Interview with Dayesi Torriente and Monica Gomez, ballerinas of the National Ballet of Cuba, regarding their debut this weekend in the leading roles of traditional pieces of the company’s repertoire. The enchantment of ballet has its mysteries, and it is that beyond the technique and experience, passion and perseverance are qualities that really guarantee success. The proof is in young dancers Dayesi Torriente and Monica Gomez, who this weekend had their debut in major leading roles in the show The Magic of the Dance. Monica Gomez, 21, stars Coppelia for the first time, while Dayesi, 22, debuts in The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. After an intense month of work, days before taking the stage of Havana’s Avellaneda Hall of the National Theater of Cuba, the young dancers stopped rehearsing to talk to OnCuba at the Ballet National School. They both began their training at Prodanza Center and continued their secondary education at Alejo Carpentier Elementary School of Ballet and later at the National Arts School (ENA by its Spanish acronym). Today they are members of the renowned National Ballet of Cuba. Monica smiling tells she always wanted to be a ballerina. “I was in dancing groups since I was...

The early elimination of Villa Clara team in the Caribbean Series, where it finished with a win and three losses, has sparked reactions at all levels of Cuban society where the actions of the squad lead by Ramón Moré are described as a "failure". Victor Mesa, director of the national team and who held an official position as a technical leader of Villa Clara during the event disputed in Margarita Island, Venezuela, gave exclusive statements to Granma newspaper where he said: "The problem is that all players, technicians, all we have to prepare for not continuing to fail, that's the challenge. " Mesa, who also manages Matanzas team in the National Series, claimed not to have taken any decision during the games. "There Villa Clara was Cuba as a whole. Yes, I talked to the players, but on the same string, giving advice, because many asked me for them. I'm a baseball man; I wake up thinking about the ball and go to bed in the same way. So I was in the bench living as they the stress, the joy of victory over the Puerto Ricans thanks to the pitching by Odelín "he said. To read the full interview:...

With my prepaid account is the name of the new service offered by the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA by its Spanish acronym), which allows making national and international calls at current rates, using a personal account in convertible pesos (CUC). With this offer the customer has a 12-digit personal account number and a PIN code of 5 numbers, that the client can change manually to provide greater security. Luis Manuel Diaz Naranjo, director of corporate communications of ETECSA said exclusively to ACN news agency that for making calls the customer must dial 163 07 and follow the voice guide. Through the with my prepaid account service, you can access directly the national and international lines from any landline or public housing, the official said. The cost of calls can be controlled by a prepaid service, and users recharge the account through coupons, or directly in the ETECSA business units, for a minimum of 5.00 CUC and from the Web site www.ezetop.com, he said. He noted that this option also allows recharge the account from $ 15 (USD). Regarding the life cycle of the account, the official said, the first call must be made within 30 days from the date of...

The Yale Glee Club (YGC), the main students mixed choir from Yale University, and one of the most important in the United States, will be in Cuba from next March 10 to 15, for a concert tour and cultural exchanges with local choirs. The young Musical Director, Dr. Jeffrey Douma, who is in charge of YGC, was already in Cuba in 2010 with the Yale Alumni Chorus. They will offer two concerts; the first will take place in Matanzas , at St Peter Apostle Church, on March 12, at 6:00 pm, with the participation of Matanzas Chamber Choir, directed by Maestro José Antonio Méndez. The second concert shall be at the Minor Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi Convent on March 13, at 6:00 pm and accompanied by Entrevoces choir, which is led by the Maestro Digna Guerra. In addition, for this Cuban tour, YGC is planning "a set of Caribbean music, along with a song of Cuban composer Guido Lopez Gavilan." According to YGC biography, its members, either of "music or literature, environmental science or engineering, philosophy or mathematics, (...) are united by a love for singing and the common idea of ​​ raising the voice of oneself with...

The American Boxing Confederation (AMBC) , selected the Cuban boxer Julio Cesar La Cruz as the best athlete in 2013 , when he won his second world title and was undefeated in 25 fights. In a message to the Cuban Federation, AMBC said the decision to award the prize to the 2013World Champion in Almaty in the 81 kilogram division last weekend was taken during the meeting of its Executive Committee in Costa Rica. The Confederation also noted with appreciation that the Cuban has dominated the Golden Belt of Romania and the Havana’s Cordova Cardin, debuting on top in the IV World Series of discipline and winning his fifth national title. The award makes the Cuban double holder of the award, as he received it also here in 2011, when he conquered the universal crown which he ratified the 2013 with five wins in the Kazakh city of Almaty. Thus, remained on the island all such distinctions since its first release in 2009, for then was assigned to Roniel Iglesias, while in 2010 and 2012 were given to Robeisy Ramirez. Currently the athlete already recovered after being assaulted with a firearm at the beginning of this year, in his native...

