Elana Shyong

Author: Elana Shyong

  • Four Months, Four Workshops, and a Whole Lot of Play!

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    Elana Shyong
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    π“π‘πšπ­’𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐩! Every year I design and deliver an online drama in education programme for Ouch Theatre, an applied theatre company based in Nanjing, China. We just finished our last series on Sunday and I am feeling very proud of how much each participant has grown. Here are three top tips that I shared…

  • Enchanting gathering next month!

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    Elana Shyong
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    Every day I am reminded what a privilege it is to do what I love – play! Not just as performance or fun, but as a way of knowing, connecting, and engaging with the world around us. 🎭✨ From drama class in school to using it as a tool for creative self expression in university,…

  • An ending, and a new beginning!

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    Elana Shyong
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    After many rewarding years of running Learning Off Book drama clubs in international schools across Barcelona, I’m wrapping up this chapter… the final showcases this past week were bittersweet. So proud of the kids and missing them already! πŸ’”πŸŽ­βœ¨ What started as a spark of an idea with Phylly Jones and I nearly four years…

  • Drama Tool of the Month: Split Stage

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    Elana Shyong
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    In 2025 I have been doing a monthly series of online drama in education workshops for a client based in Nanjing, China. Each month I introduce a different drama technique and how to apply it for education, and last month we explored the tool Split Stage! πŸŽ­πŸ’» In the photo, you can see the classic…

  • Play is Power!

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    Elana Shyong
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    β€œπ‘»π’‰π’† π‘«π’“π’‚π’Žπ’‚ 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆 π’˜π’‚π’” 𝒂𝒏 π’‚π’Žπ’‚π’›π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’†π’™π’‘π’†π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’„π’†. 𝑾𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 π’π’π’π’š π’˜π’π’“π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ π’•π’†π’„π’‰π’π’Šπ’’π’–π’†π’”, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 π’Žπ’π’”π’• π’Šπ’Žπ’‘π’π’“π’•π’‚π’π’•π’π’š π’˜π’† 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔. 𝑢𝒖𝒓 π’•π’“π’‚π’Šπ’π’†π’“ 𝑬𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒂 π’Šπ’” 𝒂 π’ˆπ’π’π’… 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 π’˜π’‰π’ 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 π’–π’π’‡π’π’“π’ˆπ’†π’•π’•π’‚π’ƒπ’π’† π’†π’™π’‘π’†π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’„π’†π’”.” – Lily, SEN Teacher, Participant Such lovely feedback to finish up my week. I just wrapped up a 5-day Drama in Education training…

  • Drama in Education Training in Shanghai 2025

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    Elana Shyong
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    𝑺𝒐 π’†π’™π’„π’Šπ’•π’†π’… 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 π’Šπ’π’—π’Šπ’•π’†π’… π’ƒπ’‚π’„π’Œ 𝒕𝒐 π‘Ίπ’‰π’‚π’π’ˆπ’‰π’‚π’Š π’•π’‰π’Šπ’” π’”π’–π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’“ 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 Drama in Education 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕 π’•π’“π’‚π’Šπ’π’†π’“! 🌏🎭 ✨ After working with this applied theatre company online during the pandemic and delivering a successful in-person training last year, I’m honoured to be invited once again to lead a three-day professional development programme on Drama in…

  • Positive Parent Feedback

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    Elana Shyong
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    It always brightens my day when I receive messages like this from parents. This kind of feedback reminds me why I do what I do. I run an online drama club called The Drama Playground that acts as a creative space where kids can come, play, laugh, and learn important social skills like creative collaboration…

  • Iceberg of Culture

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    Elana Shyong
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    As someone who has grown up across different cultures, thinking about cultural norms, values, and unspoken differences has always been second nature to me – I’m very privileged to have it be a part of my lived experience. 🌏✨ Facilitating the Iceberg of Culture activity during our inclusive education training was a powerful moment. We…

  • Enchanted 2025

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    Elana Shyong
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    𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’Šπ’‡ π’‘π’π’‚π’š π’˜π’‚π’”π’β€™π’• 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 π’„π’‰π’Šπ’π’…π’“π’†π’β€”π’ƒπ’–π’• 𝒂 π’“π’‚π’…π’Šπ’„π’‚π’ 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 π’†π’™π’‘π’“π’†π’”π’”π’Šπ’π’ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’„π’π’π’π’†π’„π’•π’Šπ’π’? This is another 1 of the inquiries we’ll also dive into during Enchanted this year (with me!!). Enchanted is a gathering that has carved out a very special corner in my heart, and I am beyond thrilled to return, this…

  • Blast From the Past

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    Elana Shyong
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    Yesterday I had one of those conversations that fills your cup. I reconnected with Emma Goodman, a high school friend who I haven’t spoken to in yearsβ€”our last in-person memory is a blurry, joy-filled trip to Amsterdam nearly a decade ago! ✨ I reached out after seeing her amazing project Embolden by Em, and I’m…