ADDIE RODRIGUEZ

        
  A young Addie and Family.    Addie in Bomba & Plena attire.

I was raised in an environment filled with music and dance. I learned the beauty of natural movement from my Mom, Milagros LaSalle, in which I had the pleasure of observing when she listened to music. She commenced somehow to move all of her body parts, shaking and rattling. She was and remains to be a natural dancer.

My grandmother, Tomasa LaSalle, introduced me to Plena. Plena is an improvisational way of talking gossip or current events. During the early 1900's, it was forbidden to talk in public about living conditions and occurrences in the environment. Pleneros would get together with empty boxes to pound on with forks and graters, which was a substitute for the guiros. In fact anything they could use rhythmically. Discretely, news traveled fast.

I definitely carry the traditions of my mothers natural movement and the everlasting appreciation to my loving grandmother for the wonderful introduction to Plena.

For the Hispanic Career Woman Celebration I had the honor of performing Plena with "Los Pleneros de la 21" Keeping the Tradition and culture alive.