Casino Dancers Dedicate Tour to Havana’s 505th Anniversary

All of Havana’s neighborhoods will now have dedicated spaces for casino dancers, as part of a tour initiated by the «Retomando el Son Bailando Casino» project in honor of the city’s 505th anniversary.

For the casino dancers, this new phase is also part of a broader initiative known as «La Ruta del Son», which aims to strengthen this cultural movement in every municipality in the country.

In an interview with Radio Enciclopedia, Luis Llamo Castillo, director of the project and known artistically as «El Embajador del Son,» explained that their joyful spirit has already reached communities in Marianao, Arroyo Naranjo, Cotorro, Habana del Este, Guanabacoa, San Miguel del Padrón and Centro Habana.

«So far, most of the visits have taken place in July, but the celebration will continue until November 16, when the Wonderful City will celebrate its 505th anniversary,» he said.

As part of this celebration, which will also mark the end of the tour, the World Casino Dance Meeting will take place on Cuban soil, providing an opportunity to exchange experiences and showcase our culture.

Luis Llamo Castillo, The Ambassador of Son.

«We are doing this work to strengthen and protect our roots, our identity. We are teaching values and resisting cultural colonization, because the son contains a deep Cuban essence, and the casino, although it originated in the last century, has remained relevant and is now an international trend,» said Llamo Castillo.

He also recalled that on May 5, his project achieved the national and world record for the largest number of people and casino dance wheels performing simultaneously.

The record was set by 2,946 dancing couples on 142 casino dance wheels distributed throughout the country. Both in this event and in this endeavor, the Ministry of Culture and the National Council of Culture Houses, along with their leadership structures at various levels, contribute to the organizational efforts.

Excerpt: All of Havana’s municipalities now have spaces for casino dancers to perform, as part of a tour promoted by the Retomando el Son Bailando Casino project in honor of the city’s 505th anniversary.