Inside the History of Cuban Dance

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Photo by Mark Leibowitz
Chris Douridas, Lucy Walker, and Jason Bentley. Photo by Mark Leibowitz (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

Critically-acclaimed documentary filmmaker Lucy Walker (“Wasteland”, “Countdown to Zero”) has been spending a lot of time in Cuba.

She is on board to direct a sequel to Wim Wenders’ groundbreaking film Buena Vista Social Club, which put Cuban music culture on the global stage. Her film will follow the 5 surviving members of the crew and look into the band’s 20-year history. It’s still in production but, in the meantime, she is taking us all to Cuba via the wonders of Virtual Reality.

Inside the History of Cuban Dance” — part of the Sundance Film Festival Virtual Reality slate –explores the progression of Cuban dance from Afro-Cuban Santería rumba, mambo, cha-cha-chá, and salsa to Reggaeton.

Chris Douridas and Jason Bentley had a chance to chat with Lucy about VR, which she calls an “expensive paintbox” that she enjoys experimenting with,

Take a listen: