Dancers from Bombazo Dance Company gear up ahead of the Puerto Rican Day Parade

Dozens of dancers from the Bombazo Dance Company will be showcasing their choreographed number Sunday at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan.

Brittany Cadet

Jun 5, 2024, 2:34 AM

Updated 204 days ago

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The group will be performing a traditional dance number called Bomba. The dance was used as an outlet of communication centuries ago for African ancestors on the island.
Milteri Tucker, executive director of Bombazo Dance Company, says the dancers control the drummers, as the one who is beating the drum follows the dancers' footsteps. Tucker also touches on the importance of keeping the island’s history through the dance of Bomba alive.
"We need to learn about our history, to know who we are and where we come from. That is my mission showcasing the African in Puerto Rico,” Tucker says.
Tucker says through the dance, Bomba is one way to keep that history alive.
One dancer on the team, Eva Martinez, says she loves to dance Bomba and says that showcasing her Puerto Rican culture on stage this Sunday makes her proud to be a Puerto Rican following in the footsteps of her ancestors.