How do Cuban dancers overcome daily power cuts and fuel shortages?

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Cuban dancers keep rehearsing and performing despite daily power cuts and fuel shortages by adjusting schedules and relying on their commitment to dance
Cuban ballerina Laura Kamila Rojas said she copes with blackouts by getting up when she cannot rest and continuing to move forward, even when power cuts prevent sleep. She also works around fuel shortages that limit transport by relying on company buses only on performance days and by commuting to her studio in Vedado, about five kilometres away, even on foot when necessary. Rehearsals have been shortened to four hours to save electricity and give dancers time to get home, while performance schedules are adjusted depending on electricity availability.
Blackouts disrupt rest, but dancers keep going
Rojas described how lengthy power cuts sometimes keep her from resting, but she responds by telling herself she can do it and continuing her routine. During intense summer heat, outages also make it difficult to use air conditioning or even fans, and mosquitoes add to the challenge. Even with these conditions, she said her focus returns when she dances, because “when I dance, I forget everything.”
Fuel shortages reshape transport and commuting
Severe fuel shortages in Cuba affect daily travel to studios and the wider cultural scene, including how dancers reach rehearsal and performance venues. Rojas looks for ways to get to her dance studio in Vedado, located around five kilometres from her home, and she said that if necessary she would come on foot. Company buses are available only on performance days because of the fuel situation.
Rehearsal times are shortened to fit electricity limits
Previous all-day rehearsals have been scaled back to just four hours, which both saves electricity and gives dancers time to travel home. Rojas said the overall demand on dancers stays the same, even though rehearsal schedules change. The National Ballet of Cuba has continued rehearsals and performances despite a slump in cultural activity.
Performance schedules and audiences adapt to outages
Shows are staged with schedules adjusted based on electricity availability, and spectators still turn up despite heat and limited transport options. The theatre hall, which seats about 2,000, nearly reaches capacity during performances. Attendees described the ballet experience as an escape from reality, arriving by taxis, bikes or motorcycles, or on foot even when conditions are difficult.

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How do Cuban dancers overcome daily power cuts and fuel shortages?

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