urviving on the dance floor Many Cuban exiles live in New York City and the nearby Latino neighborhoods in New Jersey. Some of them are the central characters in "Dame la mano". All week long, they look forward to Sunday night, when they can let themselves go on the worn-out dance floor of a dance club called "La Esquina Habanera." This is the only place in the U.S. where the authentic rumba is celebrated. Cuba connoisseurs describe it as "one of America's best kept secrets". The characters know the secret of this club, which is just an ordinary diner on weekdays. The rumba is the least well-known yet the most sensual and original form of Cuban music and dance. When the Spanish rulers abolished slavery in the mid-19th century, the true Afro-Cuban rumba that we know today emerged: its rhythmic and harmonic phrases refer to ancient African songs and prayers, mixed with Spanish musical influences. Rumba as a necessity For Cubans dancing is one of life's necessities, like walking,...