Students paired up on the dance floor of the Student Center Tally Thursday night, twirling and side-stepping to throbbing Latin beats.
The Latino Student Union had students' feet tapping and hips swinging at its annual salsa workshop, part of Hispanic Heritage Week.
More than 70 people showed up to learn the Hispanic dance or watch their friends participate.
Ya'akov Eden, a dance instructor in the school of physical education, taught students how to dance the South-American and Caribbean versions of the salsa.
At the beginning of the night, students seemed nervous. They moved their legs stiffly from side to side.
But as the workshop progressed, students loosened up and danced with enthusiasm.
Janet Arias, vice president of LSU, said the salsa workshop always draws a good turnout
"This is fun," Arias said. "They're out here because they're interested. The music draws people, and dancing is interesting."
Arias said that, for some students, the workshop is the first taste of foreign culture they have had.
"This is new," Arias said. "It's something most people haven't seen before, and salsa is a bit easier to do; it's a little more user friendly."
One of the highlights of the night came when students encircled Cat Zakrajasek, secretary of LSU, and her partner in awe as they swung almost professionally around the dance floor to the music.
The salsa dance derives its moves from three Latin dances: the merengue, the rhumba and the mambo, Eden said.
Eden said he enjoys the way salsa allows dancers to mix movements and alternate steps sporadically.
"It's playfulness," Eden said. "It's more of a social dance than a ballroom dance. It allows people of different levels to dance together."
Eden said it's very easy for experienced dancers to lead rookies so they can appear to know more about the dance.
Eden, who learned to dance while growing up in Israel, said he loved seeing the look on people's faces as they learned the salsa for the first time.
"It's wonderful to teach people to use a beautiful instrument, which is the body," Eden said.
Hispanic Heritage Week will culminate in the showing of the movie "Frida" at 7:30 p.m. today at Pruis Hall. Admission is free.
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