Fuego con Batey Tambó

Bomba Marilé invites you to join us for a full day of honoring how we represent the natural element of the fire within Puerto Rican bomba music and dance. This will be the third in a 4 part series connecting each natural element to bomba. We have the privilege of having the spectacular Batey Tambó directly from the Bay Area California with us for this event. The entire day is free thanks to the financial support from Utah Division of Arts and Museums, Creative West, National Endowment for the Arts, Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks, Salt Lake City Arts Council, National Folklife Network, and the Sorenson Unity Center.

Location: Sorenson Unity Center 1383 S 900 W SLC

10:30am-12:00pm Bomba Percussion Class by Batey Tambó

2:30-4:00pm Bomba Dance Class by Batey Tambó

4:30-5:30pm Bomba Performance by Batey Tambó

6-7pm Bombazo

Bomba Marilé los invita a unirse con nosotros este día estaremos honrando como el fuego se representa en la música y el baile de la bomba puertorriqueña. Esta será la tercera de una serie de 4 partes que conectarán cada elemento natural con la bomba. Tendremos el privilegio de contar con el grupo espectacular de Batey Tambó directo de California quien nos enseñarán en este evento. Todo el día es gratuito, no pierdas la oportunidad de aprender y disfrutar. Gracias al apoyo financiero de Utah Division of Arts and Museums, Creative West, National Folklike Network, National Endowment for the Arts, Salt Lake City Arts Council, Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks, y el Sorenson Unity Center.

Ubicación: Sorenson Unity Center 1383 S 900 W SLC

10:30am-12:00pm Taller de Percusión con Batey Tambó

2:30-4:00pm Bomba Taller de baile de bomba con Batey Tambó

4:30-5:30pm Bomba Presentación de Bomba por Batey Tambó

6-7pm Bombazo

Free community Bomba classes

Have you seen Bomba Marilé sharing bomba before? Would you like the opportunity to learn more about bomba? Join us for free community bomba classes every Saturday in April, May, and June 2025 from 3-4pm at the Sorenson Unity Center 1383 S 900 W, SLC.

Bring comfortable shoes, a long skirt if you would like to dance with a skirt, and a water bottle. Classes will go over maraca, cua, dance, and the history of bomba.

You do not need to register and you can join us any Saturday you are able to come. All ages are welcome but children should be present with a guardian.

Thank you to the Sorenson Unity Center and the Salt Lake County Zoo Arts and Parks for the support. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/3792927317638347/3792927324305013/

_______________________________
¿Has visto a Bomba Marilé compartiendo bomba antes? Te gustaría tener la oportunidad de aprender más sobre bomba? Únete con nosotros para las clases comunitarias gratuitas de bomba todos los sábados de Abril, Mayo y Junio del 2025, de 3-4 p. m. en el Sorenson Unity Center 1383 S 900 W, SLC. Trae zapatos cómodos, una falda larga si quisieras bailar con falda, y una botella de agua. En las clases se hablará sobre maraca, cua, baile, y la historia de la bomba. No necesitas registrarte, tu puedes unirte a cualquier sábado que puedas venir. Todas las edades son bienvenidas, pero los niños deben estar presentes con un adulto. Gracias al Sorenson Unity Center y al Salt Lake County Zoo Arts and Parks por el apoyo.

We are committed to ensuring that our event is accessible to all attendees. Our venue is fully wheelchair accessible, featuring:
Accessible Entrances: All main entrances are equipped automatic doors for easy access.
Restrooms: Accessible restrooms are available throughout the venue.
Seating: Designated wheelchair spaces are provided in the event area, with companion seating nearby.
Parking: Accessible parking spaces are available close to the venue entrance.
Assistance: Staff will be on hand to provide assistance as needed. Please feel free to reach out for help.
If you have specific accessibility needs or require additional accommodations, please contact us in advance, and we will do our best to assist you. We look forward to welcoming you to our event!

Community Bombazo (June 24)

Saturday June 24th, 2023 from 5-8pm at the Jordan River Nature Center

Bomba Marilé invites you to sing, dance, and play bomba with us on Saturday June 24th, 2023 from 5-8pm at the Jordan River Nature Center. This is a free event and open to all. Please bring food and non-alcoholic drinks to share. We are excited to have visiting bombero Joe Goglia from Arizona at this event. Event will be held outdoors.

