Dominican Culture in New York City

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Dominican New York City

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New York has been Dominican since our first immigrant, Juan Rodríguez set up NYC’s first bodega (store) in 1613.

As of 2019, we are New York City’s largest Latin community.

New York’s Little Dominican Republic is in Washington Heights. Dyckman St is a popular Dominican street. We also live in the West Bronx.

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Dominican Dance

Dance some merengue and bachata at Latin Mondays at Taj in the Flatiron District.

Dance some merengue and bachata at Gonzalez y Gonzalez Mexican restaurant and salsa night club in Greenwich Village.

Dance dem bow at La Boom night club in Woodside, Queens.

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NY Dominican Fashion

Hernan Lander

Oscar de la Renta set the standard for American elegance with his Dominican heritage and Spanish training.

FDLA, Fashion Designers of Latin America

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NY Dominican Festivals

National Dominican Day Parade is New York’s big Dominican festival.

Dominican Heritage Month New York, from January 21 to February 27, is one long celebration of La Virgen de la Altagracia, Dominican Independence Day, founding father Juan Pablo Duarte’s birthday, and Dominican Carnival.

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NY Dominican Film

Dominican Film Festival New York screens the best Dominican films of the previous year. It is usually in November.

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NY Dominican Music

Barclays Center urban bachata.

Bronx Music Heritage Center

Harlem Stage Afro-Dominican alternative.

Hostos Center merengue.

United Palace, Washington Heights, is Upper Manhattan’s big theatre.

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NY Dominican Sports

Both the Mets and Yankees have great Dominican baseball players.

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NY Dominican Theatre

ID Studio Theater in Mott Haven, The Bronx, has a Dominican Executive Director, Sandie Luna.

Repertorio Español presents some Dominican theatre.

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Culture of the Dominican Republic

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Dominican culture is a vibrant mix of Indigenous Taíno, Spanish, and African culture. We have been taught to deny it since the dictator Trujillo’s campaign of self-hatred, but Haitian culture is one of the taproots of Dominican culture. We also have Japanese and Lebanese influences. The mix of all these influences is what makes Dominican culture and the Dominican people so beautiful.

Merengue

We like to say that there is much more to the Dominican Republic than merengue, bachata, and beaches. That is true, but the sound of the tambora used in merengue is heard in most Dominican music, including merengue, bachata, son Dominicano, and dem bow.

If you want a Dominican to dance, just put on a merengue. Dominican hips will immediately start swinging in the motion that freaked out the colonizers. Only Dominicans and Haitians move their hips like that. In Caribbean music, food often has double meanings. When it’s good, all that swing makes merengue.

Merengue has a 2/2 rhythm. Since we have two feet, it is one of the simplest Latin dances. Although to dance merengue really well still takes a lot of practice.

Bachata

Bachata is sort of Dominican bolero. Originally called “amargura” (bitterness), it is Dominican country music. Many of the songs are about unrequited or lost love.

We like this video because it reflects where bachata lives, and this couple are beautiful dancers. There’s the colmado (market) which is the center of Dominican life. The family is hanging out drinking beers, while cooking sancocho (stew) on a fogón (open fire). People get up and dance. Some dance great, some not, but it doesn’t matter. This is Dominican family life.

Bachata uses a 4/4 rhythm so it’s easy to dance to many types of music, including rock. When you see the “electric slide” in the Caribbean, it’s actually bachata.

This video is bachata sensual dancing to urban bachata music. Bachata sensual came from Spain. It blends bachata, salsa, and even tango. Hear the sound of the tambora ~ even in urban bachata? Urban bachata came from New York City.

Son Dominicano

Don’t confuse son Dominicano with son Cubano, which became salsa in New York. Forget your salsa moves. They confuse son Dominicano dancers, and they won’t dance with you.

Son Dominicano has a more Antillean feeling (we think it’s a Haitian influence). The dance is all about connection between the couple and the energy is in the feet, just like Argentine tango. In fact, this videographer goes by the name “Son Tango.” As tango dancers, that caught our attention. The showiness seems to be in the man’s feet like in Argentine milonga (a predecessor of tango).

Dem Bow

Dem bow is Dominican reggaeton from Capotillo 42, one of the toughest barrios in Santo Domingo. This video promotes thug life. Sorry, but welcome to Capotillo. Making the hand sign of a gun is “la trenta” (the 30), a symbol of dem bow. We think it may derive from hand signs for 4 and 2 (the 42).

We don’t support drugs or violence, but the music and dance are great. We spent a night in Capotillo 42 at a teteo (street party) and only saw barrio friendship, barrio love, great dancing and style.

One of the interesting things about dem bow is that it has the clave rhythm in it. Most Dominican music doesn’t. The dancing shows influences of many folk dances from Mother Afrika.

“Dirikirikiriki, Dikiri.“