LOS PLENEROS DE LA 21 INC

LOS PLENEROS DE LA 21, INC. IS A GROUP OF PUERTO RICAN AND LATINO ARTISTS AND EDUCATORS DEDICATED TO FOSTERING, DEVELOPING AND TEACHING AFRICAN-RELATED PUERTO RICAN FOLK TRADITIONS TROUGH THE TRSENTATION OF CONCERTS , LECTURE-DEMONSTRATIONS, TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY FESTIVALS, RESIDENCIES, CLASSES, WORKSHOPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, LOS PLENEROS HAS BEEN ENTHUSIACTIC ALLY WELCOMED BY A PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY THAT IS SUFFERING FROM A LACK OF EXPOSURE TO ITS OWN FOLK TRADITIONS. LOS PLENEROS HAS RECEIVED GRANT AWARDS FROM THE NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS, THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS AND THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS. LOS PLENEROS PRESENCE IN THE ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL SCENARIO HAS ASSISTED IN THE REVITALIZATION OF PUERTO RICAN FOLK TRADITIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND HAS HELPED TO CREATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF PUERTO RICAN TRADITIONS AMONG OTHERS. AS A RESULT, OUR FOLK TRADITIONS ARE MORE WIDELY ACKNOWLEGED LOCALLY, STATE-WIDE, AND NATION-WIDE. LP21 FY25 Programmatic Results Bomba and Plena for All Initiative: Arts Education This initiative nurtures a deeper understanding and appreciation of Afro-Puerto Rican traditions through interactive workshops and performances. Key programs include: Bomba and Plena Community Workshops (Oct-Jun): Children and adults learned/experienced/performed traditional Bomba and Plena drum/song/dance. YOUTH program - 28 weekly in person Saturday classes, plus an open house, orientation, graduation and holiday parranda, including guest teachers and special communal celebrations. FY25 saw an expanded curriculum by BPCW instructors, guest teaching artist sessions in a newly implemented program within BPCW called Building Bridges, expanded resources in the classroom, and more community-based performance opportunities for the children outside the classroom. Sliding scale $318-$600/child. ADULTS program - 34 weeknight classes given over 6 separate cycles, plus holiday parranda and 2 bombazo-style community celebrations/dance practice. $25/session. FY25 BPCW served a total of 393 direct participants (74 children/319 adults)/ and 246 indirect participants (24 children/222 adults) Bomba and Plena In the House (ITH) and In the School (ITS) (Sep-Jun): Interactive 1-hr performance workshops on B/P and related traditions for NYC school groups and education-based organizations, aimed at children K-12. In the House - discounted rate $600/session for NYC school groups on site workshop at LP21s headquarters in the Julia de Burgos Cultural Center in East Harlem. In the School - subsidized contractual rates traveling to school sites per individual school requests. FY25 ITH and ITS served a total of 2262 total direct participants (school students)/109 indirect participants (teacher/parent audiences). Cultural Legacy Initiative: Place-making/Place-sustaining This initiative fosters cultural place-making/place-keeping, inviting new and familiar audiences to enjoy and engage directly in centuries-old Afro Puerto Rican traditions while fostering community bonds. Key programs include: La Fiesta de Cruz (FdC), presented annually since 1986, took place Saturday, May 13th, at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Center in East Harlem. Attendees sang along as the LP21 troupe performed chanted rosaries to the Cross, paying homage to a 200+ year old tradition inherited from Spain, and celebrated throughout Puerto Rico. Served an estimated 150 direct participants of all ages, from babies to seniors, welcoming newcomers and friendly faces to share in this cherished community-based celebration. La Gran Fiesta Navidea (since 1987) - A beloved annual holiday event celebrating Afro Puerto Rican traditions, combining music, dance, food, and artisanal crafts. Audiences sing and dance, while LP21 performs staple selections from the vast historical repertoire of Bomba and Plena, and original compositions contributing to the vibrancy of these living traditions. Typically held in El Barrio, NYC, in Tano Towers Crystal Ballroom. This event took place 5/17/2025 and served approximately 250 direct participants. El Sancocho Musical (since 2007) - Intergenerational social dance jams that promote the living nature of these Afro Puerto Rican traditions in NYC communities. Typically held in El Barrio or the South Bronx, NYC, in local cafes, restaurants and social hubs, these community performances feature LP21s performing ensemble and guest artists/ensembles of other Afro Caribbean/Afro Diaspora expressions. 4 events took place under this program in FY25: 1) 10/6/2024 - Community performance celebrating the life and legacy of Benny Ayala, at Rincn Criollo in the South Bronx, 2) 5/1/2025 workshop hosting guest artist Boricua y de Mayagez led by Kily Vializ at Julia de Burgos center in East Harlem, 3) followed by a concert hosting guest artist Boricua y de Mayagez 5/2/2025 in the South Bronx at Bronx Brewery, 4) and finally 6/14/2025 a public bombazo in connection with LP21s Bomba and Plena Adult Workshops, held at the Julia de Burgos center in East Harlem. El Sancocho Musical reached approximately 355 individuals between these 4 events. Local and Touring Residency Project (LTRP): Performances/Productions Since 1983, LP21 has showcased community arts practitioners in an ever-expanding variety of settings and locations, providing unparalleled performance opportunities for Bomba and Plena traditional artists. The LTRP brings these underrepresented Afro Puerto Rican music and dance expressions to the fore in intimate family and community settings and on grand stages like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Reaching an estimated 13,245 participants, in FY25 LTRP saw 23 separate events/engagements, including Carnegie Halls Family Day activities in September 2024, a cultural exchange program where LP21 traveled to Costa Rica in November 2024, holiday events celebrating Tres Reyes with collaborating local organizations in January 2025, the NYC Puerto Rican Day parade in June 2025, and many intimate family and community celebrations in and around NYC throughout the program year.