———-

Los invitamos a cantar, tocar, y bailar bomba con Bomba Marilé el Sabado 24 de Junio en el Jordan River Nature Center de 5-8pm. El evento es gratis y abierto a todos. Por favor traigan comida o bebidas sin alcohol para compartir. Estamos emocionados de tener bombero visitante Joe Goglia de Arizona viniendo a este evento. El evento será afuera.

Living Traditions 2021

The Living Legacy video series showcases Salt Lake City’s diverse community through storytelling on how these various communities keep their traditions and legacies alive today. This week features Bomba Marilé.

The Living Legacy video series showcases Salt Lake City’s diverse community through storytelling on how these various communities keep their traditions and legacies alive today. This week features Bomba Marilé.

Bomba Marilé was established in November of 2017 with the purpose of sharing Afro Puerto Rican traditions of Bomba music and dance with the greater Utah community. Since their initiation, they have organized Bomba workshops with visiting instructors, social events including dominos and picnics, and educational activities such as showing documentaries discussing issues related to Puerto Rico.

Bomba Marilé has had the opportunity to perform at various cultural events throughout Utah including Living Traditions Festival, West Side Dance Cinco de Mayo Festival, Mondays at the Park, and the Utah County Fair. They are grateful for the opportunity to highlight their musical traditions from Puerto Rico and to share them with those who support the cultural arts.

Photo & video by TWIG Media Lab 

The video even included a clip of jamming with Taller Bula, Bomba Liberté, Taller Kurubina  and all the amazing bomberx in Cali, highlighting Jade Power Sotomayor while dancing. Shout out to the peeps in Southern Cali for creating such welcoming and beautiful community.

Bomba Marilé Resume

Bomba Marilé

Registered Non-Profit, 501c3 

Phone: 323-377-4304

Address: PO Box 1681 Sandy, UT 84091-1681

https://bombamarile.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@bombamarile6801

https://www.facebook.com/BombaMarile/

https://linktr.ee/bombamarile

Executive Director: Dr. Miriam Padilla Vargas 

Board of Directors:

Isaias Alavéz Martínez

Rafael Maya 

Jeanitza Aviles

Manuel Carmona

Nicole Wines   

Mission: Bomba Marilé strives to share Afro-Puerto Rican traditions of Bomba music, dance, and ancestral stories through educational and interactive events that foster healing, connectedness, and community. 

Values: Learning and Sharing  * Growing Community * Healing through music and dance

Bomba Marilé is P.O.C. led 501c3 Non Profit Organization in the state of Utah that was established November 2017 and became a non profit in 2022. Since our initiation, we have organized Bomba workshops with visiting instructors, social events including dominos and picnics, and educational activities including showing documentaries discussing issues related to Puerto Rico. Bomba Marilé has had the opportunity to perform at various cultural events throughout Utah including Living Traditions Festival, West Side Dance Cinco de Mayo Festival, Mondays at the Park, and Utah County Fair.  Bomba Marilé has been grateful to receive financial support from the Salt Lake City Arts Council, Western States Arts Federation, National Endowment for the Arts, Ogden Arts Council, South Salt Lake City Arts Council, and more. We are grateful for the opportunity to highlight our musical traditions from Puerto Rico and to share them with those who support the cultural arts. 

Awards/Grants:

  • Emmy Nominated interview on African Heritage in Latinos in Utah 8/2021
  • Salt Lake City Arts Council Project Support Grant 1/2022 , 9/2022
  • Walmart Community Grant 1/2023
  • Utah Division of Arts and Museum 1/2023
  • Ogden City Arts Grant 4/2023
  • South Salt Lake City Mini Grant 4/2023 , 4/2024 
  • Zoo, Arts, and Parks  General Operating Grant 9/2023
  • Salt Lake City Arts Council Project Support Grant 8/2019 , 9/2023
  • Tour West Grant 9/2023 
  • Arts and Cultural Events Grant 11/2023 
  • Walmart Community Grant 2024
  • Salt Lake County ACE Grant 2024 
  • Arts Culture and Events Grant 2024 
  • South Salt Lake Mini Grant 2024 
  • Creative West Tour West Grant 2024 
  • On Stage in Utah grant 2024 
  • Zoo Arts and Parks Grant 2024 
  • Leaders of Color Development Fund 2024 

Presentations Organized by Bomba Marilé/ Presentaciones Organizados por Bomba Marilé:

  • 10/2018 First Bomba Marilé Batey de Bomba with Shefali Shah and Hector Lugo from California in SLC, UT 
  • 5/2019 Bambula: Remembering the Kongo Connection to Puerto Rico with Mabiba Baegne SLC, UT
  • 11/2019 Puerto Rico and Hawaii: Cousin Archipelagos SLC, UT 
  • 7/2021 Bomba Cangrejera with Denis Solís and Julia Cepeda from California in SLC, UT 
  • 3/2022 Afro Descendant Genealogy in Puerto Rico with Melanie Maldonado Diaz from Florida in SLC, UT 
  • 7/2022 Connection of African Diasporic Music in the Americas with Rafael Maya from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT 
  • 10/2022 Bambula with Beto Torrens from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT 
  • 2/2023 Healing through Music and Dance with Ivelisse Diaz and Piro Lopez from Illinois in SLC, UT 
  • 3/2023 Speaking Through the Drum with Rafael Maya and Sara Christina Cruz Cepeda from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT 
  • 4/2023 Many Branches One root, self defense hidden in dance with Carlos Padilla and Melissa Santos from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT 
  • 7/2023 Colorism in the Latinx Community with Afro-Puerto Ricans Manuel Carmona and Jeanitza Aviles from Puerto Rico in Ogden, UT
  • 10/2023 Caretakers of our Musical Traditions with elder Afro Puerto Ricans Nuno Calderon and Junito Febres from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT
  • 12/2023 Subidora: Miriam Padilla as Lead Drummer with Rafael Maya from Puerto Rico 
  • 4/2024: Storytelling Through Song with Marcos Peñaloza Pica from PR 
  • 5/2024 Community Bombazo, South Salt Lake, UT
  • 8/2024 Pintando Figuras with Marcos Peñaloza Pica from PR 
  • 1/2025 Agua with Rafael Maya from PR
  • 4/2025 Tierra with Nuno Calderon from PR 
  • 5/2025 Fuego with Batey Tambó from San Francisco, CA 

Bombazos Organized by Bomba Marilé/Bombazos Organizados por Bomba Marilé:

  • 9/2019 Bombazo at Cocina Caribeña
  • 10/2019 Bombazo at Monsieur Crepes 
  • 11/2019 Bombazo to Celebrate Miriam’s Birthday 
  • 12/2019 Bombazo at Monsieur Crepes
  • 2/2020 Bombazo at Monsieur Crepes
  • 5/2022 Bombazo at the Jordan River Nature Center
  • 6/2022 Bombazo at the University of Utah Black Cultural Center 
  • 8/2022 Community Bombazo at the Jordan River Nature Center 
  • 9/2022 Community Bombazo at the University of Utah Black Cultural Center 
  • 10/2022-1/2023 Monthly community bombazos at the Sorenson Unity Center 
  • 6/2023 Community Bombazol at the Jordan River Nature Center 
  • 7/2023 Community Bombazo at the South Salt Lake Community Center 
  • 5/2024 Community Bombazo at the South Salt Lake Community Center 

