Rigoberto Chinchilla grew up dancing. For every gathering, be it a birthday, or post-soccer game celebration, people shake their hips to music in celebration.

When he was in his late teens and moved to Costa Rica for college, his dancing gene got a workout.

“I spent most of my college years trying to learn how to dance the salsa and merengue and enjoying live concerts within the University of Costa Rica, other college campuses, and private parties,” Chinchilla said. “Live concerts and huge dances parties in the open as big as one (football) stadium are frequent.”

As part of Latin Heritage Month, a Booth Library exhibit will honor dances of Latin America. The exhibit will be on display until Oct. 14.

Chinchilla said that dancing plays a major role in the Latin culture.

“One of the cultural shocks that many of us have experienced when we came to the USA is the possibility of having a party without dancing,” he said. “For most of us, any party should have the dancing component or it’s not a party.”

Jeanna McFarland, a faculty member in the kinesiology and sports studies department, taught three Latin dances – the cha-cha, the salsa and the rumba – the first three Wednesdays of September in the University Ballroom and McAfee North gym.

“It was a great opportunity to learn this stuff (for free),” McFarland said.

McFarland said there was a great turnout for men this year.

“I think we had 30 boys and over 60 girls,” she said.

McFarland, who teaches ballroom dancing said one difficulty about teaching dances is that there are not enough men involved.

“Within the Latin culture, men dance. In Cuba, men dance. Puerto Rico, they dance. United States, men don’t dance!” she said.

“Men just have this phobia,” she said. “It’s something we really need to get over in this country.”

Ballroom dancing is a particular dance that relies on both genders’ participation.

“Men have their part, women have their part,” McFarland said. “It’s a way for men to meet women; impress a girl.”

McFarland said she thinks it’s wonderful that Eastern celebrates different cultures such as Latin Heritage month.

“I think that we should all be proud of our heritage whatever it is, and celebrate it,” she said.

Chinchilla knows two Latin dances best: the salsa and the merengue. The salsa is a mixture of different rhythms from different countries in the Caribbean, Chinchilla said.

“The salsa was further transformed by the Latino Caribbean community living in New York to be shaped as we know it now,” he said.

Chinchilla said the best way to learn the steps is to let the rhythm of the music guide you.

“Most of us learned merengue by feeling it,” He said. “By following the beat.”