A Peruvian woman in colourful traditional dress dancing in the Great Court with a smile as she holds up the front of her skirt with her hands.

Andean and Afro-Peruvian Rhythms and Heritage

Festivals & special events / Performance / 12 October 2024

7+

12 October 2024

11.00–16.00

Various locations

Great Court, Stevenson Lecture Theatre and Room 24

Free

7+

Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

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Celebrate Andean and Afro-Peruvian heritage with a day of special cultural performances, stories and talks on a day marked in Latin America as Indigenous Peoples' Resistance Day, or Día de la Resistencia Indígena.

Join us in the Great Court for special performances by London-based Latin American group, Baila Peru, storytelling for children in the morning and talks by British Museum. Joining us is Peruvian artist Nereida Apaza Mamani, who will share her work and then join Baila Peru for a one-of-a-kind collaborative cultural performance.

This programme has been developed by the British Museum's Community Partnerships team in close collaboration with Baila Peru and The Santo Domingo Centre for Excellence for Latin American Research. 

To attend this event

  • This event is free to drop into at any time between 11.00 and 16.00. Activities are non-ticketed but places are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • You're advised to book a free timed ticket for Museum entry and to receive key information and updates before your visit and priority entry during busy periods. The Main entrance is on Great Russell Street. Your timed ticket also allows you to explore the permanent collection. See the Visit page for more information.
  • Please allow time to go through a security check, which includes a bag check upon entry to the Museum. 
  • Please note there will be limited seating available for performances due to space constraints. Please speak to a member of staff near the performance area, before the performance starts, if you have access requirements and we will do our best to accommodate you.
  • If you have any access requirements or need assistance booking this event please email [email protected]

About the performers

Baila Peru was founded in 1989 by members of the Latin American community in the UK, dedicated to sharing Andean heritage through Huaynos, Huaylarsh and Andean carnival dances. Baila Peru is committed to preserving and valuing Peru's cultural heritage and diversity. Performances have expanded, including Afro-Peruvian rhythms, Marinera from the Coastal region and dances from the Amazon – incorporating creative choreographies with a powerful message; connecting to Peru's ancestral legacy, rural and disadvantaged communities. Baila Peru have performed widely at venues from Tate Modern to the Victoria and Albert Museum, Somerset House and London's New Year's Day Parade.

Nereida Apaza Mamani (b. 1979) is a Peruvian visual artist of Aymara origin based in Arequipa and Puno. A graduate of the Escuela Nacional de Arte Carlos Baca Flor in Arequipa, her artistic practice encompasses painting, drawing, stop motion animation, printmaking, bookmaking, installation and poetry. In 2019, she was the first artist-in-residence with The Santo Domingo Centre of Excellence for Latin American Research (SDCELAR) at the British Museum.