World music seems to be on its way to achieving the status of classical music. First, Radio 3 sneaked it into its late-night shows; now, Cuban big-band music has made it on to the Proms programme. At the Albert Hall, roots enthusiasts mingled with classical concert-goers for the post-prom show billed as Cuban Night. The event was sold out, and the prom area was packed and ready to dance.

The audience may have been expecting the Buena Vista Social Club but instead they got two rather more current and contrasting representations of that country's music. Both were engaging and their enthusiasm was contagious.

Vocal Sampling, a six-strong a cappella group, reproduces vocally the instruments of Cuban music. They pinched their noses and sang into cupped hands to mimic trumpets, and imitated percussion by clicking their tongues into their microphones. They encouraged everyone to sing to their percussive backbeat as they launched into the classic Mi Guantanamera. Their theatrical act bordered on camp - complete with costume changes and swing-dance routines - and the promenaders laughed and danced along with them.

And then Los Van Van - dubbed the Rolling Stones of Cuba - invaded the stage. This 15-piece band has been together for more than 30 years and know how to work the crowd. Their high-energy set had a big, brassy, percussive sound, and was headed by three vocalists who seductively danced and shimmied across the stage, while the band leader - a bass-playing Leonard Cohen lookalike - controlled the tempo and direction. There was dancing in the aisles, and just for a short while, the Albert Hall was downtown Havana.