Presentations of Bomba by Bomba Marile, organized by others

  • 5/2019 Cinco de Mayo Festival by WestSide Dance, SLC, UT 
  • 5/2019 Living Traditions Festival , SLC, UT 
  • 7/2019 Mondays at the Park SLC, UT 
  • 8/2019 Utah County Fair in Spanish Fork, UT 
  • 9/2019 Tooele Latin Festival in Tooele, UT 
  • 9/2019 Westside Elementary School in Springville, UT 
  • 9/2019 Logan Hispanic Heritage Festival in Logan, UT 
  • 9/2019 Hispanic Heritage Parade and Festival in SLC, UT 
  • 9/2019 Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Conference Sandy, UT 
  • 10/2019 Ogden Hispanic Heritage Festival in Ogden, UT 
  • 2/2020 eBay Black History Month Celebration Draper, UT 
  • 2/2020 Guest artists with Cukiara at the East West Music and Dance Festival Tampa, FL 
  • 6/2020 Utah Black Community Meetup SLC, UT
  • 5/2021 Living Traditions Festival SLC, UT 
  • 6/2021 African Heritage Festival Orem, UT
  • 6/2021 Summerfest Arts Fair Logan, UT 
  • 6/2021 Living Legacy SLC, UT 
  • 8/2021 Gateway Discovery Children’s Museum SLC, UT 
  • 8/2021 Craft Lake City DIY Festival SLC , UT 
  • 9/2021 Aquarium Performance SLC, UT 
  • 9/2021 Hispanic Heritage Festival Ogden, UT 
  • 9/2021 Rise Virtual Academy West Jordan, UT 
  • 10/2021 Weber State University Ogden, UT 
  • 10/2021 Bluffdale Elementary School Bluffdale, UT 
  • 12/2021 Sugar Space Arts Warehouse Marketplace SLC, UT 
  • 1/2022 Butterflies in Kent 365 Poetry SLC, UT 
  • 2/2022 Oshun Celebration Ogden, UT 
  • 3/2022 Granite School District Middle School Bomba Workshop West Valley, UT 
  • 3/2022 Butterflies in Kent 365 Poetry SLC, UT 
  • 3/2022 Granite School District Teacher’s Development Bomba Workshop West Valley, UT 
  • 5/2022 Living Traditions Festival SLC, UT 
  • 5/2022 University of Utah School of Cultural and Social Transformation Graduation SLC, UT
  • 5/2022 Woodrow Wilson Elementary School South Salt Lake, UT 
  • 5/2022 Thumbtack Company Party Draper, UT 
  • 5/2022 Parkside Elementary School Cultural Night Murray, UT
  • 6/2022 Celebration of Cultures SLC, UT
  • 6/2022 Sema Hadithi Soil Collection SLC, UT
  • 6/2022 Ogden Arts Festival Ogden, UT
  • 6/2022 Latino Arts Fest Park City, UT
  • 7/2022 Utah Multicultural Festival SLC, UT
  • 7/2022 African Festival SLC, UT 
  • 7/2022 Planned Parenthood Block Party SLC, UT 
  • 7/2022 Gateway Children’s Museum World Connection Festival 
  • 8/2022 African Festival Orem, UT
  • 8/2022 Ogden Pride Parade Ogden, UT 
  • 8/2022 Craft Lake City SLC, UT
  • 8/2022 Mondays at the Park SLC, UT 
  • 8/2022 Fairbourne Station West Valley, UT
  • 8/2022 Summer Arts Fair Ogden, UT 
  • 9/2022 Hispanic Heritage Parade and Festival SLC, UT
  • 9/2022 Draper International Festival Draper, UT 
  • 9/2022 Afro Utah Festival SLC, UT 
  • 10/2022 Phillips Exeter Academy Exeter, New Hampshire 
  • 10/2022 John F Kennedy Junior High in West Valley, UT 
  • 12/2022 John F Kennedy Junior High West Valley, UT 
  • 12/2022 African Diaspora Holiday Concert Orem, UT
  • 12/2022 Artes de México en utah 52 Retos Poéticos SLC, UT 
  • 1/2023 Timpanogos Elementary School Provo, UT
  • 2/2023 PBS Utah Roots, Race, and Culture Ogden, UT
  • 2/2023 Eisenhower Junior High SLC, UT 
  • 4/2023 Salt Lake Capoeira Fundraiser SLC, UT 
  • 4/2023 Dreamer’s Wish Foundation Fundraiser SLC, UT 
  • 5/2023 Living Traditions SLC, UT 
  • 6/2023 Salt Lake Capoeira event SLC, UT 
  • 6/2023 West Fest West Valley, UT 
  • 6/2023 Salt Lake City Arts Academy SLC, UT 
  • 8/2023 Craft Lake City SLC, UT 
  • 8/2023 Utah Division of State History Conference SLC, UT 
  • 9/2023 Hispanic Heritage Parade SLC, UT 
  • 9/2023 Cimarrones SLC, UT 
  • 9/2023 TEDxSLC  SLC, UT 
  • 10/2023 Utah State University Celebrando Nuestras Raices Layton, UT
  • 10/2023 Salt Lake Community College Cultural Dance Class  SLC, UT
  • 10/2023 Craftober Fest SLC, UT 
  • 10/2023 Two Spirit Pow Wow SLC, UT 
  • 10/2023 DaCi Dance Workshop Spanish Fork, UT
  • 10/2023 Inn Between Fundraiser SLC, UT
  • 10/2023 Primary Care Summit SLC, UT 
  • 10/2023 Midvale Halloween Midvale, UT 
  • 02/2024 Weber State University Black Cultural Center Ogden, UT 
  • 3/2024 Utah Presents event with The Sole SLC, UT 
  • 3/2024 Workshop with the University of Utah SACNAS SLC, UT
  • 3/2024: Workshop at the SLCC World Dance Class Taylorsville, UT 
  • 5/2024 Living Traditions SLC 
  • 5/2024 Davis County Pride Ogden, UT
  • 6/2024 Logan Summer Arts Fair Logan, UT 
  • 6/2024 Latino Arts Fest Park City, UT
  • 7/2024 Salt lake community college World Dance Class SLC, UT 
  • 8/2024 Ogden Pride Fest Ogden, UT
  • 8/2024 Westside Cultural Fest West Valley, UT 
  • 9/2024 Raices Festival Provo, UT

