Students filled the Connor Ballroom in Billingsly Student Center on Friday to dance and take in Latin culture during the annual Dia de los Muertos dance.

“This is the 6th year Spanish Club has done a fall dance,” said Leslie Parker Spanish club advisor, “But this is the first year it has been on Dia de los Muertos.”

This event was sponsored by the Spanish club and was open to the community. Members passed out flyers to local high schools and businesses in an attempt to get more community involvement.

“There was a good turnout,” Parker said, “We were hoping for maybe 75 people and we reached our goal by 8 p.m.”

The Dia De Los Muertos dance is the fall fundraiser for the Spanish Club. The club uses the money from fundraisers to make trips more affordable for their members. The club also traditionally donates some of the proceeds from the dance and other fundraisers throughout the year to needy families at Christmas time.

While a few gathered the nerve to dance on their own or in a group, it was the dancing lessons that gained the most involvement during the dance. Norma Martinez taught the crowd the Salsa, Merengue, and Cumbia.

“Norma is a friend of the club who we asked to come show us these dances,” said Lindsey Herbert, Spanish Club President and senior biology and Spanish major.

Herbert said the dance is a good place to experience some Latin culture.

“It was a lot of work and commitment to get everything organized but it turned out great,” said Herbert, “It was a lot of fun.”

Community members and students who attended the dance enjoyed light refreshments including punch; candy, cookies, chips and salsa. The club also set up table where attendees decorated their own sugar skulls with icing. The Spanish Club also raffled off T-shirts and gift certificates.

I went to the dance for extra credit in my Spanish class but I ended up staying because it was great,” said Heather Loyd, sophomore education major, “The Spanish Club did a really good job bringing Spanish traditions to Missouri Southern.”

Upcoming events for Spanish Club include the 2008 fall and spring semester officer elections in December.

For more information about the Spanish Club or upcoming events please email [email protected] or add them as a Lionet group.