Not every learner can claim they engage in dance during their service-learning course.

Fuad Elhage, a senior instructor of Spanish in Franklin College’s Romance languages department, has been facilitating Diversity Through Dance since 2010. This course provides students the opportunity to connect with the Spanish language and culture through music and dance in each session.

However, for the past two semesters, the course has been modified to include a service-learning aspect, allowing students to broaden their involvement beyond merely music. Service-learning courses are available throughout the university via a collaboration with the Office of Service-Learning to enhance education through the practical application of academic skills to meet community-identified needs.

“I want my students to contribute to the community,” Elhage mentioned. “So, we are dancing with the senior citizens at the Athens Community Council on Aging.”

Once a month, Elhage and his students take their lessons off-campus, collaborating with the Athens Community Council on Aging to teach salsa, bachata, and merengue to the members. The ACCA is a local nonprofit organization committed to fostering wellness through engagement, advocacy, education, and support. For over 50 years, this organization has offered services and community support to older adults in Athens and nearby areas.

“These classes have been some of the best attended, most favored, and most uplifting classes we have hosted in my two and a half years here,” said Autumn Barefoot, program manager of the ACCA’s Center for Active Living.

The concept originated while Elhage was finalizing his dissertation in language and literacy education. Drawing from his personal experiences utilizing dance to engage with individuals from varied backgrounds and cultures, he researched how dance can be employed for reducing prejudice and aiding in second language acquisition.

With the insights gained during this period, he developed a cultural unit for middle school students, which laid the groundwork for his dissertation.

“My aim was to empower my Latino students to take pride in their heritage while simultaneously encouraging connections among students from diverse backgrounds — white, Black, and Latino,” Elhage expressed. “Through a collaborative performance for the school’s Cinco de Mayo celebration, the sixth and eighth graders united toward a shared goal, dismantling cultural divides and fostering a sense of togetherness.”

Currently, Elhage aspires to instill this same ethos in his students through this service-learning course. Diversity Through Dance demands that students act as active learners, educators, performers, and audience members through a range of classes and activities.

In addition to weekly sessions on campus, students participate in events like dance fairs, showcases, and lessons at the ACCA. The partnership with the ACCA has proven to be a rewarding and enriching experience for all involved.

“Dancing is a fabulous form of exercise. Anyone is capable of it. You simply need to have a passion for it,” remarked Heather Reed, a member of the ACCA and former administrative staff in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. “And, of course, it keeps us active.”

The class attracts a significant number of ACCA members to the dance floor, drawing in students with varied dance skills and members from the associated Dementia Resource Center. Besides exercise and enjoyable music, the class also fosters a robust sense of community among attendees.

“We are not just providing services that are extremely necessary for older adults,” Barefoot stated, “but we are also facilitating social connections and helping individuals remain independent and engaged.”

Elhage’s Spanish students appreciate having an opportunity to connect with the culture in a distinctive manner outside the traditional classroom setting. Adam Nault, a junior pursuing finance and international business in the Terry College of Business, attributes the course with helping him discover a new passion.

“While my entire family are dancers, I never considered myself one. Participating in this class and with the ACCA helped break down my personal barriers,” Nault expressed. “It feels great to come out and assist others. This experience made me realize that something like this is certainly something I wish to pursue after graduation.”

On April 23, the class showcased their skills in the semester’s grand finale, Milonga Tropical, where they performed alongside other community artists to highlight everything they’ve learned during the course. The complimentary cultural event, hosted at Hotel Indigo, was organized by Elhage and his tango dance partner, Stephanie Lynn, to provide accessible cultural experiences for the Athens community.

“My students are forming relationships with their peers, faculty, and the community through all of these initiatives,” Elhage remarked. “I want my students to depart feeling at ease engaging with individuals across disciplines, generations, and backgrounds.”

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