Almost as soon as Raúl Castro expanded the legal categories for self-employment and the hiring of personnel by small businesses in 2009-2011, entrepreneurial Cubans took quick advantage. Charging what most Cubans considered a pittance, young gym instructors and retired athletes began offering early morning group exercise classes like this one. Many drew elderly folks hungry for company, community and the sense of joyful solidarity that comes from learning coordinated exercise routines and putting their skills on display.
