The usually stoic atmosphere at Sanders Theatre was lifted by the acclaimed South American band Inca Son Friday night, on hand to perform a benefit concert to help restore a Peruvian church.

The 400-year old church of Santa Ana in Ayacucho, Peru suffered an estimated $300,000 in damage in a 1997 fire. It has long been the cultural lynchpin of the community, which was torn by a 12-year civil war between the Peruvian government and the Shining Path rebel forces.

The Santa Anna Project, a student-run organization founded three years ago by Gordon C. McCord '02, hopes to help renovate the place of worship.

While most of the approximately 500 people in attendance came to see Inca Son perform, many echoed the feelings of area resident Susan Polk.

"I'm here for the music, but the charity is a nice benefit," said Polk.

Helped by recent success, including an appearance on the Boston Pops' most recent album and a 1999 Boston Music Award, Inca Son event formed the Santa Ana Committee's largest fundraiser to date.

The five-member band took the stage in their usually vibrant traditional dress. An array of dancers, a sword-swallower and fire breathers dazzled the crowd, which clapped enthusiastically to the music.

"I thought their energy was amazing," said Peter L. Hawthorne '04.

Early in the concert, the audience grew restless as an intrusive camera operator blocked their views of the band and dancers.

However, he was eventually chastised by an audience member, who was supported by vigorous cheering from others, and chased from the stage.

Towards the end of the two and a half hour show two dancers, dressed as a skeleton and a monk respectively, gallivanted through the crowd. Their pranks brought laughs and smiles.

But the most resounding cheers came when McCord and many of the other Santa Ana volunteers were brought onstage to dance.

For the final song of the evening, audience rose to its feet and sent the band and performers off amid a warm shower of applause.

"I thought it was really good," said Carnegie Mellon first-year Treacy Silverstein. "They came to my junior high school 6 or 7 years ago, but this was even better."