Beth Whelan and Amanda Malone spoke no Spanish. The Panamanian orphans spoke no English. So they communicated in the common language of dance.
Malone, a George Mason University integrative studies major, and dance majors Whelan and Victoria Gray spent their spring break teaching dance to children ages 3-18 in the Central American country.
“There was an obvious language barrier, but by the end of the week, there was a major amount of communications that happened without words,” Whelan said.
In all they visited three orphanages, spending two days teaching at each stop. At the end of the week, the students performed the chorography they learned.
Students learned hip-hop and jazz to the beat of Shakira songs and even a Latin remix of a Justin Bieber track. Malone and Whelan discovered the Bieber song before leaving the states, only to learn the song was already a big hit in Panama and well known by the children.
“Everyone learned how dance has been a tool used to solve conflict, express emotions and communicate stories and lessons,” said Malone, president of the George Mason chapter of Movement Exchange, the California-based group that coordinated the trip to Panama for members. This was her second trip to Panama with the group.
“I could see other people learning what I learned the first time I was there,” she said.
Malone will graduate in May with a degree in elementary education before she begins an accelerated master’s program at Mason, so she’s passing the Movement Exchange president’s baton to Whelan, a junior.
“I was looking for a way to use my space, time and energy to give back to something. Dance has been my passion and my life, said Whelan. “I just was super moved by the connections I made. This is something worth spending your time on.”