Fiesta Navideña 2026
Join our Academia Bembé students and special musical guests for our annual Fiesta Navideña! Delicious holiday dinner, amazing performances of live music and dance, and the love and holiday cheer of our beautiful community. All proceeds support year round Academia Bembé programs, including our community dinners, scholarships, travel opportunities, special artists in residence, and continuing to improve our Casa Bembé.
Due to limited capacity, only ticketed attendees will be permitted to attend, including standing room. Don't wait until we are sold out! Buy your tickets today!
Bembé Bombazo @ Zócalo
Join us for a community Bombazo at Zócalo Food Park! Play, sing, dance and experience the tradition of Afro-Puerto Rican in community with Bembé.
FREE and open to the public
Bembé Bombazo @ Walkers Square Farmers Market
Join us for a community Bombazo at Walkers Square Farmers Market! Play, sing, dance and experience the tradition of Afro-Puerto Rican in community with Bembé.
FREE and open to the public
¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic (Closing)
Get ready to travel on a mystical, musical journey through the Afro-Latino Diaspora. From West Africa to the Americas, the celebration, resistance and medicine of the drum will carry you through time and space, and the power of centuries of tradition will beckon you.
Connected by the waters of the Atlantic, the land, Doña Tierra, shares her secrets, pains, and joyful awakenings through ancestral rhythm, movement and song. Presented by an international, intergenerational cast, all will be transformed by ¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic. Bring your clapping hands and singing voices to this immersive celebration of comunidad – community!
Recommended for ages 6+
¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic (Matinee)
Get ready to travel on a mystical, musical journey through the Afro-Latino Diaspora. From West Africa to the Americas, the celebration, resistance and medicine of the drum will carry you through time and space, and the power of centuries of tradition will beckon you.
Connected by the waters of the Atlantic, the land, Doña Tierra, shares her secrets, pains, and joyful awakenings through ancestral rhythm, movement and song. Presented by an international, intergenerational cast, all will be transformed by ¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic. Bring your clapping hands and singing voices to this immersive celebration of comunidad – community!
Recommended for ages 6+
¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic
Get ready to travel on a mystical, musical journey through the Afro-Latino Diaspora. From West Africa to the Americas, the celebration, resistance and medicine of the drum will carry you through time and space, and the power of centuries of tradition will beckon you.
Connected by the waters of the Atlantic, the land, Doña Tierra, shares her secrets, pains, and joyful awakenings through ancestral rhythm, movement and song. Presented by an international, intergenerational cast, all will be transformed by ¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic. Bring your clapping hands and singing voices to this immersive celebration of comunidad – community!
Recommended for Ages 6+
Bembé Bombazo @ Casa Bembé
Join us for a community Bombazo at Bembé Drum & Dance! Play, sing, dance and experience the tradition of Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba con Bembé! ¡Música, baile, comida y comunidad, como siempre! ¡GRATIS! / FREE!
Suggested donation: $5.00
Con el apoyo de: Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Arts Board
Latino Carnaval Celebration
Join us for our Latino Carnaval Celebration, celebrating the Carnaval traditions of Colombia and Brazil with live performances by our Academia Bembé youth. Live batucada, samba dance, botanas, community, and more! Ticket required due to limited capacity.
Community Workshop: Afro-Colombian Currulao w/Special Guest Andy Miller!
Join us for a community drum workshop on Afro-Colombian Currulao with special guest, Andy Miller!
Bembé Bombazo @ Casa Bembé
Join us for a community Bombazo at Bembé Drum & Dance! Play, sing, dance and experience the tradition of Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba con Bembé! ¡Música, baile, comida y comunidad, como siempre! ¡GRATIS! / FREE!
Suggested donation: $5.00
Con el apoyo de: Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Arts Board
¡Fiesta Navideña! Holiday Celebration
Join us for annual holiday celebration at la Casa Cultural de Bembé! Special performances by our Academia Bembé students. Refreshments provided. ¡Música, baile, comida y comunidad, como siempre!
GET TICKETS ($5.00 per person)
Con el apoyo de: Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Arts Board
Community Workshop - Bomba de Loiza with Special Guest Marcos Penaloza Pica!
