Dancing Cuban Boy Joins Street Band
During a street band performance, a young Cuban boy was handed a Latin American percussion instrument called a güiro before being invited to play with the band. As he watches the musicians around him, he starts to dance and pick up the rhythm.
During a walk down a side street in Old Havana, Cuba, YouTuber “Janelly” caught this adorable moment on camera. This type of street performance is a very common occurrence in Cuba. It’s a beautiful scene of locals and tourists enjoying live music, the sun, and engaging with the live band on show! Watch the little man in action in the video below.
However, the little boy playing the güiro that day made this performance super special and was the reason millions of people have seen the performance online. Since the day Janelly uploaded the video to YouTube it has reached over 7 million views and is fast approaching 8 million.
Below is another heartwarming moment as a little boy sings to his younger brother and says “Aren’t we all different”.
The band playing alongside the little güiro superstar is a live Havana Salsa band. Salsa music is a massive part of Cuban culture which is usually paired with dancing and street performances. If you’re lucky enough to have experienced a live salsa band, watched the dancers, and maybe even joined in yourself, you’ll know what an incredible experience it can be.
Watch another wonderful moment this time between grandmother and grandson. The baby’s name is “Alder” and his grandmother started singing a Karen Carpenter song to him when he was just 4 months old, his reaction is priceless!
The word “Salsa” has evolved to have many different meanings in everyday language, however, most historians believe that the music which has salsa rhythms can be traced back to the 1920s (or even earlier) throughout Eastern Cuba. It’s said to be a combination of different musical styles especially Cuban Son and Afro-Cuban rumba.
Street performances like this are magical on their own, but seeing the effect it has on children makes it even more special. Lets all help to support local street music and keep it alive and well on our streets.