Lydia Pérez

Lydia Perez was a teacher in the Southern New England Apprenticeship Program in 1999-2000 to student Maria Perez Colon, in Puerto Rican bomba dance. Lydia has been an apprentice in the program three times: with mentor Angel Sanchez Ortiz in vejigante making in 2006-2007, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017 with mentor Carlos Santiago Arroyo in santos carving. Lydia is a longtime arts activist and practitioner of Puerto Rican bomba and plena dance and music with her family joining her in the group Youruba2. She has developed the Puerto Rican Institute for Arts and Advocacy, an organization for education, performance, and advocacy for Puerto Rican arts and culture, and gives performances and teachings all over New England.