Cuban singer Pedro Luis Ferrer will offer a concert on Valentine's Day at Rancho Palco. According to the author of songs like En espuma y arena, Inseminación artificial, 100 % cubano, for two consecutive years he has shared that space with all lovers who decide to toast to love on that day. So it will not be hard to find people there for a second time. Although Pedro Luis Ferrer said he is not much given to festive dates believing that every day is to celebrate and give love he stated that whoever arrives at Rancho Palco that night, plus enjoying the delicious dinner, can dance and enjoy good music to the rhythm of his Son and guarachas. Coming on OnCuba will be an interview (text and video) with Pedro Luis. Meanwhile if you wish you can book it for next February 14 and enjoy his concert at Rancho Palco. To book you can call: +53 7 208 9188 Or write an email to: comercialrancho@palco.cu

Cuba is the guest at the 15th International Exhibition of Gastronomy and Tourism, underway at the Expourense Fairgrounds, Galicia from February 5 through the 9. In his public statement, the vice president of the Xunta de Galicia, Alfonso Rueda has referred to the long history of Xantar, which this year received for the first time an international fair character, of a sector, the food, that plays in Galicia one fundamental role and has enormous potential. He further highlighted the presence of Cuba as a guest country, which contributes, he said, to promote the relationship among the Galician Diaspora. Cuba's participation will give much cause for satisfaction as a result of the visit of President of the Xunta, Alberto Nunez Feijoo a few months ago to that country, he said. During the next few days, the exhibition will bring together 179 exhibitors, namely 18 restaurants -12 of them Galician- with 32 menus based on local products of each region. The Xantar program includes activities from conferences to live cooking exhibits, tastings through Carnival gastronomy workshops and vacuum cooking. In total, they will have more than 120 activities to professionals and amateurs. D. José Antonio Fernández Solana, Consul of Cuba in Galicia...

Cuban designers who practice abroad will present their work on the island in the exhibition Geo - Grafica, which will take place from March 1st through the 28th in the L Gallery at the University of Havana and located at L Street between 21 and 23. Geo - Grafica , according to the official announcement, seeks to bring together in one space works of Cubans living outside the island that, for its content, illustrate the insertion of the Cuban design in their adopted countries , either within a company or association, or as freelancers . As indicated by its organizers in the Event on Facebook " The richness of the sample consists of a balance between the common ( shared values , origin , experience , professional profile ) and miscellaneous ( the ways in which this wealth has been applied , integrated , adapted to new realities ) . " This initiative will set a precedent for future opportunities for dialogue and joint work.

There is no other event in Cuba where playwrights come together, and everything they propose is monologues. There are other meetings, festivals, crusades, but this is the time where people and their works converge so closely, the text and the actor on stage, with nothing mediating between them. Now the public can know that the Second Festival of Latin American Monologue and Terry Award will run from February 12 to 16 in the city of Cienfuegos, to show the best of its kind in the Cuban drama and the continent. As headquarters they will have the usual Terry Theater, and the spaces of the rooms A cuesta , Ateneo , Guanaroca , the Provincial Museum, the CEN Theatre and the Jardines de la UNEAC . The festival will also tour other parts of the country, having as second venues the Bertolt Brecht Cultural Center and the Raquel Revuelta Theatre Hall, in Havana, the Papalote Theatre and Miron Cubano Theatre in Matanzas, the Mejunje Cultural Centre in Villa Clara and some municipalities of Cienfuegos like Cumanayagua and El Jovero . Every two years since 2003, date of the celebrations for the anniversary of the founding of the Terry Theater-Cienfuegos is the...

The Cuban poet Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, one of the most prominent representative of Latin American literature of the nineteenth century , is back in the news . Her birthplace was declared a National Heritage as part of the celebrations for the 500th anniversary of the city of Camagüey, despite months ago, an uncertain fate foreshadowed in the very front of the house nestled in the center of this city. Regarding the declaration, the specialist Gladys Maria Collazo , president of the National Monuments Commission , told the media that members of the committee that prepared the file for certification of the property , took into account their architectural and historical values . Collazo , who is also president of the National Council of Cultural Heritage, said that despite the slight modifications to the building 's architectural values , the premises keep especially code eclectic elements on the facade and in the bedrooms, dining room and courtyard fountain Meanwhile PhD Luis Alvarez mentioned that on March 23 they will mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the poet colloquially called Tula, and stressed that her legacy is not only literary but also universal figure of extraordinary dimension and a...

