Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lydia Robinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Lydia, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Some call it a risk but I like to call it a leap of faith. I operated my nonprofit performing arts program in a local recreation center for 8 years. When the pandemic began in 2020, schools and out of school programs all ceased in-person learning and transitioned to virtual classrooms. Many businesses were forced to shut down. This was a very uncertain time for everyone around the world. However, the pandemic forced many of us to pivot our daily operations. As a Founder/ Director of a performing arts organization, I knew how important the arts serves as an outlet and so it was important to continue to provide our programs especially for our youth. During this time, many youth began to deal with isolation, depression and other forms of mental distress. Our programs continued to offer dance and theater classes online for children and youth to access for their after school recreation. Many children were very grateful to still be able to access a fun and creative outlet where they could also continue to be social with their peers. Though this time was very rough, I saw an opportunity to be able to acquire our own facility. This was a risk in knowing that we were still faced with a pandemic, however; I saw a need and kept faith that things would change. In September 2020, we moved into our new facility but faced challenges with on and off mandatory shutdowns due to the outspread of covid. We made many changes to provide online programming and hybrid programming once allowed to do so from our city government. As of today, our programs are successfully growing and I often wonder if I had never taken the step or made the “risk” our children would not have had this outlet in the community and we would have never experienced the outcomes of the many success stories and impact of our organization.

Lydia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Lydia Robinson and I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. My passion for the arts began at a very young age. I participated in my first dance program at Ivy Leaf Middle School under the direction of Mrs. Cheryl Jenkins as well as various drama related programs presented through the school. I graduated from Indiana University of PA as a Business Management major and dance minor in 2008 and graduated from Excelsior College with a MBA in 2014. I became a praise dance instructor for three years at Point Flex Dance studio, directed by Ms. Yvette Solomon-James and formed a Praise Dance Ministry at Bethel Deliverance Church, Northeast in 2014. Before being given the opportunity to teach dance, I desired to start my own performance arts center to give back to children in the community by using my gifts and talents . I then founded a non profit performing arts organization for youth known as Scene-N-Action Production Company Incorporated (SNAP Co.) in 2012.

Our mission is to use the performing arts as a tool to cultivate talent, creativity, and self-enrichment; and provide an inclusive community or youth both in-house and through outreach. We are a unique and loving community arts organization designed to expose and empower youth in and around the city of Philadelphia to the creative and performing arts. Our company program encompasses arts education through basic to advanced dance training in ballet, jazz, contemporary/modern, tap, and hip-hop for ages 3-17. In addition, we provide Improvisational acting and theatrical training through our creative theater department. We provide arts outreach programs to underserved and at-risk youth as well as summer creative arts programs. With the decrease in arts programs within our school district, one thing that I am proud of is that our organization gets to serve as a solution to this problem while also transforming young lives and communities through the arts. We serve as safe haven for our youth and we are rewarded by not only their artistic growth but their increase in self confidence and being a part of shaping them into being notable citizens.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a teaching artist is being able to share my artistic knowledge with my dance students and in return, learn from them as well. I enjoy seeing the growth in their dance and theater training as well as their personal growth.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

As a non profit Founder, there can be many obstacles, especially when it comes to secure funding and constant fundraising. However, its crucial part to sustaining programming. It is important to build a team and instill the mission so that team players are aware of the seriousness of securing and maintaining funding. Resilience plays a big part when receiving so many “no’s”. It’s a continuous push to keep going even when it gets hard and frustrating at times.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.snapcompany.org/index.html
• Instagram: @snapcompany_inc
• Facebook: Scene-N-Action Productions Company
• Linkedin: Scene-N-Action Productions Company

Image Credits
Michael Gray of Grayfoto Photography