connection I made in my mind, that is), but at any rate, those things did all fit within my viewfinder.
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.7.2022
One Day | One Image 