If you walk through the streets of Santiago de Cuba, and sharpen the ear, you can probably hear, beyond the impressive music on fashion, that ancient rhythm that according to some is the most sublime to provide fun to soul. Walking through this city of great troubadours and son players, I found "Tiburon" (Shark), iconic figure of ¨Son 14, ¨ that remarkable orchestra, founded by Master Adalberto Alvarez, that revolutionized the way of making son and seduced many generations, who even today claim to enjoy it. I asked him to talk, and with that so diaphanous way that characterizes him, he invited me to his house that same day. At 78, the charismatic musician Eduardo "Tiburon" Morales, Son 14 Orchestra leading voice for more than 30 years, talks about the group's origins and his greatest passion, the Cuban Son. Tiburon, where is Son 14 band? They have been in Mexico for some years ago. The musicians come a month to Cuba for vacations and then return there. We're fine, completing work abroad and working hard there, but we come back and spend the holidays here. I myself am right now here on vacation. Son 14 is alive and well, brother....

It is the third time the Norwegian singer is going to perform in Cuba and this time she prepared a special concert when she will release songs from her second album accompanied by two Norwegian and three Cuban musicians in a blend of musical colors. In one sentence, how would you define your music? Expressive, dynamic, soulful and honest. Tell us briefly how you started in the world of music. My father is a blues musician and my mother also plays many instruments, so there was always lots of music around me. The musicians that my father used to tour with stayed and played in our house. I started very early to express myself through music and learn to play the piano, drums and guitar. My father collected many instruments, so I picked the songs for each different sound. I was always singing and even got to fight this impulse for years, but, anyway, I felt I had no choice. Without music, my soul would be poor. How important are your cultural roots for you and your music? I grew up with a lot of blues, r & b from the 40s and 50s, soul and jazz, but also world...

For several days the mobile customers of Etecsa have been gradually getting a message with new temporary rates As of February 1st until April 30, 2014, the prepaid and postpaid customers can send short text messages (SMS, for its acronym in English) abroad for 0.60 Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC). Similarly, calls can be made to all the Americas at 1.10 CUC per minute (CUC / MIN)-except Venezuela (1.00CUC/MIN) - and for the rest of the world 1.20 CUC / MIN. The latter, the company clarifies, is only for prepaid customers. For more information you can call 118 or 5264-2266, or send a message free of charge with the word OFFER to 2266.

Optimizing economic outcomes for the development of the nation requires the application of a coherent legal structure with the investment process the Special Zone Development Mariel (ZEDM) will face. According to Narciso Cobo Roura, vice president of the Cuban Court of International Commercial Arbitration, outlining the legal environment and taking it to higher levels is an imperative in the context of updating the Cuban economic model and it corresponds with the next revision of Law 77, which regulates the process of foreign investment in the country. To Cobo, special development zones, even with the history of the free zones, are new to the country and the Party Guidelines are projected more strongly in that direction. Consequently, he says the ZEDM is the first experience of this kind. What differences do you see between the known free zones and ZEDM? Mariel is the first real development area we created in the country. We have a history of so-called free zones, but ZEDM has greater flexibility, facing a new reality, a new projection, with other possibilities, with lots of potential and greater benefits. Free zones have a grantee, usually a Cuban corporation, and operators and worked, in my opinion, with limitations. This...

After last night's award ceremony, Colombia was the most awarded nation in the 55th edition of the Casa de las Américas 2014 literary contest. After evaluating around 376 works, the competition jury, made up by 22 intellectuals from 12 countries of the region, announced its decision in the genres of short stories, theater, artistic and literary essay, Brazilian and Caribbean literature in English or Creole, plus the Award for studies on woman. ¨Cosas peores¨, by Colombian writer Margarita Garcia, won the prize in Story category, a "consistent", "unitary" manuscript, with "solid narrative architecture", which gives priority to "insinuation" over "explicit" according to the jury's minutes. Her compatriot Carlos Orlando Fino was awarded by ¨ José Lezama Lima: estética e historiografía del arte en su obra crítica, ¨in the category of artistic-literary theme. The experts considered it a "convincing and illuminating" text and full of "articulated movements" due to Cuban writer José Lezama Lima’s aesthetic and artistic ideas. The third award-winning author from that South American nation was Piedad Bonnett who won the José Lezama Lima Poetry Honorary Award for her work ¨ Explicaciones no pedidas. ¨ The Casa de las Americas Literary Award is organized every year by the cultural...

