History The Folkloric Ballet Son Borincano, was created at the Performing Art School in the county of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. It was founded in October 2005 with the purpose of exalting and prevail the cultural heritage of our country. Son Borincano establish in each part the cultural diversity that identifies us as a country through the folk music and dance. It presents the musical blend inherited from Spain, the strength from the black African and the humility and simplicity from the Puerto Rican peasant. Our group has represented our music and folk dances in national high recognition activities in Puerto Rico such as: El Festival de la Bahía (2008), Danzarte Folklorico (2008)(2011) and the Central American and Caribbean Games (2010).

Danza Danza, a musical form created in Puerto Rico, is one of our "Bailes de Salon" (Ballroom Dances). It flourished in the second part of the 19th century in the salons of elite, agricultural landowners (hacendados) with cultural ties to Spain, and was later adopted by all, merchants and peasants alike. The national anthem of Puerto Rico, "La Borinqueña," is a danza. When Puerto Ricans think of Danza, they remember an elegant dance from days gone by, ladies with fans and ballroom gowns, men in white tie-and-tails. In those golden days, the orchestra would begin by leading dancers in a "paseo," an elegant walk around the ballroom, giving gentlemen the opportunity to show off their lady's grace and beauty. This romantic introduction ended with a salute by the gentlemen and a curtsey from the ladies in reply. In those days, every lady and gentleman learned the language of the fan -- the secret code that helped them attract the attention of the lady or gentleman of their dreams!

Bailes de la Montaña The Bailes de las Montañas was the principal musical expression of the Jíbaro, the humble and hardworking mountain people who worked the coffee plantations and inland farms of Puerto Rico. By the 17th and 18th centuries, joyful celebrations in the form of Jíbaro (country) dances typically followed solemn religious ceremonies. These lively celebrations lasted from early afternoon until long into the night, and always ended with a Seis Chorreao, the fastest of all the Seis rhythms. Seis is considered the backbone of Jíbaro music, and has its roots in the musical forms that came to Puerto Rico from Spain during the time of colonization and settlement in the late 17th century. The cuatro, a stringed instrument unique to Puerto Rico, is the predominant musical instrument heard in the Seis Chorreao.

Bomba Bomba is a musical expression created in Puerto Rico. First developed at the end of the 17th century, Bomba flourished along the coast of Puerto Rico where West Africans and their descendants worked the colonial sugar canes. Through fiery drum rhythms and improvised dance, the cane workers released feelings of anger, resistance, and sadness about their condition. It was at "Bailes de Bombas" (Bomba Dances) where they celebrated baptisms and marriages, and also planned rebellions. For this reason, these celebrations were only permitted on Sundays and Feast Days. Dancers took turns challenging the drums, creating a dialog with their movements that the solo drummer answered. The instruments used to play the bomba music were: 2 or more “Barriles”, (buleador) (subidor o primo) , 1 “cua” which is a little barrel, and the “maraca” which come from the Taino legacy.

Plena Plena was born in the working class barrios of Ponce, Puerto Rico about 100 years ago. It was known as "el periodico cantado" (the sung newspaper) because it contained stories about the history and everyday life of the people. By the later part of the 20th century, Plena primarily existed as part of our folklore. However, in the 1990s Plena was given new life thanks to music groups in Puerto Rico and New York who modernized its sound for a new generation. Whether folklore or modern sound, it's the panderos -- three or more handheld drums of different sizes/pitches (seguidor, segundo, and requinto), and the guiro that together create the explosive rhythm of Plena.