Redefine Education - Mrs Zelné Anderson & Dr Bailey Snyman

Embodied Intelligence: Integrating Drama Across the Curriculum Why Drama is a Necessity and not a Nice to Have

Mrs Zelné Anderson & Dr Bailey Snyman

Often seen as a break from academic demands, Drama is in fact a rigorous, integrative discipline that connects thought, feeling, and movement. This workshop invites educators to explore Drama as an essential tool for embodied learning; one that deepens understanding across subjects. Drawing on Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies (L/BMS), Lessac Kinesensics, and contemporary pedagogical theory, participants will engage in practical, movement- and voice-based explorations that highlight the body’s role in cognition and emotion.

Through experiential and reflective practices, we will investigate how embodied drama techniques cultivate empathy, awareness, and collaboration skills transferable to any learning environment. The session aims to reframe Drama not as a “nice-to-have,” but as a vital discipline that promotes holistic, human-centred education.

Key takeaway: How might today’s embodied experiences inform your own teaching practice, regardless of subject area?

*Please bring your notebook and stationery along to this session.

Zelné is deeply committed to the creative arts and its potential to support individuals across all age groups in leading more holistically integrated lives. She holds a Master’s degree in Drama (2020) from the University of Pretoria and is a Certified Movement Analyst (CMA), having completed her certification through the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies in New York (2023). She is also a qualified Expressive Movement Facilitator (2021), and brings seven years of teaching experience across middle school, high school, and tertiary levels. In addition to her work in performance and theatre-making, Zelné is currently focused on pursuing a PhD in Somatic Practices and Pedagogies, aligning with her broader interest in the intersection of movement, embodiment, and education.

Dr Bailey Snyman is an award-winning South African choreographer, theatre-maker, and educator with over 25 years of experience in the performing arts. A Standard Bank Young Artist for Dance and former collaborator with Dada Masilo, he has toured internationally and taught at institutions including Wits, UP, and TUT. Holding a PhD in Embodiment Philosophy and Choreography, Dr Snyman is known for innovative, socially engaged work that explores gender, memory, and identity. He currently heads the Dramatic Arts and IB Theatre department at Redhill School, where he fosters creative excellence through physical theatre, contemporary performance, and critical pedagogical practice.