MOVING PEOPLE: Milteri Tucker Concepción on Bomba, Her Puerto Rican Heritage, and Lin-Manuel Miranda's "In the Heights" Movie

I love the sciences! For me dance is science! There’s math, physics, chemistry and of course biology, and movement — the basis of life and combines all three. At Hunter College, studying all these was a no brainer for me!

I remember juggling a heavy schedule from ballet in the early morning, to biology lectures in the afternoon, then running to rehearsals with the Hunter College Dance Program! In my first student choreographic project, my fellow dance students would see me walk in with big biology books. I was naming sections and describing movement based on what I learned in biology, physics and chemistry.

But when it finally came for me to decide between either medical school or dance, I remembered that I moved to New York, to dance professionally. It was then or never, so I leaped. It’s been dance ever since!

I've studied Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Spanish Dance, Musical Theater, the Latin dances, Afro Caribbean dance (Puerto Rican Folklore,  Bomba, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Haitian, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Colombian).

Dance is my passion. Bomba was and has been always a part of me. My grandmother shared with me how my grandfather used to play Bomba in Santurce. It seemed natural, movement flowed as the rhythms played. I also felt more connected to Bomba, to its history, and the survival of all these generations. Bomba highlights the African roots of the Puerto Rican culture. As an Afro-Boricua, Afro-Latina, it represents me. 

Bomba dates back to the 17th century. It is song, drum, and dance, originated and maintained by the enslaved and free people-of-color around the coastal plantations in Puerto Rico. At  one point, it was in danger of forever being forgotten, as the high elite society of the Island instilled laws prohibiting drumming, but Bomba families from the West, South, East, and North conserved these traditions and  passed them down orally from generation to generation.

During colonial times, Bomba was seen predominantly on Sundays, when and where the enslaved people where permitted to gather to drum, sing, and dance (though heavily watched by their overseers). The instrumentation consists of drums made out of barrels with stretched goat skin, called "barriles," two sticks called "Cua," and one "maraca" (a shaker made of gourd).

The songs were and are about events happening in the community, and the movements where influenced by the rhythms and amalgamation of different dance styles predominantly from the US Virgin Islands and the French Caribbean. Throughout the years, each dancer family has developed and passed down their own style.

Bomba is not a religion; it’s a secular cultural practice maintained by descendants of the enslaved, along with drum and dance enthusiasts. Today there are countless Bomba music ensembles and dance collectives both in Puerto Rico and in the mainland United States from Puerto Ricans who have migrated here. Families who have had the opportunity to record their songs are credited with the longevity of the genre. They are Doña Isabel Albizu from Ponce, the Ayalas from Loiza, the Cepeda’s from Santurce.

My practice has been learning from the various Bomba families and instructors such as Cepedas, Ayalas, Alers, Emuanuelli brothers, and Angel Reyes. 

Mr. Reyes taught me how to listen and feel what the rhythm was saying, and how to phrase my movement. I understand that in that moment, I (the dancer) become the drummer.

Bomba is not competition; it’s a conversation.

Bomba respects the elders and those in the community who maintain this wonderful cultural tradition. Their  collective impact on me is what I now teach: figure, timing, rhythms, and understanding the songs.

The term "Bombazo" means a jam, a unity of the Bomba drummers, dancers, and singers. While describing my work and the genre, my mentor, famed Latin choreographer Maria Torres, named my company. She saw the passion and the unity that my work brings, creating and gathering the community.

The dancing as I describe it is made up of sharp percussive movements and figures created by the dancer in his/her conversation with the lead drummer, who marks the dancer’s accents. When you are new to Bomba, it is taught as movement drills, until you become confident and comfortable in controlling the drummer's hands, and to expressing yourself.

My company is a dance company. I bring Bomba dance to the forefront (along with the elements of drumming and song). Our work is made up of both Bomba codified movements that are choreographed, and the dancer’s own interpretations, which are "improvised" on the spot. In the early 2000s, I further added to the evolution of Bomba, as I started fusing Bomba body movements with contemporary and African dance styles.

In order to fuse, I mastered the Bomba vocabulary to create new content reflecting today’s views. Making That Drum Talk!® is my trademarked saying because that is exactly what we do!

I want the world to know about my African roots through dance! Puerto Rico has African roots! And to show how it's maintained, passed on, and performed.

It's hard to say! They are all great songs from the community. But I have to say the song titled: "Yo Soy Del Sur" (I am from the South) written by Julie Laporte from her musical group Colectivo Umoja is one I love. The song is about the pride we have for the South of Puerto Rico. It resonates with me now more than ever.

When thinking about visiting PR, towns that are heavily promoted for tourism are those from the North. The South has such a rich cultural history and legacy that at one point in time it was considered the capital and the main port for goods.

The Balkan Bomba Project is a collaborative music and dance production between The Bronx Arts Ensemble (BAE) and Bombazo Dance Co. Bomba has been fused with many other Latin Caribbean rhythms as well as with Jazz, Hip Hop, and urban rhythms such as Reggaeton/Trap. BAE approached me to see what new fusion can happen. They suggested Balkan.

It was a matter of finding what made sense metrically and musically to fuse these genres that are polar opposites. Our lead drummer, Oreste Abrantes, worked with BAE musicians. My choreographic approach was through contemporary dance adding Balkan movement and traditional Bomba movements.

It’s a beautiful project with an encore performance on March 6th in the Bronx.

Yes! Absolutely! In order to know where we are going, we need to know where we came from. In addition, we learn to appreciate other people and their culture, to understand them and to respect those carrying on these dance forms.

Visual art, music — all genres! Lately, design. I founded the first skirt line and Caribbean dance wear called: Bombazo Wear Bomba Caribbean Skirts®.

I was there for the recent major earth quakes in my home town of Ponce. I've never experienced an earthquake of 5.8, 6.6, and 6.0 magnitudes. I was terrified, nervous, and tense. Unlike a hurricane which can be predicted ahead of time to at least prepare as best one can, there is no such thing with earthquakes.

Recently, the magnitudes and frequency have lessened, but the earth is moving in the South. In terms of hurricanes I've been through Hurricane Hugo, Hurricane George in Puerto Rico. Irma and Maria I was here in New York. My family and close friends are ok. This experience has definitely changed my outlook in life and has, in a positive way, influenced my work.

Connect with grassroots organizations directly who are doing the work, who are checking the families and helping them out with basic necessities. One of my favorites is Comite Pro Nuestra Cultura from Ponce, Puerto Rico.

(Note from the editor) — check out this website for grassroots organizations in Puerto Rico http://www.togetherpuertorico.com/donate-now/#grassroots

Family cultural traditions — such as how we always get together to assemble and prepare pasteles; or gather to sing and dance aguilnaldos, prepare cajita de Reyes Magos for my nieces and nephews, and just family gatherings on the weekends, the food, music . . . 

"El calor de mi gente." The warmth of my people,  and my home, especially picking a mango from my mango tree to eat!

Toughness, “fall, get up, do it again,” never give up, and create your own opportunities.

NYC is the world concentrated in five boroughs! When away from NYC, what I miss is the easiness with which I can find and appreciate world cultures through food, music and the arts. AND I miss different modes of transportation; I do like riding the MTA.

Relaxing by the beach with family and drinking coconut water, directly from the tree. Caribena.

draw

This summer I had the opportunity to be cast as a dancer in "In the Heights" the movie by Lin Manuel Miranda. Because I'm in my element, Bomba.

All the dancers and musicians I admire!

life, family, and blessings.

a great year of being art and creating art!