Emma Zangs is a choreographer, movement and communication coach whose work spans public speaking training, fashion show direction, dance workshops and entrepreneurship education.

Born in France and trained at Trinity Laban in London, she now lives in Norwich with her husband and two young children, coaching entrepreneurs, lecturing at Cass Business School and UCL's Entrepreneurship MSc and training founders to pitch on Dragon's Den.

In 2019, she delivered her TEDx talk We Are All Dancers as part of TEDxWomen, sharing her belief that dance has a unique power to repair and reshape our lives beyond the physical.

In this episode, we explore the profound connection between movement, creativity and mental health and what happens when we stop dancing and what it takes to find our way back.

In this conversation, we explore:

✨ Emma's own journey with dance and movement and how it has shaped her identity, her work and her sense of self

✨ How cultural attitudes towards dance and communication differ and what we lose when we disconnect from physical expression

✨ The role of movement in building genuine connection and community beyond the studio or stage

✨ Navigating rejection and resilience while building a creative business and why persistence looks different in the arts

✨ How motherhood prompted a creative reckoning and led Emma to explore new forms of expression including clowning

✨ The unexpected way that clowning helped Emma move through postnatal depression and shift her relationship with societal expectations of motherhood

✨ Why play is not a luxury for parents but a genuine tool for wellbeing and family connection

✨ The story behind The Playtime Project and how it creates space for parents navigating the emotional complexity of early parenthood

✨ The mind body connection and why making time for movement can be a powerful trigger for mental and emotional uplift

✨ The advice Emma would give her younger self and what it reveals about creative courage and self-belief

About the Guest:

Emma Zangs is a choreographer, movement and communication coach based in Norwich. She works with entrepreneurs and organisations to help people move and communicate with greater confidence, and lectures on entrepreneurship programmes at Cass Business School and UCL.

Her TEDx talk "We Are All Dancers" has reached audiences far beyond the stage, and her community project The Playtime Project supports parents of young children through creativity and shared experience. Emma is a mother of two and a passionate advocate for the transformative power of movement in everyday life.

You can connect with Emma via her website, Instagram or LinkedIn.

About The Host:
I'm Victoria Phipps – a Mum of two, family photographer, charity co-founder, marketing person and now podcaster! 🎙️

I was raised by a nurturing Mother and an entrepreneurial Father and have inherited traits from both, so the tension between ambition and motherhood is one I grapple with on a daily basis!

I’m fascinated to hear the stories of other women on a similar path, who are striving to build thriving businesses whilst being present for their children. It's a tough juggle, but I hope the conversations shared on this podcast help Mums in business feel less alone and inspired to keep going in pursuit of their dreams.

Head to the Mum Means Business Podcast website for full show notes.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed in this conversation, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @victoriaphippsmbe or @mummeansbusinesspodcast.

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