Yuka & Makuta - Fundraiser to Benefit the Cuban People - Thursday, April 16th @ 8pm

Name: Yuka & Makuta - Fundraiser to Benefit the Cuban People - Thursday, April 16th @ 8pm
Start: 2026-04-16T20:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-04-16T21:00:00-04:00
Location: Ripley-Grier Studios

Schedule

Thu Apr 16 2026 at 08:00 pm to 09:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Ripley-Grier Studios | Manhattan, NY

📆 On Thursday, April 16th, come join us for a very special Afro-Cuban workshop focusing on Yuka & Makuta; the workshop will feature LIVE MUSIC and the funds raised from the class will go to benefit the Cuban people, being distributed directly in Santiago de Cuba.
😂 This week, you'll have the pleasure of learning from Liethis Hechavarria from Santiago de Cuba and Ethan Wagner from New York, both longtime dancers with Oyu Oro Afro-Cuban Experimental Dance Ensemble.
💃 Yuka and Makuta are both from the Congo/Bantu branch of Afro-Cuban folkloric dance. They're infectious, energetic rhythms that have been preserved over the centuries, spreading from the Congo basin in Africa to Cuba and then to the rest of the world. Besides using them in folkloric contexts, a lot of us like to use them in our social dancing when the timba calls for it--you may know a step or two, but this is your chance to dive much deeper into the dance, understand the meaning behind the steps, and expand your vocabulary.
What's more we'll have live percussion and singing at this event, a real privilege that we don't get to enjoy all the time and which adds so much energy to the class. 🙂
Most important is that the funds raised from the class will go directly to benefit the Cuban people, who are living through an especially difficult time right now as you probably know. Liethis' mother, La Mora, is in Santiago now, and we'll be sending the funds to her to distribute among people there who are in need.
🗽 WHERE: Ripley Grier Studios, 520 8th Ave. Studio 17H, New York, NY.
💰 HOW MUCH:
As this is a fundraiser with live music, the class price will be $30.
*If you would like to take the class but are having financial difficulties, please send a private message--we will work it out :)
😊 For beginners, vets, new students, and longtime students alike, we are excited to invite you to come and join for any/all of our events and get a taste of our classes!