HADLEY — Filling the Hopkins Academy gymnasium with sounds from the Haitian tanbou — the traditional cowskin and goatskin-covered barrel drums — students jumped, waved and did push-ups as they learned various folkloric dances, movements and exercises from the Caribbean island nation.

After 30 minutes of warmups, led by Jean Appolon and his team, the students, in groups, were ready to create their own Haitian inspired dances.

“You guys are really amazing,” Appolon, the founder and artistic director of Jean Appolon Expressions, said as the workout wound down, with students, many smiling and laughing, appearing to enjoy the experience of Haitian dance. “To me, I feel like you brought the Haiti vibe, the Haiti heat.”

The visit from the Boston dance troupe was part of a recent Haitian Multicultural Day at Hopkins, where dance and movement workshops for students and staff were followed by a performance titled “Traka: Trauma, Haiti and the Healing Power of Dance,” and then an interactive dialogue with the performers.

The idea for the day, funded though the Hopkins Board of Trustees, came from the school’s world language teachers, Kelly Lamberto, who teaches French, and Ruthann Fitzgibbons and Morgan Handy, who teach Spanish. Lamberto said music and dance of the Caribbean is a way to uplift voices, celebrate cultural identities and increase awareness of a global connectedness.

In world language classes, students did project-based learning celebrating Haitian culture and learning about the role of music, dance and language in preserving cultural heritage, as well as how dance encourages positive coping mechanisms and healing in confronting traumatic experiences.

Students in French and Spanish focused on either Haiti or the Dominican Republic, the other country that shares the island of Hispaniola, creating displays to share their knowledge, after developing their own research questions.

“The projects were phenomenal,” Lamberto said, adding that her students were inspired by L’unionfait la force, the spirit and slogan of Haiti that means “unity is strength.” The students examined Creole songs, the roots of musical rhythms and genre and Haitian drumbeat and the djouba dance, and integrated historical perspectives and culinary practices, Lamberto said.

Rochelle Bouthet, a sophomore, made one of the project displays, responding to a question about the role of nature in Haitian music.

Bouthet’s display shows a map of Haiti and explains the tanbou’s connection to nature.

Bouthet is grateful the Haitian culture was highlighted for a day. “I think it’s wonderful for them to come here,” Bouthet said. “It’s a great opportunity to learn about things, a fantastic opportunity to talk to them about their personal experiences. It’s actually incredible.”

While Bouthet had studied Haiti, the cultural day was open to all students, with students watching a documentary about the Jean Appolon Expressions.

“I thought it was a great way to see and participate in another culture,” said senior Cassidy Fyden.

Fyden said she and others learned a lot from the dance troupe and appreciated how Appolon coped with trauma through dance.

“I really got into the rhythm of it, teaching us how to dance, and overall I had a great time,” said junior Nick Uchneat, appreciating how the Haitians use dance to relieve stress and trauma.

Appolon said dance saved his life, and being able to share dancing with the next generation brings more understanding to the world. “When we dance it’s really keep our community safe,” Appolon said.

In responding to a question about how he continued dancing during the pandemic, Appolon is emotional about building in-person relationships, and how he continued performances via Zoom.

Appolon said visits like the one in Hadley are critical to promoting and preserving his culture.

“It’s very important to be able to share Haiti and our culture anywhere we have the opportunity to do so,” Appolon said. “It’s very significant for us to be at Hopkins to connect with their community, especially moving together through dance and sharing the cultural values of Haiti.”

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.