ZOE LABs- Engagement and Evidence
In the LABs, we offer a platform for a comprehensive combination of research and practice. The Summer SCHOOL invites you to further your education in areas related to dance therapy.
ZOE SCHOOL LABs is a vibrant community and learning center designed to bridge the gap between practice and research in the fields of dance and movement therapy (DMT) and dance for health (DfH). Our mission is to cultivate innovative ideas, promote hypotheses, and empower practicing dance therapists to remain at the forefront of their fields. We offer two distinct but interconnected pathways (learning LAB and moving LAB) for continuing education, creating a dynamic environment for interdisciplinary exchange. By fostering connections between current practice and cutting-edge research, ZOE SCHOOL drives both the expansion of knowledge and the practical application of new insights in these evolving disciplines.
HERE you can find our flyers for the LABs
Benefit for those involved
We bring together involved people, therapists, doctors and concerned representatives
Both DMT and DfH are based on the methods, theories, skills, and knowledge of dance. In our LABs, we bring together practitioners and applications from both fields. We offer the opportunity to dive deep into embodied practices and new perspectives that shape work with clients and communities in and through the medium of dance. What are our common foundations and differences? What can we learn from each other? By incorporating both scientific and embodied research methods, as well as the participation of people who have had their own experiences with health issues and challenges, the ZSS is a tool for the collective expansion of practices associated with the healing potential of the body and movement.
Für diejenigen, die es betrifft
MIND/ENERGY
the learning LAB
ZOE SCHOOL invites all dance/movement therapists (DMTs), dance for health professionals (DfH), health professionals, researchers, and health insurance experts to explore movement, dance, and expression. Learn about the latest research findings and discuss practical applications to expand your knowledge and practice in these areas.
Register directly!
BODY/EMBODIMENT
the moving LAB
ZOE SCHOOL welcomes all DMTs, DfHs (licensed and in training), healthcare professionals, researchers, and health insurance experts who are interested in movement, dance, and expression. Explore how expressive movement and improvisation can be integrated into practice, particularly for different patient groups. Join us in building a bridge between research, evidence, and practical application.
The research support LAB / 5th day
Participants will engage intensively with scientific literature and acquire the ability to write research and program proposals tailored to their practice. They will learn how to prepare proposals for ethical approval and funding. This will enable them to contribute to the evidence base and secure resources for innovative projects.
ZOE learning LAB
- reading, talking, writing -
ZOE learning LAB, “our learning LAB” is a seasonal Learning Lab focused within the fields of Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) and Dance for Health (DfH). Each session invites participants to engage directly with leading researchers as they explore the development of their current work. Through a “deep dive” into a recent publication, followed by a brief interview and an open discussion, ZOE LAB offers a unique window into research processes, challenges, and inspirations. It’s an opportunity to ask questions, expand your understanding, and connect with cutting-edge ideas in the field.
Format: 1hour / online / for free / seasonal, Saturdays
Are you an author and want to present your paper in the LAB? Please contact us at admin@zoeschool.ch
The learning LAB: MIND/ ENERGY
Reading, talking writing
Free to attend, one hour online
Saturdays
1.30pm CET
5pm Dehli
7.30pm USA East
7.30pm Beijing
- Brief Interview with author
- Präsentation paper
- Breakout Rooms
- Q&A/Discussion/Brainstorm
DO YOU WANT TO PRESENT YOUR OWN PAPER? Please contact us (admin@zoeschool.ch) we are happy to promote you in one of our seasonals:
Registration and PODCAST from previous leanring LABs
October 18th 2025: Cecilia Fontanesi: Mechanisms of Change in Dance Movement Therapy: Translating research into practice
KEYWORDS:
We want you to be informed so that you are an exciting and excited listener and contributor for our discussions. Here you find Cecilias Paper, we highly appreciate you to have put an ey on hit prior to the meeting.
Enrollment for our free learning LAB on October 18th 2025
March 29th 2025: Cecilia Fontanesi: "Beauty That Moves"
KEYWORDS dance, Parkinson, affect, self-efficacy, beauty, gait, attention, motivation
We want you to be informed so that you are an exciting and excited listener and contributor for our discussions. Here you find Cecilias Paper, we highly appreciate you to have put an ey on hit prior to the meeting.
