10 Mayo St
Portland, ME 04101
USA
Developed in the 16th century, bomba is a traditional genre of music and dance in Borikén (currently known as the island of Puerto Rico).
This musical genre was created by enslaved communities of African descent as a way to express themselves, tell stories, share news, communicate revolts, and reaffirm their humanity. The instruments used in this tradition are the maracas (an influence of Taíno Indigenous ancestors), the cua (a small hollow drum played with sticks), and the barrel drums.
During this exhilarating performance by Bomba de Aquí, you will experience the communication that occurs between the dancer, who sets the beat, and the drummer, who attempts to express, through the drumbeat, the dancer’s joy, pride, empowerment, and resilience.
“This is how we honor our ancestors as we continue to express ourselves through bomba, the dance of resistance.” The performance will include a special appearance by local Taíno community leader Sayalí Robles, from South Portland. Sayali recently began to study the form with support from a Maine Arts Commission Traditional Apprenticeship.
The event will also feature a contextualization of the music and dance forms, with a discussion of the mentorship by Sayalí and Bomba De Aquí co-director, Brendalíz Cepeda, from Granby, MA. They will be joined by Kathleen Mundell—an acclaimed Maine folklorist, and facilitator of the Traditional Apprenticeship program.