Venezuela Brings Traditional Dance to World Baseball Classic

Before every World Baseball Classic game, Team Venezuela transforms their dugout into a dance party that represents centuries of cultural tradition.

The players gather in a circle as pitcher Eduard Bazardo pounds on a special drum called el tambor. One by one, teammates jump into the center to show off their moves in tambores, a traditional Afro-Venezuelan style of music and dance that has become the team's rallying cry.

"What you see right there, that's us," Venezuela manager Omar López said. "That's our country. That's winter ball. That's how we enjoy our baseball."

Tambores has deep roots across Venezuela's coastal communities. In beach towns like Ocumare de la Costa, where Bazardo grew up, you'll hear the distinctive drumbeat at gatherings year-round. It's especially popular during "hora loca" or "crazy hour," the moment at parties when the music shifts and everyone joins in the celebration.

Daniel Alvarez, a Venezuelan baseball writer who hired a tambores band for his own wedding, says the tradition runs through every Venezuelan celebration. "At any Venezuelan party, you can have salsa, you can have merengue, you can have reggaeton, but at some point in the night you're going to have tambores," he explained.

For this tournament, the team has been playing music from Tambor Urbano, a popular Venezuelan tambor band. "We enjoy it when we hear that music," said breakout star pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus. "That's something that pumps us up and gets us ready for the game."

Why This Inspires

Watching Venezuela share their culture on a global stage reminds us that sports can be a bridge between traditions and communities. While baseball unites nations in friendly competition, moments like these show us the beautiful diversity each team brings to the field.

The dance isn't just entertainment. It's a connection to home for players far from Venezuela, a teaching moment for fans learning about Afro-Venezuelan traditions, and a joyful reminder that celebration and competition can coexist.

As Venezuela advanced to face Team USA in tonight's championship final, they carried more than baseball skills onto the field—they brought the heartbeat of their culture with them.