Join us for a community workshop on Bomba song and dance de Loiza with special guest Marcos Penaloza Pica, straight from Loiza, Puerto Rico!
Bomba Song & History Workshop with Special Guest Marcos Penaloza Pica!
Join us for a community workshop on Bomba songs and history de Loiza with special guest Marcos Penaloza Pica, straight from Loiza, Puerto Rico!
Tejiendo Tradiciones
NEW DATE! Celebrate the weaving of Afro-Latino cultural traditions, Bomba Puertorriqueña y Son Jarocho Veracruzano, Tejiendo Tradiciones con Bembé!
Join us and special guests, Milwaz Talleres and Bembé’s guest Artist-in-Residence, Beto Torrens (San Juan, Puerto Rico) at la Casa Cultural de Bembé on Friday, November 21st, from 6-9pm. ¡Música, baile, comida y comunidad, como siempre! ¡GRATIS! / FREE!
Suggested Donation: $5.00
Con el apoyo de: Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Arts Board
Bembé Bombazo @ Casa Bembé
NEW DATE! Join us for a community Bombazo at Bembé Drum & Dance! Play, sing, dance and experience the tradition of Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba con Bembé! ¡Música, baile, comida y comunidad, como siempre! ¡GRATIS! / FREE!
Suggested donation: $5.00
Con el apoyo de: Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Arts Board
Bembé Bombazo @ Zócalo
Join Bembé for a community Bombazo at Zócalo!
Gather in community, drum, sing, dance, and experience the tradition of Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba con Bembé! FREE, family-friendly event, open to the public.
Thank you to our sponsors: RUTH Arts, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment of the Medical College of WI, and the Wisconsin Arts Board
¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic
Get ready to travel on a mystical, musical journey through the Afro-Latino Diaspora. From West Africa to the Americas, the celebration, resistance and medicine of the drum will carry you through time and space, and the power of centuries of tradition will beckon you.
Connected by the waters of the Atlantic, the land, Doña Tierra, shares her secrets, pains, and joyful awakenings through ancestral rhythm, movement and song. Presented by an international, intergenerational cast, all will be transformed by ¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic Bring your clapping hands and singing voices to this immersive celebration of comunidad – community!
Surrounded by Milwaukee’s own youth cultural artists, ¡Bembé! features an All-Star cast, including Puerto Rico’s Grammy-nominated Beto Torrens, Colombia’s Camilo Rodriguez and Carolina Oliveros, New York City’s Julia Guteirrez-Rivera, Milwaukee’s Karlies Kelley and Ko-Thi African Dance Company, and Brazil’s Marcus Santos and Pablo Guerreiro, among many more, and starring Rána Ramos as Doña Tierra.
Made Possible with the Support of Ruth Foundation for the Arts, United Performing Arts Fund, and the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment.
¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic
*This 2:30pm performance will be followed by a brief Q&A with the cast
Get ready to travel on a mystical, musical journey through the Afro-Latino Diaspora. From West Africa to the Americas, the celebration, resistance and medicine of the drum will carry you through time and space, and the power of centuries of tradition will beckon you.
Connected by the waters of the Atlantic, the land, Doña Tierra, shares her secrets, pains, and joyful awakenings through ancestral rhythm, movement and song. Presented by an international, intergenerational cast, all will be transformed by ¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic Bring your clapping hands and singing voices to this immersive celebration of comunidad – community!
Surrounded by Milwaukee’s own youth cultural artists, ¡Bembé! features an All-Star cast, including Puerto Rico’s Grammy-nominated Beto Torrens, Colombia’s Camilo Rodriguez and Carolina Oliveros, New York City’s Julia Guteirrez-Rivera, Milwaukee’s Karlies Kelley and Ko-Thi African Dance Company, and Brazil’s Marcus Santos and Pablo Guerreiro, among many more, and starring Rána Ramos as Doña Tierra.
Made Possible with the Support of Ruth Foundation for the Arts, United Performing Arts Fund, and the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment.
¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic
Get ready to travel on a mystical, musical journey through the Afro-Latino Diaspora. From West Africa to the Americas, the celebration, resistance and medicine of the drum will carry you through time and space, and the power of centuries of tradition will beckon you.
