Living Cheaply in Havana - Real Havana: Explore Cuba Like a Local and Save Money - page 148

cinemas in Vedado are Cinema Yara (23 and L), Riviera (23 and G), Chaplin (23,
between 10 and 12) and La Rampa (23 and O).
Watch a Play or Live Show
Small theater productions are also very popular in Havana. The sets may be
simply designed, but the acting is top quality. It is very common for major Cuban
movie stars to perform in small, local productions. The price of admission to these
shows is often minimal, usually costing no more than 5 pesos (MN). The most
popular small theater in Vedado is the Bertolt Brecht Theater, located at the
corner of 13 and I. Larger theaters such as the Karl Marx (Corner 1ra and 10 in
Miramar) and the Teatro Nacional (Paseo and 39, facing the Plaza de la Revolu-
ción) are used to stage bigger productions and as concert venues for popular
bands. The price of admission in these theaters can be much higher, depending
on the show, sometimes as high as 10 CUC.
The Ballet
Cubans take the ballet very seriously. This could be due to Cuba's close ties with
Russia, or the fact that dance, in any form, is highly regarded. Either way, the bal-
let is one of the greatest shows you can see in Havana. Performances take place
on most Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, in the amazing Gran Teatro de La
Habana located in Old Havana (Corner of Paseo and San Rafael, beside the
Capitolio). The building is an elaborate representation of neo-baroque architec-
ture and is a wonderful sight to see on its own. Backstage tours of the building
cost only 2 CUC. For the actual ballet performance, the price of admittance for
foreigners is 20 CUC. This is rather expensive, considering that locals can get in
for only 20 pesos (MN). This is a great example of a situation where you should
get a local to buy a ticket for you, in Moneda Nacional. There are always dozens
of people in front of the building, and for a small tip, they will be more than willing
to buy you a show ticket.
Dance Classes
As mentioned earlier, there are some great places to dance for free on the week-
ends in Havana. If you are looking for a more formal setting to learn or practice
your moves, you can always take a dance class. The Casa del Tango , located on
Neptuno Street, just east of Ave. de Italia, in Centro Habana, is an excellent place
to start. The teachers are professionals, having taught some of the leading dan-
cers in Cuba. And contrary to the name, all forms of dance are taught at the
school. Lessons start at 5 to 10 CUC per hour, but prices are very negotiable. It's
free to enter on evenings to watch the nightly dance shows.
There are literally hundreds of other dance schools in Havana, and usually ama-
teur and professional instructors linger around the schools offering private
courses at discount prices. These can be very good deals. A few other profes-