Aguacero literally means a sudden heavy rainstorm usually followed by a refreshing sky clearing and gust of sunshine. The spirit and practice of Bomba, like an aguacero, is intense, healing and promotes life and growth. Through song, music and dance, Aguacero embodies the life, energy, and continuity of water in nature.

Led by its artistic director, Shefali Shah, Aguacero came together in 2006 as a collective of skilled Bay Area dancers, musicians, poets and songwriters practicing, studying, and performing Bomba and other Puerto Rican and Caribbean folkloric traditions. Aguacero carries out its vision to create and share new original works in Bomba and to affirm perspectives and expressions of the genre rooted in the teachings of our masters and ancestors.

Bomba is Puerto Rico’s oldest living music and dance tradition. Bomba originated in the sugar cane plantations of the island over 400 years ago where enslaved people from Africa and the Caribbean were brought to work under harsh conditions. Bomba became a common language, medicine to emotionally escape oppression, and a way to plan escapes from the plantations through song codes.

As a collective, Aguacero performed in numerous other festivals and Universities all over California including the San Jose, Oakland, and Alameda County Puerto Rican Day Festivals, and at UC Berkeley, Sonoma State, Humboldt State University. In 2016, Aguacero was featured at the BomPlenazo in New York City.