Preserving the cultural heritage 10000 km away from home

In London, there are about 145000 Latin Americans. Brazilians are the largest  group, making up over a third of the Latin American population in this city, followed by Colombians, Ecuadorians, Argentinians and Venezuelans. Southwark, Brent and  Westminster are three of the most popular boroughs in London for Latin Americans. Nevertheless, the area of Elephant and Castle in Southwark, Southeast London, is a particularly popular place for this community. 

Peruvians only make up around 8% of the Latin American population in London, according to the Peruvian Consulate. However, like many other international communities living in London, Peruvians have found ways to connect with their roots through many forms, including dance.

ArtPerUK is an example of how a community can gather and build a space for sharing and preserving national traditions. Founded in 2018 by Katherine Tinoco, the dance academy of Peruvian music, serves as a nexus for the Peruvian and Latino community's unity and heritage. According to its founder, ArtPerUK aims to offer a sense of belonging and continuity and ensure that Peruvian traditions endure across generations in the UK.

The dance school is supported by the City of London government to promote London's diversity and cultural heritage. Since opening, ArtPerUK has provided free Peruvian music dance lessons to over 500 people. In addition, it also trains permanent volunteer dancers to participate in different events and activities representative of the diverse culture of Peru. The next event they will participate in will be on April 21, in Vauxhall, London

Among ArtPerUK's dozens of permanent dancers is Andrea Watson, who joined the academy in 2018. Born in Lima, Peru, she moved to London for postgraduate studies and ended up staying here after meeting her husband. Andrea joined ArtPerUK because she found Peruvian dance classes a way to exercise in a fun way and connect with the Peruvian community.

Andrea has two daughters, both born in London. She says that each daughter has a different way of connecting with her mother's Peruvian identity. While her oldest daughter, Rebecca, finds Peruvian food a way to connect with her Latin American heritage, her youngest, Gabriella, connects with her mother's heritage through folk dance.

For Andrea it is important for her to transmit the latino and Peruvian culture to her daughters also because it is the only way for her children to communicate and fully comprehend their Peruvian family. “I wanted my kids to learn Spanish to be permanently bonded with the Peruvian culture in order to understand and be familiar with my parents and their Peruvian family”, Andrea said. "It doesn’t matter how, my goal is to keep my daughters connected with their roots and learn that being latino is something that their mother is very proud of."

12 year old Gabriella, is also part of the group of permanent dancers who train every Sunday in the area of Elephant and Castle. For Andrea and Gabriella, attending the Peruvian dance classes and preparing together for the dance events is a way of bonding as a family and sharing the Peruvian heritage. Gabriella started training with the team of dancers a year ago and hasn't stopped since then. 

As Gabriella, Andrea and Katherine suggest, in a diverse city like London, connecting with cultural heritage is vital. Initiatives like ArtPerUk provide a welcoming space for international communities to celebrate and preserve their traditions amidst the city's multicultural tapestry. Through food, dance and music are just three of the many ways in which people can come together and share as a community to pass on their cultural idiosyncrasies to future generations.