Thursday, Oct. 12
7-8:30 pm
Rhythm Industry, 1013 S. Tyndall, Tucson
Join three of NYC’s top Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba performers–Julia Gutierrez-Rivera, Nicky Laboy CajaDura, and Nelson Matthew Gonzalez–for a dance workshop.
Members of Grammy Nominated Los Pleneros de la 21, Alma Moyó, Ilú Ayé and the Grammy Nominated Los Pleneros de la 21, Julia, Nicky, and Nelson are regarded as some of the most versatile and premiere drummers, educators and dancers of Puerto Rican Bomba of their generation. Together, they bring over 50 years’ as practitioners of Bomba and Plena.
This dance workshop, combines stretching, ice-breaker dance sequences, focused exercises that explore movement vocabulary, dance techniques and formations of Puerto Rican Bomba. Suitable for all levels, men and women. Live drumming and singing included. Ladies are encouraged to bring floor length dance skirts.
Bomba is regarded as the oldest musical genres of the Caribbean, it came from 17th century slaves who used the music as political and spiritual expression. It connects directly to the enslaved African experience on the island of Puerto Rico, and shares roots with Cuba’s Tumba Francesa, the Dominican Republic’s Sarandunga, Haiti’s Compa and countless other Big Drum traditions of the Afro-Diaspora. Puerto Rico’s Bomba captures the resilience and collective memory of a community. It is characterized by it’s improvised dances that convey the spirit, prowess and narratives of the dancers–all of which are interpreted by the drums. Bomba dozens of rhythms mix a sense of sadness and frustration with a desire for celebration and freedom–still relevant today.
Get transported to the soul-electrifying and passionate Bomba dance rhythms in an intensive 2 hour dance class, and make the drums speak your story!
Catch Julia, Nicky and Matthew as they perform Saturday and Sunday at Tucson Meet Yourself, Oct. 14 & 15, 2017!