My Seductive Cuba

Author: Chen Lizra

As a frequent visitor to Havana, I’ve come across a wealth of travel books written by various authors who provided their own take on life in Cuba.

Some years back, one of these writers inde- pendently published his own travel guide on biking his way across the island — and was personally hawking copies of it on the streets of New York.

It’s a pretty safe bet that Chen Lizra won’t have to go to such extremes to attract attention. 

An Israeli-born dancer who’s lived much of her life in Vancouver, Lizra has written an eye-catching first book, “My Seductive Cuba” (ISBN 978-0986891007), published by her own company, Latidos Productions.

Its 328 pages are an easy read, thanks to Lizra’s deeply personal approach toward things to see and do in Cuba.

“In 2005, I formed Latidos Productions to promote Cuban culture and inspire people to live that lifestyle,” the enthusiastic Lizra told CubaNews recently. She does that by running the only Cuban dance academy in Vancouver — an often-chilly metropolis far removed from the tropical, humid Caribbean.

Lizra’s well-illustrated and structured book is a byproduct of her motivation to visit the island in the first place: her passion for Latin dance. Users can get ultimate use out of this book by scanning the QR barcodes found throughout. That gives readers access to online sources that provide further information on a specific topic or destination.

A big part of “My Seductive Cuba” is devoted to the island’s rich dance and musical traditions, rooted in that country’s African heritage. No surprise, given Lizra’s intensive training with the National Folklore Group of Cuba, the National School of Art and the National Cabaret.

The author says Havana is clearly the hub of Cuba’s cultural life, whether it’s traditional dances like rueda de casino, timba, mamo, cha-cha-cha, danzón and salsa, or more recent trends like reggaetón and cubatón.

As she notes, visitors can sample all these styles at Havana locales such as Casa de la Música, Piano Bar El Diablo Tun Tun, Karabalí and the world-famous — if not overpriced — Tropicana nightclub.

Lizra’s attention to detail helps culturally minded readers maximize their time in Havana, with insider tips on such events as the fashion shows at La Maisón, located along 7ta Avenida in western Havana (it’s an openair location cherished by non-smokers).

She also provides information on disco and salsa dancing at Macumba nightclub, in Havana’s San Agustín district.

Also discussed in great detail are the rumba shows held by UNEAC (National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba) on Calle 17 in Havana’s Vedado section, as well as weekend performances by Cuba’s National Ballet at the Gran Teatro, next to the Capitolio in Habana Vieja.

But Lizra didn’t limit her research to Havana and its environs; she also investigated trends throughout other major Cuban cities and historic sites.

“I’ve been to places like Viñales, Santa Clara, Trinidad, Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa,” she said. “I later went to new places, since there’s so much more to the country. Baracoa is magical. Trinidad is the center of [Cuban] music.

Lizra drummed up Trinidad’s Casa de la Cultura as one of that town’s “go-to” hotspots for folkloric performances, as well as Santiago de Cuba’s Casa del Caribe.

One chapter, “Getting Possessed,” details Lizra’s attendance at a ceremony at which spirits took over the bodies of practicioners.

“You can’t call yourself a Cuban professional dancer unless you’ve been through possession,” she said. “I started training in orisha dancing, mixing salsa and rumba [orishas are powerful deities linked with Catholic saints].”

Lizra also delves into an area few other Cuba travel books touch: romance with locals.

“Seduction is a part of the place,” she explains. “When you go to Cuba, you experience the charm and the seduction, and always find a reason to come back.”

She says that some of these cross-cultural relationships don’t work out because of the individualistic values of North Americans ver- sus community-oriented Cubans, who — after leaving the island — are still focused on finan- cially supporting their relatives back home.

“You have to find a middle ground,” Lizra warns those who are considering marrying a Cuban and bringing that person back home.

One of the biggest challenges of visiting Cuba is finding decent food. Here too, insider information is very helpful. Lizra strongly recommends casas particulares (private apart- ments), since their owners are often known for cooking delicious meals.

“The best food I ever ate in Cuba was pre- pared by Cuban mothers and grandmothers,” she recalled. “I once even gained weight while training five hours a day in dance, because a Cuban mom spoiled me rotten.”

That kind of advice, generated from first- hand knowledge of the country’s culture and informal way of doing things, is what will help any visitor become a Cubanaut — ready to blast off for a return visit to the island.

“In Cuba, everything turns into an adventure,” she says, “and the things that happen along the way — which you don’t plan for — are what makes it exciting.”