Bomba Workshops organized by Bomba Marile: 

  • 2/2018: Private Workshop with Hector Lugo and Shefali Shah in Oakland, CA 
  • 3/2018: Private workshop with Ivelisse Diaz, Chicago, IL 
  • 5/2018:  Private Workshop with Hector Lugo and Shefali Shah in Oakland, CA 
  • 10/2018: Private workshop with Hector Lugo and Shefali Shah in Draper, UT
  • 10/2018: Private workshop with Denise Solis and Julia Cepeda in Oakland, CA 
  • 1/2019: Private workshop with Ivelisse Diaz in Draper, UT 
  • 5/2019 Private class with Alberto Pagan Ramirez from the Instituto Puertoriqueño de Musica in Philadelphia, PA
  • 8/2019: Private team workshop with Julia Gutierrez and Mateo Gonzalez in Draper, UT 
  • 10/2019 Private team workshop with Marien Torres in Draper, UT 
  • 12/2019: Private Workshop with Hector Lugo and Shefali Shah from Bay Area Bomba y Plena Workshop Oakland, CA
  • 8/2021 Bomba Workshop at University of Utah 
  • 10/2021-11/2021 Weekly after school program at Dream Academy for elementary students 
  • 7/2022 Workshops with Rafael Maya in SLC, UT 
  • 10/2022 Workshops with Beto Torrens in SLC, UT
  • 11/2022 Workshops with Nicky Laboy in SLC 
  • 2/2023 Healing Through Music and Dance Workshops and discussion with Ivelisse Diaz and Piro Lopez SLC, UT – at the Sorenson Unity Center,
  • 3/2023 Speaking Through the Drum Workshops and discussions with Rafael Maya SLC, UT
  • 4/2023 Self Defense Hidden in dance Workshops and discussion with Carlos Padilla and Melissa Santos SLC, UT
  • 6/2023: Community Bombazo at the Jordan River Nature Center West Valley, UT 
  • 7/2023 Colorism in the Latinx Community Workshops and discussion with Manuel Carmona and Jeanitza Aviles SLC, UT 
  • 8/2023: Community Bombazo at the South Salt Lake Community Center, SLC, UT
  • 11/2023 Caretakers of our Musical Traditions Workshops and discussion with Nuno Calderon and Junito Febres SLC, UT
  • 4/2024 Storytelling Through Song Workshops and discussion with Marcos Peñaloza Pica SLC, UT 
  • 8/2024 Pintando Figuras with Marcos Peñaloza Pica and Nuno Calderon Pou SLC, UT 

Bomba Workshops we Attended: 

  • 9/2018 Workshop with Julia Gutierrez organized by  Bay Area Bomba y Plena Workshop in Bay Area, CA 
  • 4/2019 Workshop with Victor Vélez y Marien Torres, organized by Bomba con Buya, Chicago IL 
  • 6/2019 Private class and Bombazo with Beto Torrens, organized by Grupo Bombazo en Tempe, UT 
  • 8/2019 Group Class and Bombazo with Jade Power Sotomayor (Bomba Liberte) and Hector Luis Rivera Ortiz (Taller Bula)
  • 8/2021 La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón in Chicago, IL 
  • 4/2022 Kokobale in San Diego, CA 
  • 8/2022 Paseo con la Escuelita Puerto Rico 
  • 9/2022 Taller Kenuati Chicago, IL 
  • 11/2022 Alma Moyo workshops in San Francisco, CA 
  • 11/2023 Tato Torrens in Orlando, FL 
  • 2/2023 Norka Nadal in San Francisco, CA 

