Tropicana Cabaret: ‘Paradise Under The Stars’

by Habeeb Salloum

We entered the Tropicana, a lush garden cabaret and Cuba’s most famous cabaret, called by its fans the ‘queen of nightclubs’. Soon we were ushered to our seats a few feet from the stage in this open-air terrace surrounded by a luxuriant tropical forest. I knew that a fabulous and unique Tropicana show would soon begin in this world famous cabaret, a nightclub that is to Havana what the Moulin Rouge is to Paris. In the last two decades I had come to this ‘paradise under the stars’ perhaps a dozen times and I never tired of the glitter and beauty of its shows.

Situated on the outskirts of Havana amid lush tropical gardens, the Tropicana, from 1939 until our times, has been myth mixed with fantasy. The most glamorous and exotic of nightclubs at that time, it was established as a casino/entertainment nightspot by the Mafia. The cabaret, which can seat some 1,000, became a mecca for American tourists before the Cuban revolution. After the overthrow of Batista, it was turned into a folkloric cabaret for workers who performed well at their jobs. Today the wheel has turned a full circle and again the Tropicana has become a major tourist attraction - sans the Mafia, roulette wheels and slot machines.

We had barely sat down when the lights went on and the music thundered amid popping lights and dancers all around us on an open-air stage. The stage set amid enchanting surroundings became an orgy of light, rich colors, unbelievable costumes, and pulsating movement. A troupe of over 200 acrobats, singers, dancers, musicians and vocalists in glittering costumes performed a grand spectacle. About a half of the entertainment included African and Spanish dances as well as a mixture of both. Featuring a fabulous orchestra, and astonishing acrobatic feats, the two-hour show covered all aspects of entertainment in spectacular fashion. An atmosphere of colour and magic seemed to engulf the scene in this Cuban leisure establishment par excellence.

What interested us more that evening were the dozens of young and dazzling Cuban women dancers – seemingly identical in shape, tall as amazons and oozing seduction and sex, they glided across the stage, wearing elaborate headdresses, transparent apparel and little else. The main attraction of the show, their exotic dance routines, performed with wild abandon, poetry, singing, music and good taste were blended to present one of the most interesting and unique shows in the world.

Popping up from everywhere: on upper and lower stages; on side raised areas; on winding ladders; in the aisles, and from between the trees, many seemed to drop down from the night sky, scantily dressed and dancing as they fell. Their performances were excellent, imaginative and sexy – seemly almost magical. 

For me it was an unrivalled spectacle of lights, costumes and entertainment - an art extravaganza extraordinaire. In the words of one man who had once watched the swaying dancers, “I think that all these girls were cloned from a beautiful model.” However, some writers enchanted with these dancers and their seductive dancing have written that after gazing at the scantily clad beauties, the show for them was what became of the ‘Garden of Eden after the fall of man’.

The allure of sexy male and female dancing and singing under the open sky, combined with glamour, fantastic acrobatic performances in an extraordinary background created an enchanting spectacle - a world of unbelievable fantasy. The Cubans love good entertainment as well as enjoying themselves and in the Tropicana the grand show with its glitter and excitement defuses this air of happiness to the groups of tourists who have travelled all parts of Cuba to see this incredible lavish performance of colour, energy, variety moving music and vibrant dancers.

In the past few decades, similar cabarets have opened in Santiago de Cuba and Varadero, and smaller versions in other towns, but they are only faint imitations of Havana’s number one house of entertainment. However, the Tropicana, for years known as ‘paradise under the stars’, remains by far the most pompous and flamboyant.

Every tourist who journeys to Cuba should make at least one visit to Cuba’s splendid show place. The show is breathtaking and will leave one with fond memories of Havana and Cuba.  The extraordinary spectacle includes most of the bases of popular Cuban song and dance music, from bolero to salsa, intermixed with Afro-Cuban religious music. After the show, if visitors are looking for more fun they can continue the celebration by dancing the night away at the attached Arcos de Cristal Club.

Virtually every hotel and tour company in Havana or the nearby beach resorts such as Varadero can book travellers a night at the Tropicana.  Some of these tours include dinner and a bottle of rum at the nightclub while others are just booked for the show with a bottle of rum. Still other types of tours include dinner first - at such restaurants as El Ajibe or another Miramar restaurant. Packages that include transportation and dinner are only a few CUC more than for the show alone. Yet, no matter what type of tour one opts for, a night in this ‘queen of cabarets’ is rarely forgotten.

For further information, contact, the Tropicana Calle 72 y Línea del Ferrocarril, Marianao, Ciudad de La Habana, Tel: (537) 267 1717.  Evening begins with the meal at 8 p.m. - Cost – without meals 70, 80 and 90 CUC; with meals 80, 90 and 100 CUC - depending on the where table is located and food and drinks offered.