Founders
Paul & Melanie Zeir
When Paul and Melanie Zeir were young parents, their primary wish was to provide a loving, relevant, multi-layered learning ecology in the home and family life. It became clear early on that children learn best when they have opportunities to assimilate concepts and content through creative expression. Thus, without knowing it, an arts integrative methodology was born.
In 1997, with the encouragement of inspired parent-friends, the first Talking Hands Talking Feet workshops began with toddlers. Throughout the years, THTF grew up alongside the young lives it worked with. It expanded its repertoire in response to the needs of each age threshold from infancy and early childhood all the way up through adolescence and young adulthood. It all started in Seattle, continued in Boulder and landed in Santa Fe in 2004, working in various ecologies, from preschools and elementary schools to summer camps and teacher trainings around the country and internationally.
Melanie Zeir is co-founder and creative program director for Talking Hands Talking Feet. She orchestrates the movement and dance education part of the curriculum. Her pioneering approach to movement has inspired natural ways of kinesthetic learning in thousands of children through curriculum based performing arts programs.
She also creates the interactive web platforms that have given access to so many teachers and students around the world. She is the THTF videographer, site developer and music studio co-engineer.
Melanie Zeir is co-founder and creative program director for Talking Hands Talking Feet. She orchestrates the movement and dance education part of the curriculum. Her pioneering approach to movement has inspired natural ways of kinesthetic learning in thousands of children through curriculum based performing arts programs.
She also creates the interactive web platforms that have given access to so many teachers and students around the world. She is the THTF videographer, site developer and music studio co-engineer.
Melanie Zeir is co-founder and creative program director for Talking Hands Talking Feet. She orchestrates the movement and dance education part of the curriculum. Her pioneering approach to movement has inspired natural ways of kinesthetic learning in thousands of children through curriculum based performing arts programs.
She also creates the interactive web platforms that have given access to so many teachers and students around the world. She is the THTF videographer, site developer and music studio co-engineer.
Her studies in movement disciplines are extensive, including growing up in South Africa where it all began, greatly inspired by African roots of rhythm and movement. Through creative movement she composes dance choreography and accompaniment that enhance child development.
Her studies in movement disciplines are extensive, including growing up in South Africa where it all began, greatly inspired by African roots of rhythm and movement. Through creative movement she composes dance choreography and accompaniment that enhance child development.
Paul A. Zeir is co-founder and creative director of Talking Hands Talking Feet. He teaches original curriculum content embedded in song and story, and helps orchestrate the music theater and dance aspect in original performing arts programs. He continues to develop arts integrated education methods and philosophy based in principles of holistic human development.
Paul’s inspiration springs from the profound need for new education pathways that deeply respect and encourage each human life within the greater human mosaic and mutual partnership with the natural worlds. He has lived and worked with indigenous folk throughout the Americas and continues to draw inspiration from our precious human ‘ethnosphere’. He continues to write songs, music, essays and stories and loves inspiring educators into new ways of teaching.
Paul A. Zeir is co-founder and creative director of Talking Hands Talking Feet. He teaches original curriculum content embedded in song and story, and helps orchestrate the music theater and dance aspect in original performing arts programs. He continues to develop arts integrated education methods and philosophy based in principles of holistic human development.
Paul’s inspiration springs from the profound need for new education pathways that deeply respect and encourage each human life within the greater human mosaic and mutual partnership with the natural worlds. He has lived and worked with indigenous folk throughout the Americas and continues to draw inspiration from our precious human ‘ethnosphere’. He continues to write songs, music, essays and stories and loves inspiring educators into new ways of teaching.
Many school programs and summer camps later, where they’ve worked in person with over 9000 children and teens over 25 years, Paul and Melanie now focus their energies on the international online learning platform, THTF Academy, along with hosting teacher workshops and teen camps in their Northern New Mexico residential facility, Humming Grove Center.
Many school programs and summer camps later, where they’ve worked in person with over 9000 children and teens over 25 years, Paul and Melanie now focus their energies on the international online learning platform, THTF Academy, along with hosting teacher workshops and teen camps in their Northern New Mexico residential facility, Humming Grove Center.