This Friday begins the last presentation weekend of a lighting series on Havana Cathedral. This visual show inspired by the Holy Scriptures, will be projected until Sunday together with sacred music, which involves the Cathedral Square with an exquisite celestial aura. Every weekend, from January 12, the Baroque facade of Havana’s main Catholic institution exhibits this show included in the exhibition ¨The Bible: God's way in the way of man.¨ Gaspare Di Caro, Italian-French artist (based in Brazil), is the protagonist of these very refined projections, which according to him are erected on a lighting show, similar to video mapping, but using artistically worked snapshots, as through the use of the obscure camera and four projectors the ecclesiastical building is illuminated with pieces related to the story perpetuated in the holy scriptures. This sample runs until Sunday , and comes under the auspices of Havana’s Archdiocese, the Biblical Commission of the Cuban Council of Churches, The American Bible Society, Verbum Domini, the Museum of the Bible and The Office of the Historian of the city. This is the second time that Di Caro arrived in Havana, as he has already done similar works at the Corcovado Christ Statue in Brazil,...

Ramón Moré can now study in depth the strengths and weaknesses of the first opponent of his boys in the Caribbean Series, as the Naranjeros de Hermosillo won the championship in the Mexican Pacific League (LMP) and thus earned the right to represent its country on Margarita Island. The seventh game of the final series against the Mayos de Navojoa that was tight until the seventh, when the Naranjeros managed to have a seven-run rally, capped by a three-run homer by Zelous Wheeler. Thus, they again became the winningest Mexico team with 16 titles and three of the LMP Coast League to overcome the Diablos Rojos of the Mexican League Baseball. For the Caribbean Series, the team will go with the credential of being the first Mexican team to win the Caribbean title in 1976, and they want to repeat the feat by another Mexican team, the Yaquis de Obregon which won last year. According to ESPN reports, the Naranjero high command announced that lefty pitcher Oliver Perez, infielder Emmanuel Avila and catcher Sebastian Valle are three of the players that will strengthen them to face the tournament. They could also be considering the Cuban outfielder Luis Fonseca, who if...

The death of Tony Diaz, director of Mephisto Theatre, now dismayed the Cuban theater movement. After completing this Tuesday night a rehearsal, the group received the news that Diaz was murdered in his own home, the cause still unidentified, as the experts have not spoken about it. About ten o'clock at night outside the Bertolt Brecht Cultural Complez, where Mephisto usually performs, its members were expecting some sort of more precise information, while relevant authorities carried out the research. Diaz, a native of Cienfuegos, founded in late 2005 Mephisto, where he premiered works such as Huevos, by playwright Ulises Rodríguez Febles, or musicals with Cabaret or Chicago style. Previously, Tony Diaz sported a long career as a designer of sets, costumes and lighting in many different theater companies and recognized theater troupes in the country as well as director of major proposals within the Rita Montaner group, such as Escándalo en la Trapa, for example. He was also a member of the Association of Performing Arts of the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) , and belonged to the group of experts from the Ministry of Culture of the Performing Arts. Photo taken from Enfoque Cubano

The U.S. president, Barack Obama, in his annual message on the s tate of the country urged the Congress to take steps to close the reviled Guantanamo prison this year. On other issues, he called to pass the immigration reform and stressed the social inequality. "With the end of the war in Afghanistan, this is the perfect year for the Congress to lift the remaining restrictions on prisoners’ movements and for us to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay," Obama proclaimed during his annual speech on the state of the Union. According to him, the U.S. "leadership" also depends on respecting "principles" put in serious doubt by the existence of Guantanamo and giving "example" in terms of respect for international securities. "We are not only fighting against terrorism through intelligence activities and military actions, but also when we remain faithful to our constitutional ideals and give example to the world," he said. And "in a world of complex threats, our security and leadership depend on all elements of our power, including a strong and principled diplomacy," he noted. He calls to pass an immigration reform The U.S. president urged the Congress on Tuesday not to expect more and pass an...

The Dominican squad Tigres del Licey and Venezuelan Navegantes de Magallanes were crowned champions in their respective leagues and won the ticket to represent their countries from next Saturday in the Caribbean Series and face Villa Clara from Cuba and Puerto Ricans Indios de Mayagüez. The Tigres defeated the Leones del Escogido with score of three runs for two and regained the title it had not won since the 2008-09 season. In this way, they managed to break the tie with the Aguilas del Cibao and again become the team with more titles in the Dominican Republic professional league with 21. In the victory, besides an RBI single by second baseman Emilio Bonifacio, excelled the work of Cuban pitcher Francisley Bueno, former member of Havana city’s Industriales team. Francisley pitched five innings in which he allowed two runs and emulated until his ousting with U.S. Evan MacLane, in a match that did not allow any of the starters to have a decision. Other Cubans who make up the team’s roster and contributed in obtaining the championship are Yuniesky Maya, pitcher, and position players Ronnier Mustelier and Felix Perez. All of them must participate in the Caribbean Series representing Licey, so...

