Flushing Meadows Corona Park

The beat of the drum, the swing of the hips, a look in the eyes. Bomba and Plena, traditional Puerto Rican Folk dance is evocative and nearly impossible to resist participating in. The Afro-Latin rhythms and long flowing skirts make you feel the heat of the sun and the splashing of cool waves against your soul. Bomba and Plena are percussion-driven musical traditions from Puerto Rico that move people to dance. Often mentioned together as though they were a single musical style, both reflect the African heritage of Puerto Rico, but there are basic distinctions between them in rhythm, instrumentation, and lyrics.