Bullerengue: Sorgenvoll und mächtig, Bullerengues Stimmen des Widerstands

In the organizer's words:

Bullerengue: Troubled and powerful, Bullerengue's voices of resistance

Darlina Sáenz

Music and dance workshop

In April 2026, HKW welcomes the renowned cantadora Darlina Sáenz. In a workshop format for which no prior knowledge is required, she will share her knowledge of the practice of bullerengue, in which music, dance and community building are closely intertwined. The acquired knowledge is then brought to life in a rueda , the circular open format in which bullerengue unfolds. Darlina Sáenz is widely regarded as one of the most important contemporary voices in this tradition. As a singer and cultural mediator of bullerengue, she is actively involved in its preservation and transmission through community initiatives and cultural projects.

As a physical practice, her workshop at HKW offers an immersive experience of bullerengue. Based on the oral tradition, the session focuses on learning through listening, repetition and shared participation, enabling a direct engagement with the dynamics of this practice as it unfolds in music, dance and community.

As the daughter of revered bullerengue singer and composer Eloisa Garcés, Sáenz embodies the continuity of a musical lineage of ancestors that spans centuries. Growing up in Necoclí, Antioquia, she learned bullerengue while spending time with the older women in her community, her mother being the main teacher. After her mother's death, she took on the role of lead singer in the group Palmeras de Urabá, taking on the responsibility of carrying on her mother's repertoire and voice. Today, she and her sister Arlenis Garcés are the main voices of the group Cantares de Eloa and continue to honor and preserve their mother's legacy.

The workshop will be co-led with percussionist and educator Valeria Pacific, co-director of Bullerengue Circle, a non-profit organization that has been instrumental in growing a European bullerengue community and raising international awareness of this ancient tradition.

The event series is part of the ongoing Politics of Rhythm program, which promotes dance and music practices - such as bullerengue - to nurture and preserve community knowledge.

In this environment and in any association with HKW, there is no space or tolerance for hate speech or hate action of any kind. HKW welcomes all who wish to participate in the emancipatory practice of bullerengue, especially those practicing anti-racist, intersectional, feminist and queer activism. All are welcome to join in clapping, singing, dancing or playing (feel free to bring your own drum or maracas)!

With:
Valeria Pacific, Darlina Sáenz

The workshop is part of the Bullerengue series

Location:
Haunani-Kay Trask Hall

Languages:
In Spanish and English (German language assistance possible)

Advance notice:

Next bullerengue workshop: Sunday, October 4, 2026, 15:00-19:00