A Puerto Rican Group Prepares For Their Debut In The New Division Of The Mummer's Parade
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- One of the new groups invited to participate in the Philadelphia division of this year's mummer's parade on New Years day got together to begin rehearsals Sunday.
Members of Los Bomberos De la Calle assembled in the second-floor gathering area of Christ Church on Venango Street in North Philadelphia to coordinate the Puerto Rican bomba and plena music with a group of dancers.
Tony Mendez, director and founder of the group, says they were discovered while taking part in this year's Puerto Rican Day parade festivities.
"One of the mummers people saw us in the parade and saw our traditional costumes and then definitely reached out to us and said hey, you guys definitely need more of those guys there with your music, your dancers and definitely come out to the Mummers and make it happen."
Mendez says the group, now more than 30 strong, will feature drummers and dancers, young and old, who are thrilled to share their island culture and music with Philadelphia and the world.