The arts have always been very important to Cubans, and the ballet is no exception. This ballet troupe has been in existence since 1948 and has toured around the world! We were lucky enough to see a performance of "Coppelia" (no relation to the famous Cuban ice cream, I assume!), which was originally presented for the first time in 1948 but is still beautiful today. Costumes were lovely, and the set designs and colors used were simple but artful. Director Alicia Alonso is inspired.
A truly magnificent performance--I recommend it highly, and it will certainly broaden your experience of Cuba. Incidentally, we could see a movie for 10 cents, which seemed unbelieveable to us! In New York, it costs about $10!! Cuba puts a lot of emphasis on the arts, and they try to keep the prices low for nationals (I got the low price because I used my student ID card).