Bomba is both a traditional dance and musical style of Puerto Rico. Its origins are rooted in the island’s history of African slavery but today has evolved into a community expression of Puerto Rican culture.
Why is bomba dance important?
In these areas, cane workers released feelings of sadness, anger, and resistance through fiery drums played in dance gatherings called Bailes de Bomba (Bomba Dances). Enslaved people also used them to celebrate baptisms and marriages, communicate with each other, and plan rebellions (Cartagena, 2004).
Who created the bomba dance?
Bomba is a musical expression created in Puerto Rico at the end of the 17th century, by West Africans and their descendants who worked the colonial sugar plantations along the coast of Puerto Rico.
What do Bomba dancers wear?
When dancing to the Bomba and Plena women in Puerto Rico would traditionally wear the La Blusa ya Falda, a two-piece folk dress, and the La Mapola, a flower to wear in her hair.
How is bomba danced?
Bomba is not only a musical style but a dance, too. Using percussion instruments like maracas and two different drums, musicians follow the dancer’s rhythm, punctuating every move with a beat.
Where is bomba performed?
island of Puerto Rico
La Bomba is a traditional dance form on the island of Puerto Rico. Known as the dance of slaves, this dance was usually performed on sugar planatations. Sugar plantations were placed along the coast, which is the reason la Bomba is is spread out along the sea.
When did bomba begin?
The movement and sound of bomba originates in the practices of West Africans brought to the Caribbean island by European colonizers as slaves in the 17th century, and over time absorbed influences from the Spanish as well as the region’s indigenous Taíno people.
Is bomba a dance or music?
The African roots of Bomba, a traditional Puerto Rican dance and musical genre. “Bomba is not only a genre, it’s kind of a lifestyle,” one dancer said. ABC News’ Alex Perez reports on a Puerto Rican dance with African roots and a long history of resistance known as Bomba.
What are the characteristics of Bomba dance?
Characteristics of the Bomba. Thus, it is the drummer who attempts to follow the dancer, and not the more traditional form of the dancer following the drummer. The dancer must be in great physical shape, and the challenge usually continues until either the dancer or the drummer discontinues.
What is bomba music and why is it important?
It comes out of the musical traditions brought by enslaved Africans in the 17th century. To them, bomba music was a source of political and spiritual expression. The lyrics conveyed a sense of anger and sadness about their condition, and songs served as a catalyst for rebellions and uprisings.
What are the different styles of Bomba in Puerto Rico?
Broadly speaking, distinctive bomba styles have developed in various parts of the island: Ponce in the south, Mayagüez in the west, Loíza in the north, and Santurce between Loíza and San Juan. The Ponce style blends Spanish and African elements. The female dancer wears a long, ruffled skirt…
Where did Puerto Rican bomba come from?
Today it’s practiced as a communal activity in its centers of origin in Loíza, Santurce, Mayagüez and Ponce. Also, Puerto Rican migrants have brought the tradition to some parts of the U.S. mainland. Puerto Rican Bomba is the first native music of Puerto Rico, created in the sugar plantations by slaves more than 400 years ago.