Connected by the waters of the Atlantic, the land, Doña Tierra, shares her secrets, pains, and joyful awakenings through ancestral rhythm, movement and song. Presented by an international, intergenerational cast, all will be transformed by ¡Bembé! Journey the Atlantic Bring your clapping hands and singing voices to this immersive celebration of comunidad – community!
Surrounded by Milwaukee’s own youth cultural artists, ¡Bembé! features an All-Star cast, including Puerto Rico’s Grammy-nominated Beto Torrens, Colombia’s Camilo Rodriguez and Carolina Oliveros, New York City’s Julia Guteirrez-Rivera, Milwaukee’s Karlies Kelley and Ko-Thi African Dance Company, and Brazil’s Marcus Santos and Pablo Guerreiro, among many more, and starring Rána Ramos as Doña Tierra.
Made Possible with the Support of Ruth Foundation for the Arts, United Performing Arts Fund, and the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment.
Bembé Bombazo @ Zócalo
Join Bembé Drum & Dance for a community Bombazo at Zócalo this summer! Gather in community, drum, sing, dance, and experience the tradition of Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba con Bembé! FREE, family-friendly event, open to the public.
Thank you to our sponsors: RUTH Arts, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment of the Medical College of WI, and the Wisconsin Arts Board
Colectivo Altepee Workshop - Taller de Jarana & Zapateado
In this workshop, Sael Blanco Pulido, will guide participants through the basics of jarana (8 string guitar) - the most popular instrument in the fandango tradition. Due to the high number of jaranas in a fandango, people who play Son Jarocho are often referred as jaraneros. In this workshop, participants will learn to play a traditional song and how to sing a traditional verse.
Since this is a combo workshop with zapateado, Participants will also learn the basics of zapateado with Gemaly Padua Uscanga. Zapateado is a percussive dance that is done on the tarima (wooden platform) and accompanies traditional songs during a fandango.
Sael Blanco Pulido del Colectivo Altepee impartirá el taller de jarana. La jarana (guitarra de 8 cuerdas) es el instrumento más popular dentro de la tradición del fandango. Por ser tan numeroso en el fandango, a las personas que tocan esta música, muchas veces se les refiere como jaranerxs. En este taller los participantes aprenderán los básicos de la jarana aprendiendo a tocar un son tradicional. También se aprenderá a cantar un verso para acompañar. Este taller es para todos los niveles.
El taller de zapateado, sera impartido por Gemaly Padua Uscanga. El zapateado es un baile percutivo que se ejecuta sobre la tarima y siempre acompaña los sones. Los participantes aprenderan a zapatear ritmos percutivos para acompañar el son que se aprende durante el taller de jarana.
Opcional: Traer zapatos con suela dura - pero no son necesarios.
Colectivo Altepee Workshop - Taller de Guiro
In this workshop, Luis Angel Juarez, AKA Pipo, will guide participants through the basics of the gourd güiro and teach various rhythms to accompany traditional fandango songs.
Luis Angel Juarez ,"Pipo", del Colectivo Altepee impartirá el taller de percusión con el güiro. En este taller los participantes aprenderán varios rítmos percutivos para acompañar sones tradicionales en el fandango. No se requiere experiencia.
Colectivo Altepee Workshop - Taller de Versada
In this workshop, Angel Escudero will teach participants how to write their own traditional Son Jarocho verses. Optional: Please bring a pen and notebook.
Angel Escudero Mendoza del Colectivo Altepee, impartirá un taller de versada donde los participantes aprenderán a escribir sus propios versos de acuerdo a la tradición del son. Opcional: Traer un cuaderno y pluma
Colectivo Altepee Workshop - Taller de Leona
In this workshop, Gemaly Padua Uscanga will guide participants through the basics of the leona, (aka guitarra grande, vozarrona, bombona) which is the large stringed instrument that creates the bass sounds in the fandango. Limited instruments will be available.
Gemaly Padua Uscanga del Colectivo Altepee impartirá el taller de leona también conocida como guitarra grande, vozarrona o bombona. En este taller los participantes aprenderán los básicos de este instrumento con voz grande cuyo papel es dar un sonido de bajo en el fandango. No se requiere experiencia. Tenemos un número limitado de leonas.