From Miami to Havana: Tiffany Madera’s Journey of Art, Activism, and Ancestry

On October 11, the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)’s Caribbean Cultural Institute will present Havana Habibi, a transformative documentary tracing the artistic journey of Tiffany Madera and the extraordinary belly dance movement she sparked in Cuba. Blending movement, memory, and social change, the film unfolds as both an artistic statement and a deeply personal journey - and Madera navigates family resistance while building a groundbreaking dance movement in Cuba.

Born in Miami to Cuban parents, Madera grew up immersed in the city’s cultural crossroads. The performer, professor, activist, museum professional, filmmaker, and non-profit leader reflects, “Miami has always been central to my work. Growing up in the 1980s was an incredible time - a true confluence of cultures. That mix shaped how I see the world, how I create, and how I move through it.”

Her artistic path led her to belly dance; not only as performance, but as a calling. Madera holds a Master’s Degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University and a Master’s Degree in Performance Studies from New York University Tisch School of the Arts, both with a focus on intercultural dance and film. 

In 2003, she traveled to Havana and founded Cuba’s first belly dance troupe and school, Grupo Aisha Al-Hanan. What began as a deeply personal exploration soon expanded into something much greater: a space of empowerment, healing, and transformation for Cuban women. “Early on, I realized we weren’t just dancing; we were coming of age together,” Madera says. “Something universal was unfolding, something that could help and heal others.”

Havana Habibi captures that evolution. The film follows Madera’s lineage of story and movement, rooted in her family’s history of migration from Morocco to Spain and eventually to Cuba. Through this lens, dance becomes more than choreography; it emerges as a medium for resistance, reconciliation, and self-discovery. “I’ll never forget a mother in the project who told me dancing made her a better mother, because it made her a happier person,” Madera recalls. “That captures what the work is about - joy and freedom that ripple into everyday life.”

The impact has been lasting. The troupe’s first eight students have gone on to establish their own schools, projects, and enterprises, with generations of dancers tracing their roots back to Madera’s circle. “The legacy isn’t only about preserving tradition,” she explains. “It’s about innovation. These dancers have woven global styles into their art while staying true to their own voices and culture.”

Though deeply grounded in Havana, the film speaks to the universal experience of diaspora. Many of the women featured no longer live in Cuba, yet they continue to carry their dance across borders, embodying themes of belonging, identity, and resilience. “At first, it might seem like a Miami-Cuba story,” Madera notes, “but it’s truly universal. Everyone knows what it means to carry parts of themselves across borders.”

The documentary does not shy away from Madera’s vulnerabilities either. Sharing her personal journey required openness, sometimes painfully so. “There are parts of the film that are difficult for me to watch even now,” she admits. “But sharing them has created space for healing - not only for me, but for audiences too.”

Ultimately, Havana Habibi is a film about the freedom born when creativity becomes courage. It is both love letter and legacy - to Havana, to migration, and to the resilience of women everywhere. As Madera puts it, “If there’s one thing I hope audiences carry with them after watching, it’s tenderness.”

WHAT: Screening of of Havana Habibi, followed by panel conversation

WHERE: PAMM, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33132

WHEN: Saturday, October, 11, 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

COST: Free with RSVP, https://www.pamm.org/en/events/event/caribbean-film-focus-havana-habibi/