Waleska Santiago, President Waleska Santiago  was a consultant for the Explorations in Puerto Rican Culture Program, run by the Massachussetts Cultural Council and the Springfield School Department. Over the last 14 year, she has pursued her interest in Latin American Art by visiting museums and galleries internationally  including Spain, England, Argentina, Mexico, Peru , and France. She has a BA in Art History from Mount Holyoke College and persue her Master Degree in Harvard University. Waleska Santiago had been selected as a Latino Museum Studies Student at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonia Institute, Washington DC. as a Fellow. Her trajectory of research project has been: Women Artist in the Spanish-Speaking Caribbean , and included listings of women artist from Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, born before 1900,  Nuestras Abuelas ,  and  Madama: Women, Madonnas, and Mothers among others....

Los Boricuas en su Festival de Rhode Island 2010 by Lydia Perez Yoruba II (videos) 0:37 Agosto 14, 2010: Los Boricuas se dieron cita en el Parque Roger Williams para celebrar el Desfile y luego el festival. Aquí Un botonazo de los BORI...en Rhode Island....

Christmas of Gaddier Fine Arts Studio was a gift for all of us. It's an extraordinary collaboration among artists from Springfield, Holyoke, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. El compartir Navideño de Gaddier Estudio en Finas Artes fue un regalo para todos nosotros. Fue una extraordinaria colaboración entre artistas de Springfield, Holyoke, Rhode Island y Connecticut. Holyoke, MA: Nos congregamos para poder tener un compartir navideño con Bomba Puertorriqueña, Música Jibara, Villancicos y parranda en el estudio de Gaddier Rosario. Fuimos convocado por Gaddy, asi le llamo yo y allí fuimos a parar. Comenzó la navidad y es tiempo de confraternizar y dar gracias al todopoderoso por un año mas de vida y aún mas, vida compartidas con seres extraordinarios. Entre hermanos, familiares, artistas y hermosas pinturas pasamos una noche divina donde todos colaboramos para ser posible unos de los sueños de un gran PINTOR, fotógrafo y amigo. Tengo la certeza que esa maravillosa noche haya t...

August 1-31, 2011 The Jasper Rand Art Museum at the Westfield Athenauem Library 6 Elm Street Westfield, Massachusett This exhibition is divided into four independent area: Photographs, Dolls, Painting, and Batiks- from Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cuba, and Brazil.

Nos congregamos para poder tener un compartir navideño con Bomba Puertorriqueña, Música Jibara, Villancicos y parranda en el estudio de Gaddier Rosario. Fuimos convocado por Gaddy, asi le llamo yo y alli fuimos a parar. Comenzo la navidad, es tiempo de concientizar y dar gracias al todopoderoso por un año mas de vida, y mas aún vida compartidas con seres extraordinarios. Entre hermanos, familiares, artistas y hermosas pinturas pasamos una noche divina donde trabajamos para ser posible unos de los sueños de un gran PINTOR Y AMIGO. La Bomba me tocó a mi y aqui esta un poquito de lo colectado. Cuando Gaddier venga con todo el montaje será para la historia. Gracias Gaddy por invitarme hacer parte de tu equipo. Mi agradecimiento a los músicos Rene González(Repicador, Heshima Moja (Buleador), Ahmed González (Cua) y Lorena Garay (Maraca), todos ellos artistas de renombre Nacional e internacional que me acompañaron e improvisaron conmigo este regalito navideño, mas bien esta negricia Bori...

This video shows the end of Rumors of a New Day, amazing YOUTH THEATER, written and directed by: Magdalena Gomez. Ms. Gomez is a National Endowment for the Arts Master Artist, by Pregones Theater of NYC, and Co-Founder of Teatro Vida. Teatro Vida received the prestigious Arts/Learning 2010 Outstanding arts collaborative on the Field of theater award. More about her: WWW.latinapoet.net. or WWW.Teatrovida.com Artists on stage: Bomba Dancers: Lydia Perez, an international artist from RI, Brendaliz Cepeda, daughter of Roberto Cepeda of the international Cepeda Family from PR., international Senagal dancer and musician: Afdul and Wally. A well knows and international musician from New England and NYC: Ahmed Gonzalez, Rene Gonzalez, Jesus Pagan, Victor "Papo" Sterling Duprey , Taylor Ho Bynum, Heshima Moja and Rey Natar. The artists on stage and screen come to us from: Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee, Northampton, Amherst, Hartford, New Haven, Rhode Island, South Norwalk and NYC...

Providence, Rhode Island: Los Puertorriqueños de Rhode Island se deben de sentir feliz, ya que el Comite de la Parada y Festival Puertorriqueño, efectuado el pasado Domingo 14 y el 1er dia nacional Puertorriqueño, celebrado ayer Sabado 21 de agosto 2010, fueron un éxito. Dos Actividades de dos domingos consecutivo y muy amena y familiar. Ambas llenaron las expectativas. MUCHOS BORICUA se congregan. FELICIDADES A Vivian del "Puerto Rican Parade" y Festival y Brenda Burgos del 1er dia Nacional Puertorriqueño. Ambas organizaciones hicieron tremenda labor y se vio la Puertorriqueñidad que existe en este Estado. Ahora a esperar por nuestro Parrandón en navidad. ESE SI QUE NO ME LO PIERDO. QUE CONTINUE LA FIESTA...Y QUE VIVA PUERTO RICO...

Vejigantes en la Comparsa del Maja... (videos) 2:30 Music by JUAN BORIA , El Faraón y Declamador del Verso Negro Masks made by Lydia Perez, Click here . The Masks and outfill used by Yoruba 2 in Performing Arts.   Vejigante- Mythical figures from town festivals and folklore in Loiza and Ponce, Puerto Rico. Characterized as bad spirits meant to scare people back into the church, they symbolize the Moors that St. James, patron saint of Spain, had fought and vanquished. Masks made from coconut and paper mache come in many bright colors and costumes with bat-like wings further the frightful appearance of the Vejigante. Their name derives from “vejiga” meaning bladder and “jigante” meaning giant due to the custom of blowing up and painting cow bladders which are carried by Vejigantes. Las vestimentas y caretas que utiliza YORUBA 2 para la comparsa del Maja. La coreografía es montada con música en vivo de bomba o plena y es tocada y bailada por los estudiantes o la au...

NATIONAL ARTIST EXPRESSED HERSELF THROUGH HER CULTURE AND HERITAGE  BRINGING THE BEST  OF PUERTO RICO Lydia Perez, Performing Arts Lydia Perez – Born in San Juan, Capital of Puerto Rico, she grew up in the town of “La Central” or “Hoyo Mula de Canóvanas”. She graduated from the Inter-American University, Magna Cum Laude, in June of 1989, with a Bachelor's in Business Administration. Four months later, she and her husband decided to move to Attleboro, Massachusetts. A year later, her husband bought a house in Warwick, Rhode Island. She has been living in Rhode Island for 21 years.  Lydia is a highly accomplished and dynamic performer. She presents traditional music, workshops and productions from Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. In 1994, she and her husband founded Puertorriqueños Unidos, Inc., a non profit organization. In 2004, Puertorriqueños Unidos, Inc. changed it's name to the Puerto Rican Institute for Arts and Advocacy, or PRIAA, and became an outsta...