Juan Usera is a fourth-generation Bomba practitioner. Juan’s grandmother, Doña Rosa, frequented Bailes de Bomba in the Society of Cangrejo Abajo with her father, Juan Gonzales, in 1924. Juan’s practice comes from Cangrejos, San Mateo de Cangrejos, called Santurce today. Santurce was the first free Black settlement in Puerto Rico and the most important Black cultural enclave on the island.

Juan was born and raised in Villa Palmeras, Santurce, Puerto Rico where he learned his artistic practice in an organic way from his family and community cultural bearers. As a child, Juan performed Bomba throughout the island with his sister in Modesto Cepeda’s children’s groups, PACEN and Cimiento Puertorriqueño.

Juan studied Education and History with a Minor in Dance at the University of Puerto Rico where he received a Bachelor’s Degree. He studied Performance Studies at NYU where he received an MFA. He also studied music technology at The City College of New York Sonic Arts Center. Juan has done extensive research on Caribbean music. He taught at Long Island University Brooklyn’s Anthropology Department and John Jay College for Criminal Justice’s Department of Art and Music where he created the course Introduction to Afro Caribbean Music and Dance.

Juan has been performing and teaching Bomba, Plena, and other Caribbean music styles in New York and Puerto Rico for over 20 years. Juan has performed with Paracumbé, Sonido Isleño, Los Pleneros de la 21, Papo Vázquez, Company Freak, and The Fadara Group among others.

Juan is the founder and director of La Tribu del Juey Sambuco, a Caribbean music and dance ensemble and arts in education company. La Tribu has been featured at the Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts Salsa Sunday, Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing, El Museo del Barrio’s Three Kings Celebration, the Long Island Museum, Hostos Center for the Arts Bomplenazo, Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute’s SouSou Saturdays and AfriBembé Festival among others.

Juan is the recipient of a New Jersey State Council on the Arts Master Folk Artist Grant, a City Parks Foundation Green/Arts Live NYC grant, and a New York Foundation for the Arts City Artists Corps grant.

Juan is also a life-long athlete, a trained fitness buff, and a cross-fit enthusiast. He competed in track and field in high school and at the University of Puerto Rico. He strongly believes that a good balance between work, art, and fitness is the key to a healthy body and a happy life.