La Tribu del Juey Sambuco (Sambuco Tribe) is led by Juan Usera, a musician, dancer, scholar, and professor with over 20 years of experience as an arts in education professional. The Sambuco Tribe provides workshops, artist residencies, and assembly programs in Caribbean music, dance, and percussion for NYC schools, senior centers, community centers, and colleges throughout New York City and the tristate area.

All workshops, residencies, and assemblies can be designed to meet specific music education, schedule, and budget needs.

ARTIST RESIDENCIES & WORKSHOPS

Bomba & Plena Residency:

In a series of hands-on, interactive sessions, students will learn the Puerto Rican Afro-descendant traditions of Bomba and Plena, including songs, rhythms, dances. Students will learn rhythm patterns and how to play them on the Bomba and Plena drums, maracas, güiros, and claves. Students will also learn how to express themselves through dance while practicing different Bomba rhythms, dance steps, and piquetes (improvisations).

Bomba is an Afro-Puerto Rican music, dance, and song art form in motion with origins in West Africa, the Caribbean and Puerto Rico. The instruments include two Bomba drums, a cua (two wooden sticks played on a small barrel), and a maraca. The buleador drum maintains a constant rhythm and the primo drum improvises and establishes musical conversations with the dancers. This relationship between drummer and dancer is central to the Bomba performance.

Meet the Instrument Workshop / Meet the Dancer Workshop:

A 45-minute one time classroom visit to introduce students to an instrument or a dance and its practice.

ASSEMBLIES*

School assembly programs of live music and dance are designed to engage audiences of all ages and grade levels in a musical journey through the Caribbean.

Bomba & Plena:

A journey through Puerto Rican Afro-descendant culture with music and dance while learning the connections of the rhythms to other musical practices of the Caribbean and the U.S.

45-minute interactive performance. Students will learn to play traditional instruments (hand drums, güiros); to sing in English, Spanish, and Creole; and to dance.

Puerto Rican Music and Dance: From Bomba to Danza

A journey through the Puerto Rican Music Book; genres include Bomba, Plena, Guaracha, Aguinaldo, Seis, Danza and Reggaetón.

45-minute interactive performance. Students will learn to play traditional instruments (güiros); to sing in English, Spanish, and Creole; and to dance.

Caribbean Music & Dance: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico

A journey through the music and dance of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean: Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

45-minute interactive performance. Students will play traditional instruments (claves, maracas); sing in English and Spanish; and dance.

*All assembly genres can be artist residencies as well.

La Tribu (The Tribe) Performance Guide:
Click each thumbnail to view larger image

Juan’s Sample Plena Lesson:

For general inquiries about our services, please go to the Contact page to connect with us. We look forward to hearing from you.