Welcome!

Welcome to Peru Profundo. Peru Profundo is a grassroots non-profit dance company co-founded in Chicago by Carmen A. Mejia and Kathy Sardeña in 2002 when they were awarded an Ethnic Arts Grant from the Illinois Arts Council for Afro-Peruvian dance. Their dances have strong roots in Criollo, Indigenous, African and Andean musical traditions from various regions of Peru. Peru Profundo evolved from a generational family legacy of honoring Peruvian dance, music and folklore. The company is composed of dancers from various nationalities and ethnicities as well as ages who volunteer their time to learn, perform and teach Peruvian dances to the community. Their performances often include poetry, song, and video, in a family-friendly setting.

Our Mission

The mission of Peru Profundo Dance Company is to educate communities in Chicago and nationally about Peruvian dance and folklore through performances and dance workshops for people of all backgrounds and abilities. Our performances & workshops are culturally educational with the goal of fostering understanding and collaboration between people of all ethnicities and traditions.

Our Work

We have been given certificates of appreciation from the Peruvian Consulate of Chicago and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. We were also honorably invited to join Unesco's Council on International Dance in 2004. Peru Profundo has performed at a variety of venues around Chicago such as St. Ignatius Church/Hermandad del Sr. de los Milagros in Chicago, Daniel Boone School, Our Lady of Fatima Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Albany Park Community Center, Columbia College Chicago, The Old Town School of Folk Music, UIC Latino Cultural Center, Daley Plaza, Grant Park, The Palmer House, the Catholic Theological Union (CTU), Navy Pier, Pan-African Festival at the University of Chicago, Custer's Last Stand Festival in Evanston and a few of our members were extras in a Columbia College Chicago thesis film entitled Sin Banderas, Sin Fronteras directed by peruvian Julio Ramos in 2005. We were also honored to perform at the 2006 Smithsonian Folklife Festival as part of the exhibition entitled "Nuestra Musica: Latino Music in Chicago" at the National Mall in Washington D.C.! We continue to be invited to various events in Chicago and nationally.

Our reviews

"...feeback we received from attendees were extremely positive and they felt that your performance enhanced the whole expo experience for them immensely."
- BXI regarding the NBC5 Travel Expo 11/2008

"The families (and staff) really enjoyed the dances."
- Cathy at The Edgewater Public Library 7/2008

"Your performance was remarkable and you have all inspired the youth in our programs to dance."
- Justin at The Jane Addams Hull House 5/2008

"It was a wonderful event, you and your group were great to work with, and we will definitely want to have you back next fall."
- Skokie Public Library 10/2007

Requests

Store/Donations

Peru Profundo store

You can also make donations to our organization below. If you enjoy our shows and would like to see even more, please click below! With more funding we can give you bigger shows, beautiful costumes and more inspiring dances from Peru!

Show Schedule

Our upcoming event:

Archdiosis Pastoral Leadership Institute of Chicago
Place: Hyatt Regency O'Hare
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2009
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: 9300 Bryn Mawr Ave., Rosemont, IL
Price: Private Event

20th Anniversary - Summerfest
Place: Schiller Park Forest Preserve
Date: Sunday, July 12, 2009
Time: 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Location: 9Schiller Park Forest Preserve, Schiller Park, IL
Price: Free

Calling all dancers!

News Flash!