Puerto Rico Bomba History
Puerto Rican history has a lot of dance and music styles that stand out. They are all little different in their own way. Out of all the dance and music styles I chose to write about the bomba. The bomba is a dance and music style that allows individuals to release their anger and stress. Further in the essay you will read more about the bomba being originated from African American slaves who worked on sugar plantations. The bomba was their safe place, where there was no stress – just dance. Another reason why I chose the bomba is because it looks like an extremely fun and energetic dance. I have danced for 13 years when I was younger and learning the salsa was my favorite and the bomba reminded me of that style of dance. Learning about the
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Bomba is celebrated in the east and northeast region of Puerto Rico. It comes from the musical traditions of the enslaved African Americans in the 17th century who worked in sugar plantations. It was used as an expression that provided an escape from the hardships of slavery (Lee, 2006). In the beginning they named it the slave dance. They use bomba as 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 (Smithsonian Institutes, 2015). It allowed the cane workers to release their feelings of anger, resistance, and sadness about their condition. The bomba also moved them to dance and celebrate. The bomba has a strong connection between the dancer and the drummer. The drummer has to follow the dancer’s beat, which is very different to most dances where the dancer follows the drummer’s beat. During the dance all drummers sit in a line together and play. The basic dance steps o is: starting on the right foot, tap in place, step the back, tap together in place (Salsaroots, n.d). The bomba consists for two drums – subidor and primo, a maraca, and a cua. Female dancers wear dresses with full skirts and white petticoats while the male dancers dress in white panama
Bomba is celebrated in the east and northeast region of Puerto Rico. It comes from the musical traditions of the enslaved African Americans in the 17th century who worked in sugar plantations. It was used as an expression that provided an escape from the hardships of slavery (Lee, 2006). In the beginning they named it the slave dance. They use bomba as 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 (Smithsonian Institutes, 2015). It allowed the cane workers to release their feelings of anger, resistance, and sadness about their condition. The bomba also moved them to dance and celebrate. The bomba has a strong connection between the dancer and the drummer. The drummer has to follow the dancer’s beat, which is very different to most dances where the dancer follows the drummer’s beat. During the dance all drummers sit in a line together and play. The basic dance steps o is: starting on the right foot, tap in place, step the back, tap together in place (Salsaroots, n.d). The bomba consists for two drums – subidor and primo, a maraca, and a cua. Female dancers wear dresses with full skirts and white petticoats while the male dancers dress in white panama