bomba

American  

[bahm-buh, bohm-buh] / ˈbɑm bə, ˈboʊm bə /

noun

plural

bombas

1. a Puerto Rican dance with African influences: also a style of drumming or singing that accompanies such a dance, or the drum itself.

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Example Sentences

But, Melendez-Badillo says, he's also a colonial subject -- a reality explored on "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos," which features an ingenious melange of traditional sounds including salsa, bomba and plena, with infusions of reggaeton.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

His sixth album is a jubilant love letter to the music of his homeland, mixing traditional genres like plena, salsa and bomba with the hip-swaying pulse of reggaeton.

From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025

The Latin Grammys, like their Anglo counterpart, often prize tradition over artistic daring; “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” pays homage to the past by incorporating classic Puerto Rican styles like bomba, plena and salsa.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

Joseph notes that many schools are at risk of closure due to the island’s ongoing economic crisis, and those that remain open seldom teach the traditional musicology of bomba, plena, danza, mazurca.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 17, 2025

Popular items were the boxes on the floor filled with Spanish LPs from past decades, old mambo and salsa records, plena, bomba, Latin hits our parents would dance to.

From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez