En Cuba, se vive bailando. (Cuba, the ballet)

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Daniela Cabrera

Over the past two years I’ve devoted my work almost exclusively to photographing ballet dancers within urban settings. Cuba has one of the top ranked ballet companies, thus why I dreamt of visiting the island for a long time. Their dancers are just some of the best dancers in the world. Perhaps it is because movement and rhythm runs in their afro-caribbean blood, but most likely it is due to the Russian school of training which is part of their heritage.

Thanks to a grant from the Bessie Foundation I was able travel a few weeks ago to Cuba. To my surprise, on my visit  I ended up documenting a different kind of dance. I found myself  tangled between the rhythm of the ballerinas I set myself to shoot and the cadence of the Cubans in the streets balancing their lives in an effort to make it through each and every day.  And  I was swept off my feet by that dance. (more after the jump)

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Laura Tosar

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Javier Rojas

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Yanet Álvarez

Crouched on a street corner, a woman will sell  a few packs of AA batteries and cigars. A tiny table at a man’s door becomes a local shoe repair shop. Others sell coffee right out of their own windows. Knife sharpeners roam the streets offering their services. Merchandising whatever little that they have, in one way or another…. anything goes and contraband is a common form of survival.

Ballet dancers make us feel as if their movements where truly effortless. This while pushing their bodies to the very extreme of what is humanly possible. It is that grace and elegance which mesmerizes us.

With  an average salary of $25 to $40 per month, Cubans struggle incessantly to stay afloat. Yet much like the ballet dancers, they strive with  a resilience and elegance that  I’ve never seen before.  Different from the long and weary faces we see in our metropolises, the Cuban people hustle daily with an unparalleled amount of pride, selflessness and dignity.

I realized then, that above any other reason, this is exactly why Cuban ballet dancers have always been so great  and through so many generations. Endurance simply resides in their blood.

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Daniela Fabelo | Daniela Cabrera

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Sadaise Arencibia

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Patricia Santamaria

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Laura Tosar

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Javier Rojas and Keyvin Martínez

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Sadaise Arencibia

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Patricia Santamaria

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Patricia Santamaria

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Esteban Aguilar

All images and text ©2016 Omar Z Robles. All Rights Reserved. Do not copy or use with out written consent from Omar Z Robles.

84 comments

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  16. mizcaliflower's avatar mizcaliflower

    I enjoyed your wonderful photos from Cuba. Thank you for sharing your beautiful works.
    The dancers all look incredible.. Excellent talent all around.

    Like

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  19. Elia Stupka's avatar Elia Stupka

    A wonderful combination of the dynamism and power of your dancer compositions with great street shots of the context in Cuba. Truly impressive, keep it up!

    Like

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  28. Rene's avatar Rene

    I am a cuban and right now I am living in Bulgaria(almost two years far from my homeland), mate, you make me cry with these images, really thanks for bring this little piece of Cuban’s Soul, I am not an artist but like cuban, I can say that you really caught the essence of any the cuban day. Thanks once again.

    Like

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  32. Rose McClement's avatar Rose McClement

    Good Morning Omar
    On Saturday will I was trawling for images for a project I am working on ( Interior decor) I stumbled on your Cuban Street Ballet images. Not only did they captivate me but they are completely suitable to this bedroom that I am working on. The colours, the theme etc – all work very well.
    There is a deadline we are working with and hence what would work best for us is if we could purchase a digital version of the images, have them printed and framed locally. As opposed to having to ship the printed images from your side of the globe.

    could you please advise if this will work for you and if so, how much would a set of 6 – 8 images cost us.

    many thanks and also thank for presenting such awesome works of art.
    Your Rose McClement
    Owner and Creative Director
    Design Monarchy
    http://www.designmonarchy.co.za
    http://www.thedesigntabloid.com

    Like

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