Raks Baladi Cūba
“...as [the women] gain confidence and connect with their own individual forms of beauty, they soften and become more empowered.”
Havana Habibi Festivals, 2016-2020
A pioneering humanitarian cultural exchange bridging communities through dance, film, and solidarity
What began as a belly dance workshop in 2002 has evolved into a groundbreaking cultural exchange that transcends borders, celebrates women's voices, and creates healing through art. The Havana Habibi Festival represents deep cultural work conducted in a non-commercial format, offering an educational model of cultural exchange and solidarity.
2016: The Foundation
Building Bridges Through Dance
The inaugural Havana Habibi Festival brought together 90 women and girls from Havana and surrounding areas for three transformative days of dance workshops. Led by international belly dance community leaders, this pioneering event established the foundation for meaningful cultural exchange.
Participants: 90 women and girls from Cuba
Format: 3-day intensive workshop experience
Leadership: International belly dance community experts
Special Events: First Look Events & Promotion and Global Feminism Festival at The Betsy Hotel, Miami Beach
Documentary: The festival's impact was captured in the acclaimed documentary "Havana Habibi" - Watch here
2016 First Look Events
& Promotion
Inside Havana Habibi Festival 2016
Global Feminism Festival
The Betsy Hotel, Miami Beach, FL
2018: Expanding Horizons
Havana Habibi Week: Broadening Awareness and Understanding
Thanks to support from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Knight Arts Challenge Grant, with matching funds from the Ware Foundation and sponsorships from Miami and Havana arts communities, the festival expanded into a week-long cultural immersion.
Mission Focus: Addressing gender-related trauma through cultural dialogue, examining both universal and localized experiences of systemic gender violence.
Key Partnerships:
Florida International University
O Cinema
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The Ware Foundation
Signature Events:
Cuban American Creatives: Art. Philanthropy. Identity
October 24, 2018 | FIU Main Campus
Free film screening and panel discussion featuring filmmaker Tiffany Madera, Producer/Director Madeline Fuste, moderated by Prof. Meiver De la Cruz from Oberlin College.
Havana Habibi Brunch & Screening
October 27, 2018 | O Cinema Wynwood
Documentary screening with roundtable discussion featuring professional belly dancers, supported by Whole Foods, Mojo Donuts, and Nespresso.
“My work is about identity, hybridity and gender.”
2020: Innovation Through Adversity
The Online Festival: Creating Beauty Against All Odds
When the world changed, so did we. The 2020 Havana Habibi Online Festival proved that cultural connection transcends physical boundaries, creating "a healing bridge through dance and music centered on the experiences of women in the diaspora."
Global Reach & Impact:
8,000+ documentary views across three films: "Havana Habibi" (2016), "Diasporas" (2018), and "Ya Habibi, The Story of a Song" (2020)
600+ virtual workshop participants from 13 countries
International collaboration featuring renowned teachers Amar Gamal and École Anadanse
Featured Workshops:
"Raks Sharqi Afro-Flow" with Amar Gamal
"Raks Sharqi and Female Orishas: A Rhythmic Journey Towards the Divine Feminine" with École Anadanse
Cultural Impact: The story of "Ya Habibi Ta'ala" became a perfect metaphor for the permeability of culture and identity, demonstrating how music and dance blur borders and connect us across historical divides.