Bomba Conferences and Festivals: 

  • 8/2019 Bomba Research Conference by PROPA in PR 
  • 11/2019 Festival de Bomba y Plena en Tampa 
  • 9/2021 Bomba Research Conference in Puerto Rico 
  • 3/2022 Encuentro de Tambores San Juan, PR 
  • 8/2022 Paseo con la Escuelita Bombera de Corazón San Juan, PR 
  • 3/2023 Encuentro de Tambores San Juan, PR 
  • 9/2023 Bomba Research Conference by PROPA in PR 

Interviews:

  • 10/2018: KRCL Interview on upcoming Batey de Bomba 
  • 5/2019: KRCL interview on Bambula: Remembering the Kongo connection to Puerto Rico 
  • 9/2019: Caribbean Nightingale Blog on What Bomba Means to Us 
  • 1/2020: KRCL on Puerto Rico earthquake relief efforts 
  • 2/2021 Telemundo Utah on Afro-Latinidad 
  • 2/2021 Living Legacy Video by SLC Arts Council 
  • 2/2021 Interview for documentary “Life through Dance” 
  • 3/2021 Living Legacy Video 
  • 5/2022 ABC4 News about Living Traditions 
  • 7/2022 Slug Magazine about Craft Lake City
  • 8/2022 KSL about our Community Bombazos
  • 9/2022 ABC4 News about Hurricane Irma effects on Puerto Rico 
  • 9/2022 ABC4 News about Afro Utah Festival 
  • 9/2022 KSL about Hurricane Irma effects on  PR 
  • 9/2022 Fox Channel 13 News about Hurricane Irma effects on PR 
  • 9/2022 Telemundo for Hispanic Heritage Month 
  • 11/2022 Radio interview live on Puerto Rican radio Cuato sin Fronteras 
  • 11/2022 Virtual Magazine interview for Sheila Osorio in Puerto Rico 
  • 2/2023 Univision Miami through zoom 
  • 3/2023 KRCL on Speaking through the drum 
  • 4/2023 KRCL on Kokobale
  • 9/2023 Bold Journey Magazine
  • 11/2023 KRCL on Caretakers of our Musical Traditions 

Other Social Events organized by Bomba Marilé

  • 12/2017 Dominos con Cafe
  • 1/2018 Dominos con Cafe
  • 2/2018 Conocernos con Comida Caribeña 
  • 2/2019 Lets Play Dominos 
  • 3/2019 Documentary showing “Nuestra Herencia Africana”
  • 4/2019 Lets Play Dominos
  • 6/2019 Documentary showing “The Last Colony”
  • 7/2019 Documentary showing “We are Still Here, The Taino Lives”
  • 7/2019 Noche de Comida Caribeña 
  • 8/2019 Pa’ La Playa- Beach day at Jordanelle State Park 
  • 8/2019 Documentary Showing: “My Puerto Rico: The True History”
  • 9/2019 Documentary Showing “Migration- the Puerto Rican Experience” 
  • 9/2019 Ancestry Board 
  • 12/2019 Dominó y Briscas 
  • 12/2019 Documentary Showing “Érase Una Vez en Puerto Rico” 
  • 1/2020 Plena pa los Reyes at Papito Moe’s 
  • 2/2020 Dominoes and Brisca 

PR Relief efforts by Bomba Marile

  • 1/2020 Collection drive for donations at Monsieur Crepes
  • 1/2020 Bingo pa Borinquen fundraiser

This is Bomba Marilé

A bit of our story.

It is easy to miss the warmth of latin culture in a place that is so far from everything, like Utah. It was the need to connect with other Puerto Ricans and latinxs who are passionate about Puerto Rican folklore, that united what are now the Bomba Marilé group members.

After a bomba workshop offered in Utah on November 2017 by Héctor Lugo and Shefali Shah, instructors of “Bay Area Bomba y Plena Workshop”, we started meeting weekly so that we could study bomba musicality and dance. With a lot of patience and optimism, we continue to study so that we can represent Afro-Puerto Rican culture with the respect it deserves.

It is said that “marilé” is a combination of the words ‘mar’, which means ‘sea’ in Spanish, and the word ‘ile’, which means ‘home’ in Yoruba. The name makes us think of the place we love so much, Borinquen: the birthplace of bomba, and the cause of our union.