Brief
Cuban ballet students endure power cuts to chase their dream
Despite months of blackouts and shortages, Cuban dancers keep training and performing, showing resilience amid the island’s energy crisis.
By Felo News Desk · Published
In Havana, two‑thirds of Cuba have faced nightly blackouts for months, while water shortages and fuel scarcities have made everyday life difficult. Yet every morning, around 178 young dancers arrive at the National Ballet School, a historic Art Nouveau building in Old Havana, to begin intensive training that combines dance with academic subjects.
Roxana Pérez de La Mora, 14, walks roughly 20 kilometres (12 miles) from her home to the school, saying that missing a class could jeopardise her future as a prima ballerina. “I’ve always said that my dream is to be a prima ballerina,” she told the Independent.
The school’s principal, Dani Hernández, also a leading dancer, rides an electric motorcycle to class and has had to sleep on his apartment terrace during recent blackouts. He noted that “whether I have electricity or not, I have to be in the studio,” while worrying about food spoilage.
Despite the crisis, the Cuban National Ballet, founded in the 1940s by Alicia and Fernando Alonso, continues to perform. Its season‑ending gala in August staged “Canto Vital,” a work by Russian choreographer Azari Plisetski, with the company’s principal Dani Hernández starring. The Avellaneda Hall audience, dressed in elegant attire, gave a standing ovation despite the city’s empty streets.
Tickets for performances cost under $1, a stark contrast to comparable shows elsewhere that can reach $300. The company’s resilience is seen as a source of national pride amid the island’s ongoing economic and energy challenges.
Key facts
- Two‑thirds of Cuba have faced nightly blackouts for months (independent.co.uk)
- Roxana Pérez de La Mora travels 20 km to the National Ballet School (independent.co.uk)
- Dani Hernández rides an electric motorcycle to class (independent.co.uk)
- The National Ballet staged “Canto Vital” at Avellaneda Hall in August (independent.co.uk)
- Tickets cost under $1 for National Ballet performances (independent.co.uk)
Background
The Independent’s report follows a recent Felo News article on Cuba’s power grid collapse on 19 September 2026, which highlighted the sixth national blackout this year and the impact on hospitals and emergency services.
Why it matters
The ballet community’s perseverance underscores the broader social resilience amid Cuba’s chronic energy crisis.
What happens next
No further actions were announced by the ballet school or the national ballet company.
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Cuba’s ballerinas find light amid power cuts while remaining nation’s pride”
