“This music is so spiritual,” said Wilmington resident Debra J. Napp Saturday evening during intermission at the Andes Manta performance. “It really awakens me.”

Napp, who became enchanted with South American music while living in New York City would watch performances for “hours on end” by groups set up in the subway tunnels. After hearing about the brothers of Andes Manta coming to Kenan auditorium, she quickly bought a ticket and experienced what she had been missing for a long time-the unusual, captivating melodies of western South America and the powerful feeling that each tune creates. She wanted to see again the live music that had been causing her to forget her destinations and stand still even in the middle of the busiest subway stations.

Audience members, like Napp, were so immediately hypnotized by the panpipes, flutes and drums that spontaneous feet tapping, head bobbing and clapping simply could not be ignored.

“I wanted to get up and dance,” said sophomore Diana Wu. “I liked that Andes Manta was a whole orchestra of handmade instruments, but played by only four people.”

Andes Manta is a group of four brothers originally from Ecuador invited to UNCW to be part of the Arts in Action series. The group, who has been touring together for 15 years, plays melodies from countries up and down the Andes mountain chain. Songs from Perú, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay and Ecuador gave audience members a look at a part of the world sometimes forgotten. Sometimes peaceful and harmonious, sometimes thunderous, each song was unique and full of passion. They incorporate over 35 traditional instruments, most of which have been made by hand to produce sounds like rushing water or bird calls to incredibly deep pipe tunes.

The talent of these men is not what one would naturally consider-it is more of an ingrained passion set in since childhood that makes these performances so fun to watch. The group is having just as much fun as the audience, which is obvious as they make jokes between songs and eagerly invite participants to the stage.

The last event in the Arts and Action series will be an energetic performance from Leahy, an Irish group of nine brothers and sisters. On March 31, Leahy will Bring folk music and step-dancing from Celtic, Canadian and French Canadian influences, to Kenan Auditorium at 4 and 8 p.m. The nationally known group that has toured with Shania Twain and the Chieftains will finish off the semester with promises of a lively performance.