Heads were bobbing, toes tapping and hands clapping at Old Hammondtown School Friday morning as kids learned about Latin and Caribbean music from Manguito.

The Boston-based band, composed of five musicians, plays for a variety of audiences, said bassist Alex Aluear.

Hailing from Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and the U.S., the members played traditional pieces while explaining the African and European influences in the music while introducing instruments unique to each culture.

After playing music from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Domincan Republic, the musicians fielded questions from the kids in the audience.

"How did you guys find each other?" asked one student.

"I just picked them up on the way here," joked Aluear. "Some of us met in school. Some of us met professionally. Music brought us together."

"How long did it take to learn the instruments?"

"There's always room to learn more," said Aluear, who began playing music as a teenager. "It takes love and respect for the music."

Pianist and New Hampshire native Matt Jenson started with the saxophone, trombone and trumpet as a kid before moving to the piano.

Percussionist Jesú Andúsar, originally of the Dominican Republic, said, "I started working on the farm and everything was related to music."

Fellow Dominican Pedro De La Cruz said, "I started from my mom's belly!"

After the Q and A session, Aluear said in Latin cultures everyone from babies to elders participates in the music in some way, and those who don't play dance.

He invited the kids to boogie to the music and had kids clapping to the klavas and doing the Macarena to the merengue. Kids continued to dance in conga lines as they left the performance.

Manguito also performed for students at Center School.

See a video of the performance below!