Festival reflects sounder footing for diplomatic ties

Performances by US ballet troupes sign of increasing cultural exchange

A woman in a floaty dress wrestles a minotaur who reflects her inner demons in Errand into the Maze, one of the Martha Graham Dance Company works that made its Cuban premiere this weekend to thunderous applause at the Havana ballet festival.

The troupe was performing in the island for the first time since 1941 and is one of seven US companies participating in the 10-day event, underscoring greater US-Cuban cultural exchange in the wake of the countries' detente.