NATCHEZ &045; Dance music drifted from the open windows at the Prentiss Club Saturday afternoon.

Upstairs, the soft swish and tap of shoes kept time on the wooden floor as couples learned the art of tango, swing and salsa dancing.

The lessons, part of the Sweet Southern Swango Weekend, gave couples a chance to get used to the music they would dance to later that night.

&uot;Salsa is done into the earth,&uot; instructor Louie Bianco of Little Rock, Ark., told participants before advising them to take &uot;quick, quick, slow&uot; steps as part of their introduction to salsa.

On the dance floor, couples concentrated on their steps or shared shy smiles of embarrassment as they learned new techniques.

The weekend, organized by Christina Johnson, continues today with a morning dance at the gazebo on the Natchez bluff and a tea milonga on the second floor of Brown Barnett Dixon. The morning dance is free; the afternoon event is $20 per person.

Sarah Smith and her husband took the swing and tango classes Saturday afternoon. &uot;This is a fun thing for Natchez,&uot; Sarah said. &uot;The teachers are all so wonderful.&uot;

The Smiths are from Natchez, but participants also came from out of town.

Sarah Smith said she also enjoyed Friday night’s event, which included a discussion of the history of Argentine tango and its relation to American jazz.