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Home/Move Glossary/Bongo
Instrument

Bongo

Also called: bongos, bongó, bongoes

Definition

The Bongo are these two beautiful smaller drums that are usually mounted on this tripod, and you usually play them together.

Taught in

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From the module notes

What This Module Trains 🎯

The Bongo, its martillo, and the Meta de Changó on the 4 and the 8.

The Instrument 🥁

  • Bongo. The Bongo are these two beautiful smaller drums that are usually mounted on this tripod, and you usually play them together.
  • Marcha. They give the music a marcha, its essence, the groove of the music.
  • Martillo. The rhythm here is gonna be a martillo, and it's gonna be the accents on 8 and on 4.
  • Batá. The 4 and the 8 you're going to hear a lot more with afro music, when you play the orishas, with the Batá, the Batá tambores.
  • Meta de Changó. 5 6 7, open to your diagonal and 8, kick 8, come back 8 1, together, then the other diagonal.
  • Changó. He's the god of thunder, so he grabs the thunder and he throws it to the ground.

How the Drill Runs 🔁

  1. Just the step. 5 6 7 open to your diagonal, close on 8.
  2. With the chest. Close, open, close, open.
  3. With the hand.
  4. Basic, then again.

Technique Cues 💡

  • On 7, go up with the left, open your chest.
  • Breathe.

💡 Drill it: open on 5 6 7, close on 8.

🎯 Community

Practice without judging yourself. Every dancer started exactly where you are. Be patient. This lands in the body over months, not days. Record yourself. You will see things you cannot feel. Post it in the community tab, or on Instagram tagging the page.

Related moves

  • Clave
  • Conga
  • Tumbadora
  • Bass
  • Batá
  • Timbales
  • Cencerro
  • Campana (cowbell)

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Every definition is quoted word for word from the written Summary Notes of the module that teaches the move. Nothing is paraphrased.

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