The Puerto Rican candidate for the throne of the Caribbean Series and therefore one of rivals of Villa Clara from next Saturday is the Mayagüez Indios. Crowned champions for eighteenth time of Roberto Clemente Baseball League, by getting their fourth win in six games against the Caguas Criollos, the tribe will arrive in Margarita Island on February 1st with the goal of regaining a scepter they have obtained twice: Mazatlan 1978 and Hermosillo 1992 , both in Mexico. The team, top winner in the Puerto Rican professional league, has players known by Cuban fans given their participation in the third edition of the World Baseball Classic as the pitcher Hiram Burgos and infielder Irving Falu, in addition to the Cuban starting pitcher Jorge Martínez, who played until last year for the Matanzas Crocodiles. Martinez came to the Indios as reinforcement for the playoff round from the Santurce Cangrejeros with whom he pitched 47 innings during the regular season with an ERA of 2.49, three wins, the same number of losses and 36 strikeouts against 11 walks, sample that playing away from home has not made him losing his characteristic control. The night before was special for the Cuban, as besides...

The 56th Grammy Awards, held on Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, did not bring much satisfaction for Cuban musicians. On this occasion, the renowned saxophonist Paquito D' Rivera was the only Cuban to be awarded a Grammy in the category of Best Latin Jazz Album for Song for Maura, produced in collaboration with the Trio Corrente, São Paulo : Fabio Torres ( piano) , Paulo Paulelli ( bass) and Edu Ribeiro ( percussion). The other Cuban nominees competing for the best album of Latin jazz : Buika ( The longest night Buika ) , Wayne Wallace (Latin Jazz Quintet | Jazz Jazz Latin Latin) , and the Cuban pianist Omar Sosa ( Eggún ) and Roberto Fonseca ( Yo ) left empty handed . The Song for Maura piece was also nominated for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, but the award was given this time to Orbits, by Wayne Shorter. With this, Rivera has already five Grammys. He, 65, also has six Latin Grammys. Paquito D' Rivera thus becomes the Cuban musician with more Grammys in his career, an award granted as well, among others , to Los Van Van, Eliades Ochoa and Arturo Sandoval .

A first container stand before the cameras: “Mariel just got moving," but only the first phase. This morning it was inaugurated by the presidents Dilma Rousseff and Raul Castro. In his speech, the Cuban president said that “a new stage in which we aim to foster substantial investment”, which increase, among other high-tech projects and local development. Dilma , meanwhile , said that " Brazil intends to be an economic partner for Cuba . The possibilities for joint industrial development are enormous. " The opening of the Container Terminal entails its insertion into the Cuban and Latin American port system. Raul Castro called the Brazilian funding as "important" and “in favorable conditions “and that, in addition to the Terminal, has assumed the construction of “infrastructure such as roads, networks, railways and the dredging of the bay.” He announced that they intend the rail network to be in place in the first half of 2014, "in order to reduce transportation costs and increase efficiency in operations." According to the statement by the Cuban President the Mariel Terminal "will be the main entrance and exit point of foreign trade, and its geographical location in the path of the main flows of maritime...

M Alfonso, Havana World Music artistic director, talks about the festival, the project ¨Para Mestizar¨ and the concert she is preparing. Havana World Music Festival will take place at the baseball field of José Antonio Echeverría recreational center ( 12th Street, between / 5th and Calzada, Vedado), on February 7 and 8, between 6 pm and 1 am. How did the idea of ​​Havana World Music emerge and what is the artistic proposal of this space? Havana World Music grew out of another project called ¨Para Mestizar¨ on cultural diversity in Cuba, from the first settlers to their descendants and how they reflect today their cultural heritage. With that project, despite the experiences lived and exchange with various manifestations, we were concerned about it would only reach the public through an audiovisual. That's when the idea to reflect all this by establishing a direct dialogue through live music was born, what better than doing a festival in Havana. This proposal was discussed among a group of motivated friends who currently make up the team of this event, without whom this embodiment would not have been possible; Raquel Avila, communication, Erlend Skutlaberg and Ismael Sayyad as coordinators and I as artistic...