Higher Institute of Art: The School of Dreams

The day before of the try outs for the Higher Institute of Arts (ISA in Spanish) I saw the movie Fame on TV. Those who have seen it know that it is the worst thing to see the day before aptitude tests. In this American movie we see all the troubles that a group of young people have trying to get in an art school and the following studies of the chosen ones. It made me think not to present myself.

I remember my father telling me the next day before leaving that I had no business going to the ISA, that there only got accepted the children of famous artists. I just said that at least I was going to try. We got to the school and, just like in Fame, there were young people rehearsing speeches, warming up their muscles and voices.

The famous artists with their children were also present (just like my father had told me) and the students from later years were looking at us all with the air of superiority given by experience.

I had to present my scene with my mother as counterpart and when my turn came she could not move of how nervous she was. But I was not ready to lose my chance. I wanted to protect my dream. The same dream that had all the people that were there to get one of the 20 spaces in acting classes for next year.

The same has happened for 31 years already when from all of Cuba arrive several hundred young people looking for just one chance to continue their studies, and in some cases start, of music, plastic arts, theater, dance, cinema, radio and television. After the test comes the everlasting and stressful waiting period to know if you were accepted among the ones to obtain one of the privileged spots in the school