PODCAST "This time with feeling" Rebecca Barnstaple Nov 9th 2024
KEYWORDS
embodiment, interdisciplinarity, dance, aging, arts-based, arts and health, research design
Go to Podcast:
ZOE moving LAB
- dancing connecting exploring -
- writing, sharing, developing -
The moving LAB
Format: 2nd half of July / 4 days (10am to 5pm, 1 hour lunch break) in person in Basel, Switzerland
The Moving LAB, our “living laboratory,” offers a unique four-day experience dedicated to exploring research and practice and their connection in the field of dance/movement therapy (DMT) and dance for health (DfH). In July, participants will immerse themselves in specific topics focusing on particular target groups and explore practical applications of dance-based knowledge. The Summer School, attended by people with personal experience as well as dancers, dance therapists, researchers, and clinicians, offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with innovative forms of practice, tools, and techniques in a supportive, collaborative environment.
The research support LAB
Format: 2nd half July (following the moving LAB) / 1 day (10am to 5pm, 1 hour lunch break) in person in Basel, Switzerland
ZOE SCHOOL offers an optional fifth day dedicated to research and program development. With this intensive training and customized coaching, we take your DMT and DfH projects from idea to implementation. Of course, we take your specific interests into account. You will receive expert guidance from us. This will help you refine your ideas, structure your programs, and master challenges in the development process. Advance registration is required to ensure a targeted, practical experience that guarantees the growth and success of your unique project.
ZOE moving LAB
Dancing, connecting, exploring – writing, sharing on developing
Format:
- Mornings: Lecture – explorations dealing with research and work with specific clinical pictures, creating movement vignettes on the topic.
- Afternoons: Embodied exploration through dance and movement, exchange with all participants on the core topics in DfH and D/MT
- Day 5 format on request
Free information event
As soon as a moving LAB takes place again, we will offer a free webinar with all the information you need.
Who is Who
Rebecca Barnstaple
PhD Dance Studies/Neuroscience Graduate Program, York University. Diplôme des études supérieures specialise en L’éducation Somatique; dance therapy training National Centre for Dance Therapy, Les Grands Ballets, Montréal, Québec. Assistant Professor Creative Arts, Health and Wellness & Theatre Studies, University of Guelph.Faculty National Centre for Dance Therapy, Montreal, and Faculty of ZOE SCHOOL Basel.
Rebeccas role:
Presentation of the seasonal meetings and facilitation of the summer school
Rebeccas vision:
Collective movement and dance have been aspects of cultural expression and healing for millennia. The places and ways we do this may have changed, but the medium of dance remains full of power and potential. Bringing together diverse practitioners who recognise the centrality and importance of dance enhances our shared knowledge and capacity to support life-affirming movement experiences across the lifespan. Dance for Health (DfH) and Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) offer a significant range of embodied tools and techniques – coming together with shared intent will be a source of inspiration contributing to the expansion and elaboration of both fields.
Cecilia Fontanesi
Neuroscience PhD, Biology of Behavior MS, Board Certified – Dance Movement Therapist, Certified Movement Analyst, Registered Somatic Movement Educator, Faculty at the Laban Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies, Barnard College of Columbia University, 92Y Harkness Dance Center,
Cecilias role:
Presentation of the seasonal meetings and facilitation of the summer school
Cecilias vision:
I see Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) as a dynamic field at the intersection of multiple disciplines—dance studies, psychology, social work, and neuroscience—where the body and mind are inseparable in the healing process. By embracing this interdisciplinary approach, DMTs (Dance/Movement Therapists) and DfHs (Dance for Health) professionals are uniquely positioned to tap into the therapeutic potential of movement, drawing from these diverse areas of knowledge to create interventions. I envision a future where movement is recognized as a vital medium for health and well-being, and position dance and movement as central to healing, growth, and human connection.
Brigitte Züger
Integrative und klinische Tanztherapeutin FPI, Kunsttherapeutin (ED) Bewegungs- und Tanztherapie, Komplementärtherapeutin (ED) Körper- und Bewegungstherapie, Dance Movement Psychotherapist, Director of ZOE SCHOOL FOR DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY
Brigittes role:
organization and moderation of the seasonal meetings and the the summer school
Brigittes vision:
I envision DMTs (Dance/Movement Therapists) and DfHs (Dance for Health professionals) coming together to exchange knowledge, share the transformative power of movement as a tool for healing, and collaborate with other health professionals. By fostering open communication and learning from each other’s expertise, they can enhance both the practical and theoretical aspects of their work. This collaboration will elevate their professions, allowing them to create even more profound impacts on those they serve, leading to a future where movement is fully recognized as a powerful medium for health and well-being.