Browse Items (142 total)

  • Tags: heritage

Drummers playing the barriles de bomba at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores in Juncos, Puerto Rico.

Thousands of participants at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores surrounded delegations from dozens of towns to enjoy, share, and participate in the music, song and dance of bomba, a tradition from the island of Puerto Rico. This event was held in the…

Performing the tradition of "los vejigantes de Puerto Rico" with the delegation from Loíza at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores in Juncos, Puerto Rico.

Young dancer conversing with the drum at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores in Juncos, Puerto Rico.

Singers in the delegation from Guayama at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores in Juncos, Puerto Rico.

Young drummer playing the barril de bomba in the summer heat of Juncos, Puerto Rico at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores.

Don Miguel Flores Lopez, a bomba dancer of over 75 years at the time of this photograph.

Don Miguel Flores Lopez was a bomba dancer from Guayama, and was the last dancer to preserve and share the old style bomba dance from his town, having danced bomba for over 75 years.

Don Miguel Flores Lopez dancing in the old style of bomba dance from Guayama at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores in Juncos, Puerto Rico in 2013.

Don Miguel Flores Lopez from Guayama, Puerto Rico dancing the old style Guayama bomba dance. Having danced bomba since 15 years of age, and being 90 at the time of this photograph, he was one of the last dancers of the old style in Guayama.

Don Miguel Flores Lopez and Melanie Maldonado dancing an old style of bomba dance from Guayama at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores. A video of this dance can be seen at this link: https://youtu.be/zqGMpXmDDsI?t=363

Bomberas Melanie Maldonado and Kelly Archbold preparing to sing with the delegation from Guayama at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores in Juncos, Puerto Rico.

Participants of the 5th Encuentro de Tambores playing, dancing and singing bomba surrounded by a crowd of thousands in the town plaza in Juncos, Puerto Rico.

Even outside of the bombazo circle, participants at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores were inspired to dance, sing and celebrate their cultural traditions and heritage.

Children are encouraged to participate in bombazos from a young age, from the drum to the dance to the song. This child is playing the cuá which accompanies the barriles de bomba in the rhythms.

Bomba dancer moving to the sound of the barriles de bomba. When in the circle, before the lead drum, the dancer has the creative power of expression, calling on the drummer to respond to their movements with sound.

Bomba dancer execuing picoteos, or piquetes, before the lead drum. The motion of the skirts add to the grace, style and movement of the bomba dance.

Bomba dancers often use their skirts when dancing before the drum to execute the picoteos, or piquetes, that call on the lead drummer to respond to in sound.

The Raíces Folkloric Ensemble performing the genre of Cuban són at a concert dedicated to the music of the Caribbean at the Reformed Church of Highland Park.

Jariksa Valle Feliciano sings the lead while playing maraca at the 5th Encuentro de Tambores in Juncos, Puerto Rico.

Demonstrating the bomba tradition, where the dancer's movements are responded to by the lead drummer, who plays the sounds of the dancer's movements.

Bomba dancer executing picoteos, or piquetes, before the primo, or lead drum. The drum responds to each of these movements with sound. This exchange between dancer and drummer is one of the defining characteristics of bomba.

The Raíces Folkloric Ensemble performs the Puerto Rican folkloric tradition of bomba in a concert dedicated to folkloric music of the Caribbean.
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