Our mission is to serve the community and we are proud to provide Bronxites the opportunity to learn and take Bomba dance and drum classes free of charge for a full year. We’d like to continue our commitment to our Bronx residents by relieving the financial stress and making classes accesible for all to join! In light of the Covid 19 Pandemic we willoffer a hybrid program both inperson and virtual dance and drum classes. The Bombazo Free Bomba Dance, Drum and Sewing community classes provides an opportunity for residents to learn more about Puerto Rico’s African heritage. Bomba is the oldest musical and dance genre dating back to the 17th centuary by the enslaved of the Island. Today Bomba is a symbol of pride, resiliance and resistance. The program focuses on Bomba dance’s timing, rhythms, figure and codified movement content that makes the expressions unique for each bomba dancer (male and female). The drumming section focuses on basic drumming techniques, placement of hands, drumming rudiments, musical notation, different bomba rhythms and styles as well as tempo and stamina. Due to the number of participants we engage, it has become necesary to add another day to accomodate the different learning stages. For example, Wednesday’s from 6pm-9pm will accomodate participants who are advanced, are knowleageable and are looking to strenthgen their dancing and drumming skills. Saturdays will welcome participants who are new and are experiencing for the first time Bomba dance and drumming. Saturday schedule will run as follows 10am childrens class ages 5 and up. Bomba beginner drumming at 11am ages 13 and up, followed by the adult bomba dance at 12 noon. As part of keeping these traditions alive for todays and our next generation, conserving the authenticity of the skirt making process is key. Sewing is an artform that is not too popular with today’s younger generation and a skill not thought in todays school systems. By adding a basic sewing class for ages 8 and up, we believe that not only will participants learn a new skill, they will learn to appreciate the art of sewing. In our Bombazo Sewing classes participants will learn from design to end product. This includes how to work with a sewing machine, how to design, cut, gather material and learn about the different types of material. The sewing classes will run on Saturdays from 11am until 1pm.. At the end of the year we will host an inperson dance and drum student performance as well as showcase what our sewing students have created.
