Bomba
A traditional dance and musical style of Puerto Rico. While bomba can be used as the generic name for 16 distinct rhythms, it is truly about a creative, interactive relationship between dancers, percussionists, and singers. Today it is practiced as a communal activity in its centers of origin in Loíza, Santurce, Mayagüez, and Ponce.
Puerto Rican bomba is the first native music of Puerto Rico, created in the sugar plantations by slaves. The instruments are drums called barriles or bombas (made from barrels of rum, the low-pitched drum named buleador or segundo, and the high-pitched drum called primo or subidor), cuá (two sticks that were originally banged on the side of the barril), and a maraca.
Bomba is described as a challenge or connection between the drummer and the dancer. The dancer produces a series of gestures, which the primo or subidor drummer follows and provides a synchronized beat. Thus, the drummer attempts to follow the dancer, and not the more traditional form of the dancer following the drummer. There are many rhythms in bomba that are mainly variations of the three basic ones: sica, yuba, and holandés. The theme of most bomba songs is everyday life and activity. 1797– .