Artist-in-Residence: Plena Dance Workshop

The Morrill Memorial Library, in partnership with First Congregational Church in Norwood, are thrilled to bring our 2026 Artist-in-Residence to the Norwood community. Join Jorge Santiago Arce for a unique exploration and celebration of Puerto Rican and Afro-Caribbean music and culture this Spring in three separate events! All events in the series will be hosted in Pingree Hall at the First Congregational Church.

Our third event will be a Plena Dance Workshop on Wednesday, June 17 from 6:30-7:30pm. 

No experience is required for this class made for beginners! Arrive in clothing meant for movement and everything else will be provided. Plena is a traditional Afro-Puerto dance that has been evolving since the beginning of the 20th century. The Plena dance Workshop is a unique opportunity for participants to learn traditional steps of this dance from Puerto Rico in a very friendly and easy fashion. Students will learn to appreciate the connection of this Afro-Puerto Rican dance with contemporary movements like hip-hop. This workshop is recommended for adults and teens.

About the artist: Jorge Arce is a master percussionist, educator, singer, dancer and actor from Puerto Rico, and an icon in the Latin music scenes in Boston and Puerto Rico. He leads the groups Jorge Arce & Humano, Bombazo Boricua and Raíz de Plena, performing his original arrangements of traditional Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena music and dance. His one-person show, the Afro-Caribbean Workshop, has been presented throughout the US and Puerto Rico since 1987 in theaters, libraries, schools and community events. In addition to numerous awards for excellence, cultural recognition, and lifetime achievement, Jorge also holds a Masters in Education from Harvard University.

Registration is required for this and all events in our Artist-in-Residence series. To sign up for the Bomba Dance Workshop, please follow the link to the library's online events calendar, norwoodlibrary.org, or call the Reference Desk at 781-769-0200 x2.

Ample parking is available at the First Congregational Church; an accessible entrance with a ramp is available from the back parking lot. Participants parking at the library will need to cross Winter St to reach the First Congregational Church.

This program is funded in part by a grant from the Norwood Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, and the Town of Norwood. Additional funding is being provided by the Library Endowment Fund.