In-Person Class
$20 In Person
Open to ALL levels, Cumbe invites you to join Master Bomba dancer Milteri Tucker Concepción as she teaches you the fundamental form and movements of the Bomba dance style so you can Make That Drum Talk!
With a history dating back to the 17th century, the musical genre and dance style of Bomba was originated by enslaved West Africans living in Puerto Rico. A form of entertainment permitted by plantation owners, Bomba has since evolved into a community expression of Puerto Rican culture and unlike other musical genres, Bomba consists of drums and songs which are led by the rhythm and movements of the dancers as opposed to the other way around. Bomba was created as a form of respect and liberation among people of African descent and marginalized by the elite society of the island. The songs of the Bomba genre are in the form of call-and-response, a common practice in traditional African and Caribbean song folk tales.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Milteri Tucker Concepcion is the founder and artistic director of Bombazo Dance Company, which aims to preserve traditional Bomba dance but also fuses Afro-Caribbean Folk elements with contemporary, modern, and social styles. She holds a Masters degree in Dance Education from NYU and is currently working on her doctorate. Milteri has worked and performed along Bomba masters from Puerto Rico — such as Cepedas, Ayala, William Cepeda & AfroRican Jazz — and has performed in San Juan, Loiza, Ponce, and Carolina. She is also trained in ballet, Modern, and African dance styles and has worked with a wide range of choreographers including Maria Torres, Sekou McMiller, Richard Pierlon, Jeff Shade, Angel Gil Orrios, and George Faison.
Milteri’s class is open to all and designed to introduce students to the rhythms, basic steps, figure, timing, posture and skirt technique. Each class has a warm up followed by pedagogical Bomba dance content and practice of the form. Learn more about Milteri and the work of Bombazo Dance Company at www.bombazodanceco.com.
About Bomba:
Dating back to the 17th century among slaves residing in the coastal areas of the island of Puerto Rico, Bomba was a form of entertainment permitted by plantation owners. This cultural tradition focuses on the interaction among drummers, singers and dancers. It was conceived as a form of respect and liberation among people of African descent and marginalized by the elite society of the island. According to William Cepeda, the word Bomba originates from the Ghanaian language "bomaa" pronounced "bombaa," which has been defined in the English language as “a big drum.” The songs are in the form of call-and-response, a common practice in traditional African and Caribbean song folk tales.