Tumbao is the rhythms of the conga drum and their effect on our dancing. As with the clave, the tumbao is a key for the dancer to stay on timing with the music.
The repeated pattern played by the bass, often accenting beats 2+ and 4. The pattern is a mixture of influences from the styles of the contradanza and the son.
The repeated pattern played by the tumbadoras (conga drums), also referred to as marcha (march), emphasizing the fourth beat of the measure, as well as beat 4+.