Translucent Borders traveled twice to Cuba in 2017. During the first trip (January) , we initiated exchanges of creative practices with the dancers and musicians of Ballet Folklorico Cutumba in Santiago de Cuba, and the group Los Hermanos Arango in Havana. We also observed rehearsals for a new opera by Translucent Borders artist Frank London, Hatuey: Memory of Fire, created for Opera de la Calle in Havana. In April, Cutumba invited us back to Santiago to participate in the Fidanz Fest, an international festival of dance and music. For this festival, Steinhardt Professor Valerie Naranjo composed music for a new piece, Tierra Pura, choreographed by Tisch Professor Jim Martin. We also presented a piece depicting the history of percussive dance in America, Viajando a Pie, and music and dance for the art exhibition Las Desaparecídas, in the Galería de Oriente.
