Expression Matters: Building Student Well-Being Through Drama and Dance

Download and play webinar in a new tabDate: November 6, 2025
Organizations: CODE
Areas of Focus: Health and Wellness, Wellness

Expression Matters: Building Student Well-Being Through Drama and Dance

Presented by:
Matthew Sheahan — [email protected]
Joanna Perlus — [email protected]

🔍 Technical Summary

“Expression Matters: Building Student Well-Being Through Drama and Dance” explores how integrating drama and dance into classrooms supports student well-being, self-expression, and engagement. Facilitators Matthew Sheahan and Joanna Perlus offer a blend of creative exercises, personal anecdotes, student reflections, and pedagogical insights to help educators use movement and voice as tools for connection and growth.

Core Objectives:

  • Show how drama and dance build confidence, creativity, and emotional intelligence.
  • Offer strategies for motivating reluctant or self-conscious students.
  • Provide adaptable exercises usable across multiple subjects.
  • Validate the long-term benefits of arts education through student and teacher perspectives.

Key Themes & Takeaways:

  • Expression through movement and voice is universal. Drama and dance are accessible to all learners, regardless of experience or ability.
  • Creative work fosters emotional literacy. Tools like brain dumps, statues, and movement phrases help students externalize thoughts and feelings.
  • Safety leads to risk-taking. Low-pressure environments, scaffolding, and inclusive language build trust.
  • Arts support cross-curricular learning. Activities can deepen understanding in subjects like history, English, and science.
  • Teachers are co-learners. Educators are encouraged to participate as “movers,” not just observers.

📘 Key Concepts by Category

Drama Education

  • Improvisation games (“This is not a pen”)
    Spoken word from free writing
  • Statues and freeze-frame techniques
  • Storytelling and character empathy
  • Collaborative creative play

Dance Education

  • Movement phrases from emotion words
  • Use of verbs as choreography cues
  • “Mover” as an inclusive term
    Dance adapted for seated or limited-space participation
  • Blending movement with poetry or text

Pedagogical Strategies

  • Flow writing/brain dump exercises
  • “Right to pass, right to return” model
  • Scaffolding participation to reduce fear
  • Group creation as low-stakes engagement
  • Opportunities for embodied learning across subjects

Emotional & Social Learning

  • Arts as a pathway to self-esteem and confidence
  • Classroom bonding through shared creativity
  • Encouraging vulnerability without judgment
  • Addressing perfectionism and fear of failure

Accessibility & Inclusion

  • No prior experience required
  • Adaptable movement for various physical needs
  • Flexible engagement levels: observe, write, move, speak
  • Emphasis on student voice and agency

✅ Online Resources