Jorge Perez

Jorge Pérez, Executive Director of Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater in residence at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He began his study of Spanish dance with Dame Libby Komaiko, founder of Ensemble Español, in 1985. He continued his artistic training in the U.S. and in Spain, with such dance legends as Anna Czajun, Edo, Paco Alonso, Victorio Korjhan, Juanjo Linares, Azucena Vega, Roberto Lorca, Timo Lozano, Manolete, Carmela Greco, Paco Romero, Candela Soto, and Juan Mata and Ana González, founding members of the National Ballet of Spain.

He is a graduate of NEIU, B.A. in Speech Communication/Performing Arts, with a minor in dance and arts management. He has been honored with the Artistic Ambassador Award from Ruth Page Foundation in recognition of his artistic achievements and contributions to dance internationally. In 2002, he received an Appreciation Award from Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago, for his exceptional contribution to the arts in Chicago. In 2004, Jorge was honored with the Twentieth Anniversary Award from the St. Louis Cultural Flamenco Society. In 2010-11 Jorge participated in The Devos Institute two year arts management program at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Capacity Building: Midwest. Jorge was one of the Ensemble Español leaders recognized in 2011 by President Barack Obama. In 2014, he graduated from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. Jorge also serves as President on the board of See Chicago Dance, co chair for Dance USA National Chicago Conference 2025 and on two Latinx committees with Ballet Hispanico in New York and with David Herrera Performance Company in San Francisco.

In 2019 Jorge and Irma Suárez Ruiz, artistic director of EE, were awarded by the Chicago Tribune ‘Chicagoans of the Year. Jorge was the recipient of the 2021 Latinx Community Award from Wintrust Community Bank. In 2024 he was named Chicago’s NEWCITY Players 50: The Institutions. His accomplishments are listed in Who’s Who among Hispanic Americans, Who’s Who among Business Leaders of America, Who’s Who in Dance, Who’s Who of Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs and Who’s Who among Hispanic Entrepreneurs in Chicago, as published by Negocios Now. Jorge has assisted in the productions for company and guest artist

dancers/teachers residencies in Australia and Canada and for Jacobs Pillow Festival, N.Y. Joyce Theater American Dance Platform, the Ensemble’s American Spanish Dance and Music Festivals and the National Institute of Flamenco Festival in Albuquerque 2024. He has performed for the company’s U.S. Midwest, east coast tours, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and in the countries of Mexico, Costa Rica, China, Poland, and Spain.