Voices of Identity: Exploring Devised Theatre as Social Resistance and Catalyst for Change

Authors

Elizabeth Danielle Belvin, Antioch UniversityFollow

Images

Elizabeth Danielle (Dani) Belvin Ed.D., is a 2025 graduate of the Ed.D. program in Educational and Professional Practice at Antioch University.

Dissertation Committee:

Tony Kashani, Ph.D., Committee Chair

Ashley Nielsen, Ph.D., Committee Member

Brian Eugenio Herrera, Ph.D., Committee Member

Keywords

devised theatre, theatre education, identity formation, social resistance, critical pedagogy, culturally sustaining pedagogy, theatre for social change, applied theatre, podcast, college students, marginalized population

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

Devised theatre offers a unique artistic and pedagogical approach that challenges conventional hierarchies of storytelling by centering collaboration, personal narratives, and collective authorship. This dissertation explores the role of devised theatre in identity formation and social resistance, particularly for students from historically and currently marginalized backgrounds. Through a qualitative inquiry rooted in interviews and a podcast-based research methodology, this study investigates how devised theatre creates spaces for self-exploration, fosters community-building, and serves as a means of resisting dominant cultural narratives. This study finds that devised theatre functions as both an artistic and political practice, allowing participants to reclaim agency over their own narratives while challenging systems of oppression. Themes emerging from the research include the role of devised theatre in fostering identity affirmation, the importance of vulnerability and collaboration, and the necessity of centering process over product. Additionally, the study highlights innovative pedagogical strategies and ethical considerations for educators and facilitators working with devised theatre in educational and community settings. By employing a podcast as a primary mode of dissemination, this dissertation models an alternative approach to academic research, prioritizing accessibility and public engagement. The findings suggest that devised theatre not only holds pedagogical value but also serves as a vital tool for fostering social awareness and activism. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Comments

ORCID No. 0009-0003-0508-0820

Bio: Elizabeth Danielle (“Dani”) Belvin, Ed.D. (she/they) is a New Mexican administrator, educator and theatre artist who is driven to make a positive impact through spreading her lifelong love of learning and art. In addition to an Ed.D. from Antioch University, Dani holds an M.F.A. in Theatre (Acting – Traditional Asian Theatre Performance) from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa and a B.A. in Theatre Education and Asian Studies from the University of New Mexico. Before that she studied Early Childhood Education at the community college where she has now worked for 12 years. At Central New Mexico Community College Dani oversees all the college’s art programs, including Theatre, as an Associate Dean in the School of Skilled Trades & Arts. Previously, as an administrator, she worked for several non-profits doing everything from answering phones, budgeting, grant management, leadership, program development/management, system reinvention, and managing professional development. As an educator, she has taught in classrooms, community centers, cafeterias, theatre, outdoors, and a juvenile detention center working with a wide variety of students: children, teenagers, college students, teachers, and adult students. She has worked in New Mexico, Hawai’i, Japan, and China which has instilled in her the joy of using the diversity of human experience in creating curriculum, programming, and teaching. As a performer, she has studied 12 different Asian theatre/dance forms (from Japan, Bali, West Sumatra, India, Thailand, and the Philippines), and is particularly interested in devised theatre, dance, puppetry, new works, and theatre for education and social change. Her other artistic interests include podcasting, traditional beading, fiber arts, knitting, cross-stitch, and multimedia collage. In her free time, she dreams of being a polyglot and continues her studies of Japanese which she began in college as well as her heritage languages, Spanish and Chahta Anumpa (Choctaw Language).

Recommended Citation

Belvin, E. D. (2025). Voices of Identity: Exploring Devised Theatre as Social Resistance and Catalyst for Change. https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/1131