Las Vegas Weekly

August 15, 2009 · 6 AM

From Havana, Cuba, to Las Vegas for Fantasy dancer Yesi

By Robin Leach

Yesi of Fantasy Girls.

Photo: Fantasy Girls

While Mr. Vegas DeLuxe Robin Leach is on vacation and attempting to work as little as possible from afar, Vegas DeLuxe will be featuring celebrity guest columnists for the first half of this month until Robin’s return. If you’re knowledgeable about Las Vegas, the names should be familiar. This weekend, we’re featuring five of the beautiful ladies who make life a lot sexier in Fantasy at the Luxor.

By Yesi

Hola, my name is Yesi. Just nine months ago, I was living with my family in Havana, Cuba, very anxiously awaiting the beginning of my greatest journey. Over the past 2 1/2 years, my life has been incredibly exciting. There have been so many big changes; I don’t even know where to begin. Maybe I will just start from the beginning and share with you the parts of my story that became the reasons how I went from being a dancer in the National Television Company of Havana to being here onstage in Las Vegas.

In Havana, it is not like it is here, of course. A lot changed with the revolution in 1959. I don’t want this to be political; I just want to explain a little bit about how I grew up. It was only my mother and me from the time I was born, until I was almost 8 years old. It was a very difficult time for my mother, and looking back, I don’t think I made it any easier. But, when she started me in dance class, I think it brought her some new hope.

I have always been very flexible, and my legs have always been long for my body. I actually first started in synchronized swimming. I love to swim, and I really liked to learn the choreography of this water dancing. Soon, though, I took my lessons out of the water and began dancing salsa. Of course, not only salsa, but being Cuban, this is my favorite.

Photo: Fantasy Girls

Yesi of Fantasy Girls.

For the school, I had to audition to be accepted. I was very excited to get into the school, and my mother was, too. Every morning, I took class at my first school, studying ballet and jazz. When I got older and it was time to go into the next level of school, I had to audition again to go there. It was a more specialized school for dancers, singers and actors. It was the School for the Performing Arts in Havana.

Going to this school was a very good education for me and a great chance to really study to be a dancer. There are very few opportunities you can have as a Cuban to go and work outside of the country. Dancing was one of the better chances you could have if you worked very hard. It is always about hope and to get a chance for a better life and to be able to help your family.

When I started in this school, it was difficult to go there. Sometimes my stepfather could take me, but most of the days, I would get a ride from somebody on the street. I think you call it hitchhiking here. In Cuba, we say Pedir botella. It is hard to explain how different it is. Not many people can have a car, and the bus system is not good at all. They aren’t really buses anyway. They are more like big trucks with a lot of people. So, every day, I would get a ride, and every day, to come home, it was the same for four years.

When I graduated, there was another audition, again. This time it was to be in one of the best companies in Cuba, Ballet of the National Television. I got into this company, and it was my first job. In this company, we would perform for all of the national celebrations and do many shows for television. When you first graduate from school and start working in the company, you must stay there and work for at least two years before you can get a job outside the country. I found this out when I booked my first show. It was going to Dubai, but I was told I could not go until I worked my two years.

Photo: Fantasy Girls

Yesi of Fantasy Girls.

I was so disappointed, but it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. After I worked for my two years, I got another job. This time, I was going to Aruba. The whole show was cast with Cubans, and for all of us, it was the very first time we got to go outside of country. It was the most exciting adventure in my life so far. Being in another country for the first time was incredible.

So, now my journeys have brought me to the United States. I have a brand new life; I started taking dance classes in Los Angeles. I had a very hard time at first, and I remember the first hip-hop class that I went to -- I got home and started crying. I thought I would never be able to dance like that, but I didn’t give up and kept trying. Little by little, I started feeling it and getting the rhythm and began to enjoy it so much!

In Cuba, we have great training and teachers, but the whole concept and approach is very different. It was very exciting to dance in a new way to different music. My first big audition was for Michael Jackson’s tour. I couldn’t even believe that I was there. Just having a chance for something like that was so far from any of my wildest dreams, I can’t explain the feeling. I felt so great, and I gained so much confidence after that big challenge.

Photo: Fantasy Girls

Fantasy Girls.

I ended up coming to Las Vegas and met the producer of Fantasy, Anita Mann, and she invited me to see the show. It was my first show in Las Vegas. The show was so great, and all the girls looked so amazing, too. I was really nervous to audition for Anita, but she is so kind and caring. I’m glad that she liked me, and I can’t believe I am now dancing in the show. I am having so much fun, and I love performing in the show.

Dancing is all I have ever wanted to do and all that I know. Every day, there is something new for me. I have never been so happy, and sometimes I just can’t believe what has happened to me in the last 2 1/2 years. I am the most grateful woman in the world right now to be able to help my family and to have a new life and career in this country. Life is such an amazing journey: La vida es un viaje asombroso!

Besitos,

Yesi

It’s going to be a sexy weekend of celebrity guest columnists, with five Fantasy Girls from the Luxor, and on Monday, the Luxor trend continues with zany comic Carrot Top.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

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